story1593.xml

story1593.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-30

I will always remember September 11th as the day I truly believed I could lose my only child. Tommy was 25 and had lived and worked in Manhattan for the past two years - in his mind there was no greater city in the world! As my husband and I got ready for work that terrible day we had no inkling of the events that would change our lives. We were not overly surprised when the phone rang at 6:45 a.m., since we are recent transplants from the east coast, and friends and relatives often call then because of the time difference. But as I listened to my husband's voice I knew immediately that something was terribly wrong. I ran downstairs and grabbed the phone to talk to my son as my husband rushed to tune in the television. The horror we saw was beyond all comprehension, and the thought that Tommy was actually there threw me into a panic which only a mother can know. Our phone conversation was necessarily brief, and he assured me he was alright and would try to get back in touch a bit later. I fought back the tears and anger and depression (not always successfully) all that day and for all the days and weeks and months that followed. Every maternal instinct I had pushed me to get on a plane and go to New York to hug my son, but of course neither he nor my husband would even allow me to think of it. A year later I thank God every day that Tommy was spared at least physically, but I will never, ever forget.