story7462.xml

story7462.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-15

the morning of september 22, 2001 started out as a normal, beautiful almost fall day. actually woke up with a lot of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming weekend. went off to work at a job that i love. soon after arriving at work, i called a friend who works in washington dc. as we talked on the phone, finalizing plans for the weekend, i heard some talking in the background. could not really make out what was being said. my friend said to me, did you hear that???? my response was, i did hear talking, just don't know what was said. that's when i found out a plane had hit the world trade center. we actually joked about an air traffic controller going crazy. little did we know what actually happened. we soon hung up, with the promise to speak to each other tomorrow. some of my co-workers and i went downstairs where there was a television. i will NEVER forget the shock of seeing that second plane hit the world trade center. that is an image that will stay with me forever. there was a huge crowd around that television set and there was not a sound to be heard, except for crying. then came the news about the plane hitting the pentagon. i ran back to my desk and tried to call my friend, no answer, which was not very comforting. we were all allowed to go home for the day. i raced home and turned on the television and was glued to it for the entire day. i tried calling my friend's cell phone, no answer. finally, much later in the day i received the e-mail that put my mind at ease. he was okay and at home. it was only later that i learned of the struggles of the people in washington that day, everyone being sent home at once, the very, very crowded metro and all the hours it took to get home. truly a horrendous day for america. as more details were being revealed thru the coming weeks, i would have to say what really got to me, after trying to comprehend the number of lives lost by this senseless act, is all the "09/11 babies" that would be born and grow up never knowing their fathers. i guess it gets to me so much because my daughter, who is now 20 years old and 7 weeks away from her wedding day, had to grow up without her father because of a senseless accident. my husband was killed by a drunk driver in 1982 when our daughter was only 4 months old. i did have him here with me when she was born. he was taken away all too soon. it was not easy raising a child by myself and it is not what we planned. i feel so much for those "09/11 widows and babies" they will have a rough road ahead of them. that's when you find out what you are made of. god bless all the surviving family members and friends of everyone who lost their lives on 09/11. we will NEVER forget!!!!

this would not be complete without mentioning all the heroes of the day. the crew and passengers on the airplane that crashed in pennsylvania were truly brave heroes. knowing they were going to die had to be the most horrible thing imaginable. even though they knew they were going to die, they gave everything they had to make sure others didn't. to me that is the ultimate act of bravery. all the firefighters, police and just regular people who helped, you are the best. may god bless each and everyone of you.

the USA is a much stronger and closer nation since 09/11/01. may we always stay that way and fight the evil in the world.