story6238.xml

story6238.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I had just arrived at my parents home after taking my 7-yr old son to school. My parents were sitting at the kitchen table in a trance. I asked what was wrong and all they could say was that we were under attack. I stood there for a minute as I heard the news of the first plane hitting the trade center tower, and bolted over to the school. I went to the front office and told them what was happening and that we should get the center open immediately to keep track of it (I am the school's PTO president for 3 yrs, so they know me well enough to know when I am serious about something.) We closed off part of the school library, when the cable/television is, and listened and watched in horror and we found out the Pentagon had been hit. By then several teachers had assembled as word spread and we made the decision to leave the kids in school, as a sense of normalcy for little children was best, and that we would keep it quiet so that they wouldn't hear us talk until we knew more. I remember watching with a group of teachers and the principal, and saying, "Oh, my God, get those people out of there. The buildings going to fall." I remember seeing the second plane fly into the building, watching in horror and disbelief. And I remember the buildings coming down, the screaming in the room and the instant panic and fear we all felt - a total helplessness that we wanted to do something and couldn't. Then we found out one of the teachers had a husband who was supposed to be on a flight to California from Boston, and she couldn't reach him. We all got together and prayed, and one of the other teachers filled in for her while she stayed with us and we all kept trying on our cell phones until we could reach him. Thankfully, he was safe. Unfortunately, one of the parents who works at the school for "Parents Making a Difference" lost four family members who worked at the towers. I personally knew two people on Flight 11 - one a sister of a friend from the country club I have gone dancing at for the last 15 years; one a girl who grew up helping her daddy in his law office while he would handle some real estate closings for me. I also have relatives and friends who are both firemen and policemen, so the toll was enormous. All I could do was hug my son (which the school was good enough to let me do at lunch). I bought flags for school teachers, and I personally made the red/white/blue ribbon pins for every student, teacher, staff, custodian and kitchen worker in the school (a total of 942 pins), then gave them out free to everyone. I spent the next week hanging out with him and my parents. I have always been a "toucher" by nature, but now I make it a point to always tell the people in my life - my family and friends - how much I love them and appreciate having them in my life. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, so let those we love know and never have to be left wondering. I think Alan Jackson's "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" sums up my feelings best. I cry yet every time I hear it, as it sums up every emotion I feel. I only hope the people responsible find out when they go to visit their "God" that he doesn't want murderers there, and they burn forever for their acts. That would be the best justice.