nmah1507.xml

nmah1507.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-08

I was sleeping on the morning of September 11th, I woke up to the sound of the news program Good Morning America. I could make out that they were talking about a plane that hit the World Trade Center. Turning over in bed my first thought was that a small plane had hit and I thought about the Jet that hit the Empire State building Many years ago.
Thinking that it was sad but not a big deal in my life I rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. From the television set I heard the reporter say " Oh My God, another plane has just hit The World Trade Center."
I sat up in bed just in time to see the replay and think to myself "No, that didn't just happen." I though for sure the plane went past the building and then I saw the fireball.
I could tell by the size of the plane that it was a commercial airliner and not a small plane.
I called my mother and we watched together. She was in Virginia and I was in Atlanta. As we watched I could see the towers leaning. I knew that they would collapse. When they did finally fall, I fell with them and stayed there on the floor of my living room in tears. I live near a military base and the sound of jets flying over as they scrambled for their different assignments would send my eyes skyward with a fear of what was coming next. So many things stand out about that day. When I got to work that afternoon everyone was in shock and glued to CNN. In the hallways you would hear the mumblings of different disscussions and the words "Bastards" and "terrorists".
That day on my way to work I stopped and bought as many American flags as I could find. I put them all over my car and they are still there a year later.

I know that America isn't untouchable now. I think that I use to walk around with a false sense of security. Nothing could happen here, this is America. How wrong I was.

One thing that I think should be remembered about September 11th is the way America came together. I have never felt people come together like that. Remember the people that held up signs thanking the Firemen and Rescue crews, Remember the people that searched in vain for their loved ones. Remember the people that died on those planes, in the Towers and the Pentagon. Never forget any of it. Maybe that way it will never repeat itself.

I flew the flag from that day on. I still have my car covered in them. I love America, if anything September 11th showed me just how much.