We will never forget...

I still remember, 8 years later, that fateful day in 2001. I was driving to work listening ... wait, did I tell this story last year? nope, didn't start blogging until October ... to the radio. It was a station from the city, played top 40, did comedy skits. One of the DJ's stated that there is a report of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. They were just coming out of another skit, so the first thought that crossed my mind was "this is the worst joke they could ever do" but the DJ's kept talking about it. Then I realized they weren't laughing. I listened a couple of more minutes, and decided to change the station to an all news station. They were reporting the same thing. I went back to my regular station, trying to get some comfort from what I was hearing. Familiar voices can do quite a bit. When they began talking about it, they weren't sure what type of plane hit, and for that matter WHY it hit. The day was beautiful and clear, no fog to cause issue with a pilot's vision. As I pulled into the parking lot of my job, at 9:02am, they yelled "Oh My God! Another plane just crashed into the other WTC building! We are under attack!" I sat there for a moment in shock, deciding whether or not to even go into my office or just leave and go home. I decided to go in. My co-workers were listening to a local radio station, and when they saw me, I asked if they heard about the second plane hitting. I got a shocked "NO!" They all heard it from me.

Over the next couple of hours, we were instructed to "try to work" but were not allowed to leave. We worked right across the street from an airport, which also housed a small military facility, and safety said stay in the building. When we finally got to leave, I went to my son's school (he was in 2nd grade) and took him out. We left the school, and were standing in front on the entranceway. I grabbed him, hugged him, and lost it. I mean LOST IT! I was crying worse than a child who had their favorite toy taken away and smashed right in front of them. A woman coming out of the school with her daughter saw this, came over and kneeled with me, holding me while I cried. I never found out her name, I couldn't tell you what she looked like, but I will never forget the compassion she showed me in those few moments.

The balance of that day was spent at home, watching the news, getting as many updates as I could, trying to make sense of it all. At one point in the early afternoon, after the FAA grounded all flights in, out, and around the United States, I heard a plane flying overhead. I ran outside, kept the family in the house, and met my neighbor out there who had the same idea I did. Find out who or what was flying overhead. It was gone by the time we got out, and assumed it was a plane involved with the Armed Forces.

It is now 8 years later, and I still remember that day very clearly. I will never forget. We will never forget.