story20319.xml

story20319.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2006-09-08

I grew up in New York City, the daughter of a NYPD officer. I remember perfectly well where I was and what I was doing in the city the day of the first attack in 1993. I was 9 years old and the fear I felt about where my Dad was consumed me. But eventually my dad was injured in the line of duty and he retired to a small farm-town in Vermont. So on the morning of September 11th, 2001 I was a senior, sitting in my first period Advanced Placement American Goverment Class. When the class was interrupted by another teacher entering to tell the students that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center, I was overcome again with fear. When the events of the day unfolded even more, it became clear just how much my life would change because of this attack. Cell phones weren't working and therefore I couldn't call my family to see if my pregnant cousin and her husband had made it out of their offices in both towers. And I watched in horror as I watched the towers fall, knowing that I had just seen the police officers, port authority officers and firefighters running into those very same buildings. I didn't know how many of my friends from back home had just lost their father's from the precint. How many little daddy's girls like myself were watching their father be taken from them. When I got home later that afternoon, I met my Dad on the front porch and gave him the biggest embrace to this day. I cried and thanked God that my Father wasn't there that day. If he hadn't been hurt just a short while before, he would have been at Ground Zero that day. Sometimes, what seems like a setback or punishment is really a blessing in disguise. My heart is with each and every child who lost their parent that day in the line of duty. Your mom and dad are HEROES and you should be so very proud to call yourself their child. THANK YOU for your family's sacrifice. We can NEVER repay you. God Bless America.