PARIS – The Shy family had just finished up taking a course on creating their very own French chapeau, walked out of the building ready to enjoy the evening and ended up right in the middle of the chaos at Notre Dame.
“We got into a humongous crowd, we were in front because we were the first ones there before the fire department,” Shy said.
It was disorienting, they recalled. They saw the thick smoke but had no idea what was burning until they walked a block and saw the roof of Notre Dame in flames.
A video Shy took showed crowds of people just staring at the blaze.
“There are so many people in shock, it’s almost like they’re statues. Not knowing if this was terrorism, or something else?"
Shy got his family out of there, but they returned Tuesday morning to see the aftermath.
“The roof is completely gone in two spots and there is so much black soot,” he said.
Paris is eerily quiet Tuesday, as though the entire city is mourning its grand old lady.