story7504.xml

story7504.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-15

I was staying with my parents while my husband was deployed on his first patrol on the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa. But I remember it was a beautiful morning the air was crisp and the sky was blue and clear. I was with my 1 1/2 month old baby getting ready to go out when I turned the TV on to check the weather but instead I was greeted with the horrifying images of the World Trade Center on fire. At first I thought it was a clip of the day the WTC was bombed back in 1993 (I really do not know why that was my first thought, I guess it never occurred to me that someone could do such a thing) but then I saw the second plane crash into the second building and I realized I was watching this on live TV. I was in shock and could not believe my eyes as the news media kept replaying both airplanes crashing into the WTC. As the first tower crumbled before my eyes and saw everyone running I started to cry. I could not believe it was happening. I thought about my father who worked at Duetch Bank located right across the street (Liberty Street) from the World Trade Center and how lucky he was to be home on vacation that week. I've always said that God was watching over him because for the 1993 bombing of the WTC he was at home also.

As I looked out the window to check on my father I saw everyone in the street crying, comforting each other and talking about the attack. That's when I saw New Yorkers in a different light and realized that New Yorkers are/can be friendly especially in a time of grief and anguish.

On this first anniversary I pray that everyone affected by the WTC find peace in their hearts. God bless us and our military and may God bless America.