I was 11 years old. It was a seemingly normal school day at home with my mom, Megan, and Steven. My mom got a call from her best friend who had a daughter with a husband in the Air Force. They were in the process of flying back to the USA from his base in Italy and were over Canada when all flights were grounded. My mom immediately turned on the TV, and I watched the first tower burn and the plane hit the second tower. I also watched the Pentagon burn and smoke rise from Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA. I watched both towers collapse. I had never heard the word terrorism used before. I began collecting newspaper articles and magazine articles in the months that followed 9-11. I still have all of them sitting in 2 shoeboxes under my bed. I created a 9-11 notebook with some of these articles as well as pages of journal entries I had recorded, noting my fears, sadness, shock, and hope at what had happened. That too still sits in my closet.
After watching a 9-11 special tonight, my heart is thankful and my heart hurts again for the families of those that lost loved ones. For the firefighters who were so brave and gave their lives to save others. For the firefighters and departments who's lives were forever changed permanently by what they experienced that day. For the children who are growing up today without parents.
September 11, 2001. Never Forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment