story2696.xml

story2696.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was at work at Virginia Baptist Hospital and was returning to my office with a co-worker. The television showed the first tower on fire and I asked a third co-worker what had happened. She didn't see, but as we listened to the coverage, we saw the second plane hit the second tower. One of my co-workers yelled. Ir was clear to us that these were not accidents.

A teacher of my youngest son, 13, called me and said he had not said hardly a word since the attacks. She said he had told her that his mom has many Middle Eastern friends and they were not the ones who did this. She wanted me to talk to him, which I did.

And all I wanted to do was go home and be with my children, but as a hospital in proximity to DC, we were concerned we would have to stay, which we did not.

I called an Iranian friend of mine in Tennessee who has been in the US since 1976. He has a wonderful boss who sent him home that day, for fear that someone would hurt him.

I called another Iranian friend in DC who said that he and his family were safe. He said he was not worried about his safety, because alfter all, he has a tattoo and a Harley-Davidson so he truly is American!

That is my prayer and my family's prayer, that we seek peace in the country and world. We need to remember that killing people in office towers is no different from killing people in desert villages or refugee camps, because killing is killing no matter what.

Thank you