9/11/01

I’m too young to remember when Kennedy got shot, but I think for my generation you’ll never forget what you were doing on September 11th, 2001. The day started like many others. My oldest son was in kindergarten at the time, and my other son was home, he was only 3. I was 7 months pregnant with my daughter.

We had the TV on, but we were watching Barney on PBS when the phone rang. It was my Mom, she asked if we knew what had happened and I said “I don’t know what you are talking about.” She said, “turn on the TV, there are planes going into the World Trade Center!” She asked if she could come over, I told my husband to turn on the TV and we saw the first tower was on fire and smoke billowing out of the top of it.

Like other families watching on TV, you couldn’t really wrap your head around what had happened. There are terrorist attacks all over the world, yet when you see those on the news somehow you’re not as affected because it isn’t as personal to you.

I didn’t know anyone who died that day, we don’t have relatives in New York, but for the next few days we were just mesmerized by the destruction of what transpired. We watched as doctors and nurses set up tents for the wounded, however most of the victims had already died.

Yesterday I read a great story on Joanne’s site. She was a freshman in high school close to ground zero and it’s a great account of someone who was really in the midst of what was happening. She said afterwards she was scared a building she was in would be next and has had nightmares of that day even now.

I live 8 miles from the Sears Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world, wondering if that was on someone’s list as well to fly a plane into.

So today, I’m just going to think of all the families. Kids who have to miss their parents, parents missing their kids, for the lives lost that day.

Where were you on 9/11??