story1308.xml

story1308.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-20

I work for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, but I am from Columbus Georgia. I had just come back from lunch (Ireland is 5 hours ahead of New York) and someone casually mentioned that a plane had flown into the world trade center. I immediately went and found a TV. RTE, the Irish television station was carrying CNN and I watched as the second plane flew into the WTC. I had just stayed at the WTC 2 years earlier on a surprise birthday trip...I even had a picture of it on my desk. I sent frantic emails back and forth to my Mom in Georgia. When the plane crashed into the Pentagon, I couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. My husband and I had lived in DC before moving to Ireland and I really feared for the lives of my friends who worked in the Pentagon, National Press Building and State Department among other places. I couldn't go into work the next day...I could barely move. That Friday was declared a National Day of mourning in Ireland and all businesses closed. I stood for 3 hours in line at the US Embassy to sign the book of condolence and went to a beautiful memorial service at the Pro-Cathedral. My story of 9/11 still goes on. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not reminded of all the lives lost. I'm moving back to the United States in January. It's my home, it's where I belong.