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Former Yellowknifer still reeling

Manhattan bakery hit hard by economic fallout from Sept. 11 attack

Terry Kruger
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 05/01) - The Sept. 11 terrorist attack on New York City is having lasting affects on a former Yellowknife resident.

Simon Seaton lived here from 1973 until 1982, but moved to Manhattan in 1993. He is the son of James and Elizabeth Seaton, who retired to Vernon, B.C., six years ago. Simon's sister, Julie, still lives in Yellowknife with her two daughters.

James Seaton worked as the NWT's chief geologist, and Elizabeth Seaton was president of Storefront for Volunteer Agencies for many years.

Simon Seaton has worked for Umanoff and Parsons, an upscale Manhattan bakery, since 1996 and has been a 50 per cent partner since last year. The bakery is located on Greenwich Street, just seven blocks from the where the twin World Trade Center towers once stood. The bakery sells goods to restaurants, caterers, hotels and speciality shops in New York and around the U.S.

He heard the news about the first jet hitting one of the towers and watched as the second jet exploded into the other.

"We saw people jumping, falling from the building," said Seaton.

"No-one anticipated the buildings' collapse and the sight was horrifying. A number of us ran down the street to offer help but were stopped when a wall of smoke and debris began racing towards us."

Seaton said the attack has hurt his business in many ways. "My bakery was closed for a week and we lost a lot of friends and customers," he said.

"Sales are down 34 per cent and we have applied for federal assistance to keep going and to avoid having to lay off any of our 48 employees."

As well, because the business is so close to what is now called "Ground Zero," Seaton and his workers have to pass through a security checkpoint to go to and from work every day.

Despite the troubles, Seaton said the disaster has brought out the best in New Yorkers.

"My wife tried to volunteer for three days but was turned away because so many people came forward."