story6084.xml

story6084.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I am a police officer for Hapeville, Georgia. I was in downtown Atlanta for Grand Jury. When I got into my car going back to the station I turned on my radio. The first words I heard was Y106 and Rhubarb Jones saying "Folks this is a sad,sad day". Then told that a plane had flown into one of the twin towers and that a lot of people in New York did not even know it yet because of communication problems. I quickly went back to the station and when I entered the doors I learned that a second plane had hit the towers. My brother in Law is a piolt for ASA and I called my sister because I knew he was flying out that day. Thank God he was fine and had not flown anywhere near New York. We had Televisions on in different offices at the station and soon learned that the Pentagon and Penn. had also had planes go down. My first thoughts were my God I was in a Federal building in downtown Atlanta.
Hapeville Police Dept. sits right at the Atlanta Airport. You can see planes taking off and landing all the time. Loop Road seperates the airport from us. I do not believe I have ever seen so many different departments come together so quickly. We all began to patrol that area. There was Clayton Co., City of Atlanta, College Park, East Point,and Hapeville. I remember as I drove up and down Loop Road how quiet it was and how solemn everything seemed.
Just the quietness of no planes landing or taking off. It was a unheard of silence for this area. And the next few days would be no different.
My primary job at Hapeville at the time was Juvenile Officer. The chief asked me to go to the Elementary School and the Catholic School and check on the students and talk with the principals. I walked through the schools and on the grounds. I told the staff at each school to keep doors and windows closed and if they saw anyone or anything suspicious to call immediately. The whole time I was at the school I thought of my six children and just prayed that they would be ok and that their guardian angels and the good Lord would look out for them.
When I picked up my children from daycare and school that afternoon. My 11 year old son and 9 year old daughter had thought the planes had hit Atlanta and that it was all happening near me. I never realized until that moment what fear they had for me and my job. I tried to explain to them what had happened by changing the story around about the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas. I then heard a version of it on the radio. I thought well I guess we think a like.
I am a single parent and me and my children are very close. I think this brought us a whole lot closer if that is possible. It makes us appreciate what we have and how quickly it can all be taken a way. My heart breaks for every person who lost someone on this day. I have shed many tears for these people and their families as I am sure most of the World has.
There is a song that is I believe called "Lord I hope this Day is Good". Every time I hear it I think that is all any of us can hope for a good day with a little less crime and hate in the world.