story4212.xml

story4212.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was seven months pregnant and visiting my parent's home on Norfolk VA. I live in Washington State, and arrived in Norfolk exactly one week before the attacks. My mother and I were having coffee, watching Good Morning America, and chatting about various trivialities, when suddenly I looked at the television and said, "Mom, the World Trade Center in on fire!" We both watched in utter horror and disbelief as the second plane smashed into the tower.

My husband serves aboard a Trident Nuclear Submarine and was on partrol at the time. Not being able to speak with him and not knowing what was happening with his boat was extremely difficult. I worried that his partol would be extended, and as I heard countless stories of the military men and women going to work that morning like it was any other day and not coming home because they were sent to help in the war on terror, I worried that my husband would be forced to miss the birth of our second child. Fortunately, because of the nature of his job, he was able to come home on time.

I think the thing that floored me the most was that the terrorists used commercial planes. I was shattered by the idea of what those passengers endured in their last minutes of life. I am still haunted by the images of destruction and it has changed me forever. Only my faith in God has sustained me through the last year. And seeing all the stories of the incredible herosim and kindness of average people in the wake of the attacks has given me hope for the spirit of ourt nation. I am grateful to all those who sacrificed themselves to protect the precious freedoms we enjoy. God bless America!!!