story2101.xml

story2101.xml

born-digital

story

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2002-09-10

On 9-11-2001 we were vacationing in the mountains of Virginia and hiking on the Appalachian Trail. We rented a cabin at White Top, Virginia, in the midst of a Christmas tree farm. It was very secluded, serene, and very picturesque to say the least. That morning, we headed out early with our backpacks and were oblivious to anything else happening in the world. We had planned a day of hiking, enjoying the trail and the wild miniature ponies that roamed there. Although we had maps, we decided to stop by the park ranger's office and pick up some local information about the trail. When we walked in at the ranger's office, it was obvious from the looks of their faces that something was terribly wrong, which puzzled us. The rangers sat solemn, starring at a TV that could barely pick up any reception. No one said a word when we walked in. No one even acknowledged our entrance. Confused by their reaction, we turned towards the TV in the lobby and at that moment, saw the second plane fly into the Twin Towers. We stood there stunned and frozen with grief as we witnessed this huge ball of fire and smoke billowing towards the sky. Suddenly we saw people standing on the ledges of this 100+ story building, completely trapped with fire above them and below them. Some jumped to their death, while others, hanging out of the windows, screamed for help, surely realizing their doomed fate.
These towering buildings, once icons in the sky, crumbled and virtually went down like a stack of dominoes, and the lives of thousands were changed forever. Overcome with emotion and disbelief, we both started to cry right there in the park ranger's office. We could not comprehend what we were seeing and we lost all sense of our adventure that we had planned for that day. Instead, we found a quiet spot overlooking a vast mountain area, and sat in our car listening to the news on the radio for several hours. It was surreal knowing that we were overlooking the quiet beauty of the mountains, while turmoil, death and devastation were occurring elsewhere. When reality set in, we realized that we were probably in a very safe area, since we were far away from people and civilization. Needing to regain our composure and reflect upon what we had witnessed on TV, we retreated to the trail and in the quiet solitude of the mountains.


We recall as we hiked, seeing planes flying overhead in the distance. which were probably deployed to protect and defend America during this diabolic attack. Trying to comprehend the magnitude of this attack, we wondered, how many people heeded the call that day to protect and defend our nation and to assist in its restoration. Most assuredly, there were young soldiers.... Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines; Fire Fighters, Police, Emergency, Rescue and the Red Cross; Airline Pilots, Flight Attendants, Doctors, Nurses, and Hospital personnel; Bishops, Priests, Rabbi, and clergy. Churches offered meals, a place to sleep and shower, a listening ear and moral and spiritual support. Law enforcement, teachers, and countless other trained professionals, volunteers, and common people on the street, risked their own lives that day, trying to save others. And finally, most importantly, our President, and the governing bodies of the Congress and Senate, along with local city and county government worked together for the common good, to instill safety and integrity of our nation.

To all of the brave and courageous people who found strength within themselves, to rise up, even in the face of death, we applaud you. To those on that fateful flight, who commandeered their attackers, in an effort to save one, if not all passengers and abort the terrorists plan, we owe a debt of gratitude. The tragedy of 9-11 should humble us all so that we never forget the men, women and children who died as well as those who survived. We should also remember our military, who long before 9-11 stood ready to assist in preserving the freedom of America, and still continue to do so everyday, here and abroad in foreign lands all over the world.

In summary, our vacation was not quite what we had planned on 9-11. However, we learned much about ourselves, as we hiked the well beaten path on the Appalachian Trail. We embraced each other many times, feeling grateful to be alive, and thankful for our safety and security. We are thankful for the memory of where we were on that day. We are alive to remember it. Now, countless family members, friends, children and loved ones left behind by this tragedy, carry a memory also. However, their memory, is forever etched by the absence and loss of a friend, a co-worker, a lover, a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin, a niece, a nephew, a grandmother, a grandfather, a grandson, a granddaughter, a husband, a wife, a beloved son, a beloved daughter.


Everyone affected by this tragedy had a plan that day that was abruptly interrupted by this senseless tragedy. Maybe they were going to work, to school, traveling on business, vacationing, or visiting friends and relatives, planning a birthday party, a graduation, a wedding, a honeymoon or even a funeral. All that changed in an instant and their lives will never be the same. People seemed to be eternally vaporized from the face of the earth in the aftermath of the attack, and family structures were changed. All of us were changed in one way or another on 9-11 and life in America as we once knew it also changed. Now, the work begins.

We must all come together in strength and unity as one nation under God and courageously defend our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are a nation strong in morals and values and with time, our wounds will heal. America will always rise to the occasion, ready to defend the liberty and freedom of its people, pursuing this challenge with dignity, purpose and in the true spirit of humanity.