story9423.xml

story9423.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-08-16

I live in Garland, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, TX. I was about 4 blocks from my sons school, as I was driving him there. I was listening to the morning news and talk shows that I would normally listen to. They interrupted the show to report that "a small plane" had just crashed into the WTC, and that details would follow. I thought to myself that some poor soul who was alive an hour before was dead. I wondered if they (the pilot) had had any indication that they would die that day, 9-11. I called my wife and asked her to turn on the news and watch. The Dallas - Fort Worth ABC affiliate I listen to, cut to a NYC sister station who had a reporter near by and was already interviewing eyewitnesses. I was still under the impression that it was a small plane. The reporter was speaking to someone when in the back ground you could hear gasps and assorted chatter, then the reporter followed with "Oh my god.....ANOTHER plane just smashed into the other tower!" It was then that I knew these were no "accidents". This marked for me the 3rd public incident of my life that I will always remember, and remember where I was. It is behind the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan ( I was in 5th period band); The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster ( I was at home, watching the first televised launch that I had the opportunity to see); and now this.It makes me sad to think others would wish harm on the greatest country that has ever existed. A country which offers hope,liberty and freedom. A country that is the first to rush to anothers aid. I have never been to NYC, though I feel as if I were there that day. I know Manhattan. The Bronx. Central Park. The Subways. Midtown. Harlem. They are every bit a part of my great country. God Bless the USA. God Bless NYC.