nmah2092.xml

nmah2092.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-10

I remember waking up really early that morning because my husband goes to work early. I couldn't sleep so I turned on the T.V. (at approx. 5:30 a.m. pacific time) to watch Don Imus on MSNBC. All of a sudden, they show the first Tower on fire. My husband and I watched things unfold and then to our horror, we witnessed the second plane hit Trade Tower 2. The rest of the morning was a blur... trying to get the kids to school without letting them know what was going on. Watching the T.V. and seeing the buildings collapse.
When I finally got them to school, parents were crying on the playground. My school Principal came running to me (I am the PTA President) and exclaimed that one of our parents at the school was in Trade Tower 2 and was missing. It turned out to be a friend of mine's husband John Hart. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when all of a suddent another friend of mine was on her cell phone and shrieked "No".... "Not Tom"... (this was all unfolding at 8:45A our time). She was talking about Thomas Burnett on the flight that crashed into the fields in Pennsylvania. He worked for someone that she knew.
So....... here I was standing on the playground of my child's school at 8:45A in a little town in Northern California, and was already bearing witness to two tradegies that had struck our community. It was unbelieveable.
John Hart never made it to safety that day. He was lost amongst the thousands. Over the past year, I have watched my friend Laurie stoically try to heal and get her four children through this nightmare. It has been very close to my heart and it is my hope that we will all find a little bit of closure on the anniversary of this haenous event.

Day in and Day out for the past year, I have gone throught the motions with my dear friend Laurie. I have seen the pain in her four children's faces. I have held her while she has mourned. My life has changed forever. I will never take anything or anyone for granted.

Of course, all of the people who perished. But mostly, the way that our nation came together. I will never forget the "living" heroes who came forward to help and I will never forget this community that I live in who rallied around two families so desperately in need of comfort.

I have been flying an American Flag in my front yard ever since September 11th. I will continue to do so. Yes, my feelings have changed about the American Flag. They have a deeper respect for the Flag and for our Country.