story4391.xml

story4391.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

We finally had achieved our goal! After a year of financial and emotional stress, we sold our old home and moved into our dream home that we had built. Eighteen blissful days later it happened. With the two older children at school, my husband and youngest son were enjoying a morning swim as I made lunches. My husband jumped out of the pool and turned on the radio. He was frozen in his tracks as I saw him from the window, so I asked "What is it?" "Turn on the tv" is all he said. It didn't matter which channel; all showed the same horrifying image. It felt like we could feel the pain of loss although we were a thousand miles away. I remember thinking or maybe I actually did say "Oh my dear God NO!" And then shear panic hit me, and I could think of nothing else but to get the kids home. I chose not to, in hopes of not worrying them, and also trying to set a weak example of courage. My father calls from his home in Ecuador and he is crying like I haven't heard since a girl and that is when I realize what an impact this has had on the entire earth. I will never forget those vivid scenes of people running in the street like an Apocolyptic movie, or the imbedded image of husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, jumping from their buildings with brave hopelessness. May God bless the World.