story8532.xml

story8532.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-10-21

I was in my office and talking with my mother when she said my sister had called to say a plane had struck the WTC. We hung up and I tried to pull up various news web-sites to see what was going on. At the same time, my manager called to say she heard on the radio that the WTC was struck by a plane and that she was going to get a portable TV and be right in. We watched the re-run of the 2nd plane hitting the tower, then watched horrified as first one, then both towers fell. I was numb; having moved to St. Louis from New York when I was 12, I had always figured on going back to do the "touristy" things like visiting the WTC. Now that opportunity has been taken from me, and my daughter who turned 2 months old on that fateful day. I also remember calling my father to tell him what had happened; he said the towers had just been struck, but were still standing. I remember his total silence when I told him we had watched on the news both towers collapse. He quietly said he
had to go. Being a first time mother, with my daughter turning 2 months old on September 11, 2001, I was resolved to make sure that I enjoy every day I have with her and the rest of my family. I also can't figure out how I'll explain all of this to her when she's old enough to understand. I saved newspaper clippings and the photo-magazines to document what happened. The real heroes in this world are those who selflessly put their lives on the line each and every day, from local to national, to keep each of us safe. And that there are people in this world who just can't understand the American idea of freedom.