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American Morning

America Recovers: New Yorkers React and Recover; Restaurateur Gives Away Over 80,000 meals

Aired October 05, 2001 - 09:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: New York city has always been a study in contrasts, in the wake of the attacks the contrasts are all the more poignant. In many ways, in many places, the rhythms of this city seem unchanged, but I took a walk downtown where the normalcy seems very elusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Obstacles and reminders. The road to recovery in lower Manhattan is littered with them. Here the signs may be fading but the memories and the messages are stubbornly fresh. Of course we won't forget. How could we? But can we remember what was normal?

SAL MAZETTA (ph): One day at a time you take. That's how you got to recover from things like this. If you think too far in the future, you will go crazy.

O'BRIEN: Sal Mazetta was a laborer before September 11th. Ever since, he's become a sidewalk curator for a spontaneous exhibition of sadness and anger -- calls to arms and pleas to lay them down.

Joe Dobcan (ph) was an art student. He still is, but now he can feel the tug-of-war and at 18, draft age, he recoils at the thought of enlisting.

JOE DOBCAN, ART STUDENT: I was talking to this guy on the train the other day who -- who fought combat in Vietnam. And I said to him, you know if they try to draft me now, I'd be out of here. He said, you know, "hell, yeah, absolutely." Because war burns everybody.

O'BRIEN: Around the corner Tommy Barbaro (ph) solicits the comments and holds court at a card table -- ruminating over the hand we all were dealt.

TOMMY BARBARO: I don't think I could ever forget or will be normal again for what happened. You know, it's just devastating. Very devastating. Hopefully some day, you know -- probably I'll die living this.

O'BRIEN: Nino Vendome owns the restaurant where the cards are posted. Inside, he serves free meals to the weary legion here to keep the peace and pick up the pieces. NINO VENDOME, RESTAURATEUR: We have to believe in our ways. We have to believe in this country and we have to show that in all our mannerisms; in way of which we conducted ourselves before this. But now we need an open eye to the threat of the surreal, because the surreal is a part of our reality.

O'BRIEN: The surreal is palpable here -- light posts as alters. Places normally reserved for missing pets and vacant apartments now covered with plaintive queries.

Where are you Elvira Granitto? Norberto (ph) Hernandez, you are missed.

It is hard to be here and yet it is also hard to turn away. Near the place they call the pile, they cluster in a tight knot to catch a glimpse. Eerie? Perhaps. Moving? Most certainly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the can do this and we go overseas, what will they do next? You know, that's -- that's what I mean. You're always looking over your shoulder now. So, that's what you really have to -- that's what's changed me September 11th.

O'BRIEN: For all that has changed, there are hints of what was. Children to walk home from school. Dogs that need a walk. Sidewalk cafes to fill. Debbie Killian lives in Daytona Beach, but calls New York home.

DEBBIE KILLIAN: Had to come. I have to heal and this is where I start.

O'BRIEN: For some reason, it all seemed reassuring. Life and the city will go on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Nino's Restaurant on Canal Street here in Manhattan is near what was the World Trade Center and two days after the terrorist attacks owner Nino Vendome began giving away food to police officers, firefighters, and rescue workers. You saw him in that piece just a moment ago. He's given away now about 80,000 meals and plans to keep going.

Nino joins us now, live from the restaurant. Nino congratulations on all your efforts, first of all.

VENDOME: Thanks very much, and glad to be on your show.

O'BRIEN: What gave you the idea and how long can you continue giving these meals away?

VENDOME: Let me say that what's happened here is an immediate reaction. It happens to be an address 431 Canal street. The name happens to be "Nino's" and we happen to be the host. But what lives here, what thrives here is the spirit of America. And we're taking care of our own. So this is what's going on here, taking its own life. O'BRIEN: Nino, behind you I see all the uniforms -- police officers, firefighters -- that's a familiar scene for your restaurant. What kinds of comments do you hear from them as they come into your restaurant?

VENDOME: Well, I have to see that -- I have to say that when this first happened, I've seen them come in distraught. I've seen them come in in shock. I've seen them come in tired to the point they were practically sleeping at their meals. But what I haven't seen -- there's a unity here with the officers -- I haven't seen anyone complain. I haven't seen anyone have one negative thing to say.

I've only seen the best thing about these uniformed officers. And that is totally focused, totally dedicated and totally committed to doing one thing, of which they do -- every day of their lives, before this happened, now that happened we're focused on it. We here at Ninos are honored to have the opportunity.

O'BRIEN: Nino, you have been soliciting comments from people. Little index cards that are taped up on your restaurant and inside your restaurant. What are the comments that strike you the most?

VENDOME: What strikes me the most is there was some schoolteachers from I think Minnesota, and they had come down here to volunteer, or they had come down to visit and they left a message that related to their experience when this happened, saying "I knew that we were under attack." I was teaching 7-year-olds. I felt that I was ready to faint and collapse. But I knew I needed to continue. Oh, God, God help us please."

And stories like that. That touch my heart. Then we also have messages of hate on this wall. But for the majority, this wall, which spans a block long and maybe we have more than 20,000 messages -- these messages left by rescue workers, citizens, is a story that should be told to the world -- of how America responded when this tragedy happened. It will show the courage and the resolve of the average individual and hopefully it will be on display, 3 001 where the world will wonder what were Americans doing?

And this can exemplify how we reacted. What we were thinking and what we were doing. So this is what is happening on this block.

O'BRIEN: Nino Vendome, restaurant owner and developer. Now really, you've become, I suppose a sympathetic ear as well to an awful lot of people. We congratulate you on your efforts, and we wish you continued success as you try to help all the people who are assigned with that grim task there. Good luck to you, sir.

VENDOME: Thank you very much.

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