story2959.xml

story2959.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

As luck would (or would not) have it I arrived 15 minutes early to my Business Law class. That is why I did not know about the plane crashing into the first building. I stepped out of my car at 7:45 a.m. cdt. Everything was normal in school even when my professor asked us if any one had heard the radio... Then he told us of a plane crashing into one of the World Trade Center Towers. I said "Maybe it was one of the tourist planes, because there was no way a jetliner would have crashed into the building. The airports are just not that close to Downtown for that type of accident." I knew this because I had been a Flight Attendant for 10 years and had flown into all of the surrounding airports many times. We went on with class as normal, but I was anxious for it to be over so I could go listen to the news in my car. I had another class to attend and I had left my purse at home that day, so I had to go home. I got in my car and the first thing I heard was one of the Towers had collapsed and the other had been hit by another plane. I started crying and immediatley called my father who was at his house in Plano. I said hysterically "Dad, what in the world is going on?" His response was "Oh Trisha, it is so awful. Where are you? You need to get home right away. Two airliners have crashed into the World Trade Center Towers, One has just collapsed, and more planes had been hijacked." I didn't know what airliners had been hijacked and I was very nervous for my friends who I knew were flying on that day.

My biggest concern was for my children. I had a 2nd and 4th grader at a local elementary school, and I had no clue of what was going on with their school. I went home, got my purse and went to get my children from their school to bring them home with me. The Principal tried to talk me out of this, after all, he had handled this type of situation before. I assured him that I know they would be safe at school, but I needed them with me. It was about me and how safe I felt. My dad came over and we spent the day together crying, and then playing games with the boys. It turned in to a great family day. (My husband was at work, and I don't think he understood the magnitude of the situation until he came home from work and could watch the news.)

I feel a great loss, and so sad. I can't understand even to this day why people feel it is necessary to cause such destruction on other people. I pray that all can find a different way to solve problems.

God Bless America!