story1219.xml

story1219.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

THE NEWS BROADCAST CAME ACROSS THE SCREEN AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING.IT WAS ONE OF THOSE FEELING WHEN YOU WONDER, "AM I REALLY SEEING THIS OR IS IT A SCENE FROM SOME MOVIE?" YOU HAVE A COMPLETE FEELING OF HELPLESS, PURE HORROR. BEING HOME I WANTED ALONE I WANTED TO REACH OUT AND CONTACT MY WHOLE FAMILY, HERE IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD. I FINALLY REACHED MY HUSBAND ON HIS CELL PHONE ON THE JOB SITE WHERE HE WAS WORKING OUT OF TOWN. HE HAD NOT HEARD THE NEWS AND HE COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS TELLING HIM. HE HUNG UP WITH ME AND I TRIED TO REACH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER IN SCOTLAND. SHE IN RETURN HAD HEARD THE NEWS AND WAS CALLING ME AT THE SAME TIME I WAS DIALING HER. BY NOW I WAS IN A COLD SWEAT, THE REALITY THAT SHE HAD ONLY 12 DAYS PRIOR BEEN IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. SHE WAS IN NEW YORK WITH HER IN-LAWS AND HAD TAKEN THEM ON THEIR FIRST TOUR OF THE CENTER. HER HUSBAND WORKS FOR THE GLASGOW BRANCH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND I THANKED GOD THAT HE WORKS IN SCOTLAND INSTEAD OF HERE IN THE STATES. I ALSO PRAYED FOR THE VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR EVERYONE EVERYWHERE. THINGS WERE HAPPENING SO FAST AND YOU DID NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WOULD HIT NEXT. I EXPERIENCED ALL SORTS OF FEELINGS IN SUCH A SHORT TIME BUT I THINK THE STRONGEST ONE WAS THE FEELING OF COMPLETE OUTRAGE. I STILL HAVE THAT FEELING ALMOST A YEAR LATER. I ALSO INSTALLED A FEAR IN ME THAT IS STILL THERE TODAY AND WILL PROBABLY STAY WITH ME THE REST OF MY LIFE. I WAS PLANNING A TRIP TO VISIT MY DAUGHTER IN SCOTLAND, I WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2001. ON DECEMBER 27, I FINALLY GOT UP THE NERVE TO MAKE MY TRIP BUT I WILL ADD I DID IT WITH COLD FEET AND CLAMMY PALMS. THE TRIP WAS SMOOTH BUT THE FEAR PF FLYING WAS NOT IN ME BEFORE 9/11. I MIGHT ADD THAT I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY SECURITY HAD BEEN BEEFED UP, THIS ALSO HELPED TO CALM MY FEARS. I'LL CLOSE WITH THE HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WE WILL NOT EVER BE HIT WITH A HEARTLESS BLOW LIKE WE EXPERIENCED THIS PAST SEPTEMBER. I ALSO HOPE IT OPENED ALOT OF EYES WORLD WIDE TO NEVER TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED.