nmah184.xml

nmah184.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I had taken the day off from work that day for the purpose of taking my infant son to a doctors appointment. I remember the phone ringing, answering it still half alseep, and hearing my wifes excited voice telling me that The World Trade Center had just been bombed. I didn't take her seriously initially. Nevertheless, I managed to find the remote control for the television, and upon turning it on, I was immediately brought to a full consciousness by what was unfolding before my eyes. One tower had already collapsed and in the process of the media replaying clips of seperate airliners crashing into both towers, the other tower began to buckle, collapse, and crumble. I could not believe what I was seeing. I remember surfing through the major stations to get different veiws on what was happening, and remember seeing the words that will forever be etched in my memory. "AMERICA IS UNDER SEIGE BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS".
After it was reported that a third plane had been hijacked and subsequently it to had crashed, it was painfully obvious that we were being targeted by some very angry and desperate people.
My first reaction, as I began to get my son ready for his very first routine appointment,was not one of anger or rage as many others will confess to. My first thoughts were ones of sorrow for the lives that were being taken through no fault of thier own. My heart and prayers were and still go out to the families of those unsuspecting people who were in those buildings and on those airplanes.
I think like so many others,I went through the rest of that day in a state of shock or disbelief.

I cannot say there have been any drastic changes in my personal life, but I believe I have a better appreciation for life itself.

That so many lives, innocent lives ended prematurely.

Being a 42yr. old Afro American male, before Septemeber 11, I never looked at myself as a "Patriotic American", but in the aftermath of that tragedy, I have come to embrace this country more than I had in the past. I applaud the efforts of the countless people who left their homes and families to assist in the recovery process. I had never before flown an american flag at my home, but I do have one now and I fly it proudly.