story3253.xml
Title
story3253.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
I'll never forget 9/11/01...a year ago today I was sitting
in traffic on the 405 freeway on my way to a class.
I was listening to my regular radio station and heard
what I thought was a really bad practical joke.
I immediately called my husband at home in to see if what I
was hearing was actually true. The confirmation from my
husband was horrifying. He was explaining what was
happening with the first plane hitting and then the second.
My heart sank as tears streamed down my face thinking about
all of the lives lost.
Of course, I couldn't fully picture the magnitude of what
was happening until I reached class where someone had turned
on the television. Complete and utter disbelief and
devastation.
With family just 2 miles from the Trade Center, friends
in New York and a sister that flys frequently for business,
terror immediatley consummed me. Trying to reach people
in New York was almost impossible. Finally we reached
our family in New York and my sister, and found that they
were all safe from harms way, giving some relief. My
husband remembered that our friend (who normally lives in
South Fallsburg, NY) was supposed to be at a retreat
in New York City somewhere near the Trade Center. Fear
was ever present until we heard from her a few days later
and found that she had lost her sister-in-law in one of
the towers. There was tremendous relief when we heard
from her and then sadness about the loss of her husband's
sister. Although we did not know our friend's
sister-in-law, we felt a tremendous loss due to all of the
wonderful stories that we heard about their holidays
together.
Weeks went on and tears continued to flow, and still continue
flow, as stories are told. Tears that cannot be controlled.
The heartbreak that is felt for all of the families that
lost friends and loved ones in this horrific tragedy is
very much at the surface and will be for many years to come.
The only positive thing that came from this tragedy is that
the people in the U.S. became more united. People helping
other people and showing compassion that would not otherwise
be shown has been heartwarming.
in traffic on the 405 freeway on my way to a class.
I was listening to my regular radio station and heard
what I thought was a really bad practical joke.
I immediately called my husband at home in to see if what I
was hearing was actually true. The confirmation from my
husband was horrifying. He was explaining what was
happening with the first plane hitting and then the second.
My heart sank as tears streamed down my face thinking about
all of the lives lost.
Of course, I couldn't fully picture the magnitude of what
was happening until I reached class where someone had turned
on the television. Complete and utter disbelief and
devastation.
With family just 2 miles from the Trade Center, friends
in New York and a sister that flys frequently for business,
terror immediatley consummed me. Trying to reach people
in New York was almost impossible. Finally we reached
our family in New York and my sister, and found that they
were all safe from harms way, giving some relief. My
husband remembered that our friend (who normally lives in
South Fallsburg, NY) was supposed to be at a retreat
in New York City somewhere near the Trade Center. Fear
was ever present until we heard from her a few days later
and found that she had lost her sister-in-law in one of
the towers. There was tremendous relief when we heard
from her and then sadness about the loss of her husband's
sister. Although we did not know our friend's
sister-in-law, we felt a tremendous loss due to all of the
wonderful stories that we heard about their holidays
together.
Weeks went on and tears continued to flow, and still continue
flow, as stories are told. Tears that cannot be controlled.
The heartbreak that is felt for all of the families that
lost friends and loved ones in this horrific tragedy is
very much at the surface and will be for many years to come.
The only positive thing that came from this tragedy is that
the people in the U.S. became more united. People helping
other people and showing compassion that would not otherwise
be shown has been heartwarming.
Collection
Citation
“story3253.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 10, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/18537.