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I'm not going to attempt to write a touching tribute to the men and women we lost, and all the families that were affected on 9/11. I could never do it justice. So I'll leave that to the professionals.
I just want to acknowledge our heroes lost, and offer my condolences to their loved ones.
I will forever remember where I was, and the feelings I had that entire, awful day. From the time I first got the news of what happened, to watching the Towers fall, to being glued to the television for literally two days straight.
Everyone has their own account of that day. This is mine.
I was in my junior year at the University of Colorado. It was a Tuesday morning, so my teammates and I were dragging ourselves out of bed for an early morning court workout at Carlson Gym.
On the court, ready to go at 6:45 Mountain time. Ironically, one minute before the first plane crashed into the North Tower at 8:46 EDT. By the time our one hour workout had ended, all hell had broken loose on the East coast, and my teammates and I were oblivious to it all.
I had an 8am class, so I was in a rush (as always) to get there on time. This day, I made it with several minutes to spare. As I sat waiting for class to start, I kept over-hearing classmates talk about a plane crashing, and/or a bomb going off at the World Trade Center.
The more I heard people talking, the more clueless I felt. I had no idea what had happened, or what they were talking about. Finally, I asked someone sitting near me. He said, 'a plane flew into the World Trade Center.'
Immediately, my heart sank and my mind started racing. What in the world was going on?!?!?
Like many others, my classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day.
Before sending us home, my Biology professor broke down into tears in the lecture hall because he had so many friends and family members back East. The majority of my friends and family were in Oregon, so I felt extremely lucky. I know a lot of us couldn't say the same.
I went back home with a friend, and watched the news for the rest of the day. It was a surreal feeling. Something I thought only happened in movies.
I can't even imagine the memories of those who were in the city that day, or who had friends and family in the area. By comparison, my story of someone who was thousands of miles away with no direct ties to the city, seems pretty insignificant.
Never the less, as people, and as Americans, we all felt the same horrific feelings.
We know our country changed forever that Tuesday. The impact is still being felt politically, economically, and socially. But that is not the point of remembering September 11th. This day should be about remembering and honoring the people we lost.
Every year when September 11th rolls around on the calendar, we all go back to that day, and in our hearts we remember.
It'll never be forgotten, and it never should be.
@ALIENS_MOTHER I AS WELL REMEMBER THAT DAY AS IF IT WAS YESTERDAY EVEN THOUGH WE JUST CELEBRATED THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY. IT IS REALLY WEIRD USING THE WORD CELEBRATE FOR THAT DAY WHICH IS THE WORST DAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES IF NOT THE WORLD THAT OUR ENEMIES UNKNOWN TO US DID THAT. I WAS SEATING AT MY COMPUTER DESK ON AOL CHAT WITH MY NIECE PATRICE AND WHEN THE FIRST PLANE HIT SHE SAID AUNT DOREEN SOMETHING JUST HAPPEN TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WE WERE THINKING IT WAS AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT THE OTHER TOWEL. I BEING A NEW YORKER FELT LIKE IT WAS DONE TO ME. THE PHONES IN NEW YORK STOPPED WORKING . THE FAMILY WAS WORRIED FOR MY NEPHEW RICHARD WHO WORKED IN THE ONE OF THE TOWERS. THANK G_D HE WAS RUNNING LATE AND HE HAD JUST STEPPED OFF THE BUS. THE PROBLEM WAS WE DID NOT KNOW UNTIL SEVERAL DAYS LATER HE WAS FINE. MY NEPHEW MICHAEL A NEW YORK CITY POLICEMAN LIVING ON STATEN ISLAND WAS ASSIGNED TO FINGER DUTY. THAT IS WHERE HE HAD TO GO THRU THE DE BRIDE LOOKING FOR FINGER TO ID PEOPLE.AFTER THAT ASSIGNMENT MICHAEL HAD TO SPOKE TO A PROFESSIONAL. THE TWO KIDS AND I WERE IN NEW YORK THE WEEKEND BEFORE FOR MY FATHER FUNERAL. HE WAS BURIED ON SEPT 9 WE GOT TO THE AIRPORT AND GOT THE LAST 3 SEATS ON THE PLANE. THEY CAME OVER THE MIKE IF ANY 3 PEOPLE WOULD GET UP THEIR SEATS THEY WOULD GET 6 ROUND TRIPS TICKETS FLY AND WHERE THEY FLEW AND $500 EACH PERSON MY SON MICHAEL TURNED AROUND TO ME AND SAID DONT YOU DARE I HAVE MY FIRST DAY OF CLASSES AT VCU. BECAUSE OF MICHAEL HIM BLAIR MAY SHE RISE IN PEACE AND I WERE STILL ALIVE. THEY WANTED US TO FLY ON 9/11/01 THAT PLANE WAS THE ONE THAT CRASHED IN PENNSYLVANIA. MY NIECE LORRAINE FORGOT TO BRING BLAIR'S THING WITH THEN TO THE FUNERAL. IT TOOK OVER SIX MONTH FOR IT TO BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE NY I WILL NEVER FORGET. I HAVE BEEN TO NEW YORK MANY TIMES SINCE THAT DAY IN SEPT BUT I HAVE NEVER GONE TO WHERE THEY STOOD AND I DONT THINK I WILL UNTIL THE TOWERS ARE BACK. IT IS REALLY STRANGE FLYING INTO NEW YORK AND NOT SEEING THE TOWN WHERE I HAVE GONE SHOPPING AND TO WINDOWS OF THE WORLD RESTAURANT ON THE 106TH FLOOR OF TOWER ONE BRIC THANKS FOR WRITING A BLOG ON THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY
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