story4420.xml

story4420.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

My husband called me from Philadelphia to ask me to watch the news as he had heard a plane had gone into the World Trade Center, he wanted more details. I found the nearest television and there was already another person there and she had just seen the second plane hit the second tower. There were stories coming in fast and furious after that, the Pentagon being hit, a possible car bomb outside the capitol building, etc.

My husband called to say that his plane was cancelled and that he was trying to find a rental car to get home. I did not expect to see him for a couple days. Imagine my surprise when he was home before midnight. I am so lucky to be able to say that he came home that day, I know how many thousands more people can't say that.

I had a prenatal appointment that day at 3:00pm and I prepared to tape the baby's heartbeat as I had at each appointment before that. I can hear the change in my voice from happy expectation the previous months, to stressed and oh so very sad that month. I will never lose that tape. It is an audible record of my devastation that horrible day.

I was so shocked and lost that day, the first time I cried was when our elected officials stood on the steps of the capitol and sang "God Bless America". I still get tears in my eyes when I think of the non-partisan show of support for this great country and the wonderful people that lost their lives, but not their footprints on our souls on September 11, 2001.