story6677.xml

story6677.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I was recently married on September 5,2001 and was leaving New York City for first time to live in Atlanta. It was very tough to leave but on the evening of September 10th we said goobye to my family in Long Island and drove to Manhattan to say goodbye to my husband's daughter. As we left New York we looked at the Skyline and I said I wonder when I will see that again.(not knowing how those words would haunt us forever) We drove all night and stopped in Virgina at 4:00am to rest in a hotel. As the world was experiencing one of the most tragic events of our history my husband and I slept. When we woke up around 11:00am my husband turned on the TV while I was in the shower and screamed "Oh my god, come out here and see this". We sat in horror and disbelief and just cried. We immediately became frantic not knowing about our families especially my brother who is a New York City Policemen. The telephone lines were down and we could not get through anyone. I immediately wanted to turn around and go back to New York. My husband wisely said there is no way that we will be able to get back in to the city. We sat feeling helpless and dumbfounded. It was hours before we could get through to our families but thank god everyone was fine. My brother however, was part of the search and recovery and rescue and will never be the same again. I almost lost a very good friend. She was in the first tower when the first plane hit but was smart enough not listen to being told to get back and stay. Thank god she ran out before the building collasped. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like to have been in New York and experience the horror first hand.
I pray everyday for faith, strength and hope for all the victims and their families of the WTC, Pentagon and Flight 93.