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<< shear madness >>>>>>>
I want to tell you an unbelievable story of the incredible survival of one of our colleagues.
Doug Olear just called me from New York. Doug played Rossetti for me first in the Washington production of Shear Madness and most recently in San Francisco. I'll try to recount the amazing and harrowing story he told me.
Doug's apartment is (was) one block south of the World Trade Center. He was home when the first tower was hit and he went out into the street to search for his brother who worked on the 98th floor of that building. (His brother was late for work that morning and survived!!!) Suddenly he felt the rumblings of the first tower beginning to fall. He said it was like nothing he ever felt or saw before. The building began to move like it was animated, like a cartoon. Then it came crashing to the ground. Doug ran.
He's an athlete and his legs served him well. But the smoke and debris was faster than he was. The billowing smoke was brown and black, not the white/gray we've seen on TV. As the dust and smoke and debris overtook him, a hand reached out and pulled him into an open parking garage. There were others there already. Almost instantly the garage filled with the dust and soot and he said it was like the day turned to black night. He could see nothing. Nothing. People were screaming and choking. Doug said he was sure he was going to die. He couldn't breath and instinctively he felt he had to get out of there. He called out to people he couldn't see and got them together and they made their way out, hand in hand. The street was filled with people some dazed and bleeding, some screaming. He knew he had to get back to his apartment (if it was still standing) and try to rescue his wife, Danielle, who was still there. Choking and coughing, his face pelted with the still falling tiny shards of glass and bits of the fallen building, he put his hand up to shield his face and slowly made his way back toward his apartment. He had no way of knowing what he might find.
Miraculously, his building was still standing. When he went in, it was eerily silent. He called out. Danielle called back. She was alive and upstairs in their apartment where several other tenants and a Fedex man had taken refuge. They had been watching the TV coverage when they saw the tower begin to fall and then the screen went dark. Inside the apartment, it was like someone had turned out all the lights. The apartment was nearly completely dark, the windows covered with a thick coat of the falling soot. He told them they had to get out, it wasn't safe. He led them out and they all began to walk toward the water when the unthinkable began to happen. The horribly familiar rumble began again. The second tower was coming down. Everyone ran for their lives.
Doug, his wife and his brother are all safe now. But Doug is essentially homeless now. They let him go back to his apartment for exactly 10 minutes where he could pick up some shoes and a change of clothes. The place reeked of rotting food and smoke. In 10 minutes the National Guardsman who allowed them up was yelling for them to get out NOW!
There's no going back there to live. The building will surely be torn down. Already there are huge cracks and craters in the street. Doug's an actor. He spent years "living like a rat" (his words) in NYC and finally found an apartment that was nice and he could afford. And it's gone. He's living for a few days with this friend here and a few days with that friend there. Even the people at the Actor's Fund said this was the worst case they had heard.
This guy is a Shear Madness alum... he's family! And a genuinely nice person. This is an opportunity for us to tangibly help one person who is directly or nearly directly connected to us all. If you can make a contribution, no matter how small, send it to me at {{{{IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO THIS PERSON...CONTACT ME HERE AND SAY THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE SHEAR MADNESS FUND}}}}. Today. Now. He needs it now. I'll make sure he gets it all, with your name mentioned.
I sent him my little note about DC and he was so moved by it. I think it will mean a lot just to know people care and are thinking and caring about him. I know it will. If you can't send any money, send him an e-mail note of encouragement. It will mean the world.
Don't get the wrong idea. Doug's not morose about this... he sounds more amazed and thankful than anything else. I know that we are all going through a lot right now. I hope you are well and safe. For whatever you can do... thank you, thank you, thank you.
Bobby Lohrmann
P.S. If you know of any other e-mail addresses of anyone in the larger, extended Shear Madness family, I would appreciate it if you would forward this to them.
Let's make a difference for at least one person!
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