Today marks the 7 year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. As I drove into work this morning the radio station was doing a dedication to 9-11, its victims, their families, the hero's, to Americans and to all people in the world as this effected everyone. The radio station asked the listener's to stop and think about what they were doing at the time of the attacks. I thought I would share my story.
I work for a large company in the financial industry. I was already at work when the first plane hit. I heard people walking around talking about it but didn't think much of it. At the time I was an executive administrative assistant and I couldn't walk away from my desk without someone covering my phones so I couldn't really go inquire about anything. Then my co-workers started coming around saying a second plane had hit. Almost immediately after the second plane hit our phone lines were ringing off the hook. We had several clients located in the World Trade Center buildings and some of their remote clients were calling in. We had family members calling for their loved ones who were not at their desks trying to locate them in order to make sense of what was going on and fearing what might happen next. I asked one of the other administrative assistants to cover my phone and I walked down to the conference room to watch the news with several other co-workers. I saw the video of the first plane hitting the building and my stomach dropped. The second plane had already hit by this point but if you didn't know that you would have thought the first plane was just a freak accident of a plane going into the building. By the time the video showed the second plane and I saw it for myself I knew our country was under attack. And yes, I feared being in the building I was in. I slowly walked out of the conference room and headed back up stairs to cover my phone. Everything was completely chaotic in our office. No one stayed in their offices or cubes. I continued to field calls and associates who congregated by my desk. And just as I was hanging up from a call I heard someone yell out that one of the buildings had fallen. We all ran down to the conference room to see the TV. I remember thinking there was NO WAY those buildings would come down. No way. Even today after I have seen the video several times I still can't believe it happened. After the buildings collapsed and we had heard about the other plane attacks everything got very quiet in our building. The phones didn't ring. Many folks continued to stand around in groups and talk but it was hard for people to go to their cubes and try to work. By early afternoon our company announced that is was closing and that we all needed to go home. In some ways it was worse once we got home because we could actually see all the footage of what had taken place. Still 7 years later it is so much to take in and understand what happened that day. I cannot begin to comprehend what the people went through. All I know is I hold a special place in my heart for those that did not make it out, for those that did, for those that rescued and for those that died rescuing. We will never forget.
I am going to leave you with a beautiful song today by Lee Greenwood. Please take a moment to remember those lost on 9-11. Take a moment to remember those that made it out, those that lost family members, those that rescued and those that gave their life rescuing. They are all our hero's!
If tomorrow all the things were gone. . I'd worked for all my life,And I had to start again. . with just my children and my wife,I'd thank my lucky stars. . to be livin' here today.Cause the flag still stands for freedom. . And they can't take that away. And I'm proud to be an American Where at least I know I'm free And I won't forget the men who died Who gave that right to me And I gladly stand up. . next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the USA From the lakes of Minnesota ... To the hills of Tennessee... Across the plains of Texas ... From sea to shining sea... From Detroit down to Houston ... And New York to LA Well there's pride in every American heart And its time we stand and say..That I'm proud to be an American Where at least I know I'm free And I won't forget the men who died Who gave that right to me And I gladly stand up . . next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the USA And I'm proud to be an American Where at least I know I'm free And I won't forget the men who died Who gave that right to me And I gladly stand up . . next to you and defend her still today Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the USA!
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I cannot believe seven years have gone by. I'll share this, not where I was at the time of the event but the after affects. My mom worked for Sprint at the time and we'd occasionally meet for a break in the afternoon. It was a beautiful cool afternoon and we stood outside and talked. Sprint has a clock tower that chimes on the hour. Instead of chiming it played (in bells) God Bless America. We stood there in silence, I could feel my throat swell - I couldn't talk. Silent tears ran down my face and looked at mom; she too shared the same sadness. She took my hand and squeezed it. Releasing my sadness, I cried out, "Why did this have to happen."
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