story6178.xml

story6178.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I had just sent the kids off to school and turned on the t.v. when I saw the North Tower on fire. I thought I was watching something from another time and then realized it said Live in the upper screen. I watched in disbelive and as I watched it just got worse. I called my husband (who is a mason and out on job sites with no t.v. of radio) on his cell phone and he kind of brushed it off. He did not realize the seriousness of what I was saying to him until he came home for lunch. Then I called my mother. It took 1.5 hours to get through to her in Greenbelt. We watched in horor as the South Tower feel to the ground and cried together in complete shock praying for all of those who were inside. As we discussed, Oh my God, what if the North Tower falls, the unthinkable happened again. I have never seen such an erie site in all my life. We later learned that my brother was just blocks from the Pentagon when it was struck. They were told to immediately leave the job site they were on and to get as far away as possible. They left equipment and all behind. I pray for all of those who lost someone on that day and feel ashamed to feel so thankful that my brother was spared when so many were not. We were told to pick up our children from school and after I picked them up I headed straight to the Blood Bank in Easton, MD where I waited for nine hours to give blood. The atmosphere was one I had never experienced before and don't wish to ever again. It was somber, yet there was one part of it I hope remains...the unity that filled the room and parking lot. I watched for days after the recovery started as jets and planes flew over our house. The planes which carried the bodies and remains of the victims to Dover Airport and I waved my flag proudly as they went over. I just kept thinking, if they were to look down and just catch a glimpse of me standing there waving the flag at them then they would know we were there with them and it was my way of saying, "Thank You." September 11 is a day that no one will ever forget and it is up to us to make sure of that. As we say in our songs, so it shall be...We are and will stay, The Land of The Free. God Bless America!