I felt the need to pay homage to the men, women and children who lost their lives that fateful day seven years ago. It is a day I will always remember and none of us will ever forget. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’ families and friends.
September 11th has always been a somber day for me. It is the date when my mom passed away from cancer when I was a teenager. That particular day, seven years ago, was hard for me. My mother’s death was the greatest loss of my life. They say time heals all wounds. Time has lessened the pain but it hasn’t taken away the huge void left by her untimely death. My husband knew I was having a rough time when the date was approaching. He told me to turn off tv- I always watch the news in the morning. He said go outside and get some fresh air.
I remember the exact moment when I heard the news about the first plane. I had taken my dogs outside when my husband called. As I talked to him he asked if I had heard about the plane crashing into one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. I knew nothing since the tv was off.
From the moment I heard, I was glued to the tv. I sat there in confusion , the same confusion the news anchors seem to have. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My husband stopped home and we watched in horror as the second plane hit the other building. As the first building collapsed , I turned to him with tears in my eyes and angrily asked what is happening. He didn’t need to answer. We both knew we were at war with terrorists. He left and I watched everything unfold before my eyes until I had to leave for work which was nearly impossible to do.
Within less than a week, we were on the New Jersey side looking over to where the twin towers once stood with smoke still rising from the ashes.( I had an emergency with my eye- a scratched cornea, and I wasn’t able to work. I had to apply drops to my eye every 1 or 2 hours. If that didn’t work, I had to get emergency surgery on my eye within 24 hours.) Since I couldn’t work, I told my husband I wanted to pay my respects.
We met quite a few people who had firsthand experiences of the events that took place on 9/11. Everyone had a story to tell and I can remember everyone reaching out to everyone. Very strange and surreal. All I truly wanted to do was pay my respects.
What is ironic is my husband, my sister,Teresa, her daughter, Angie, and I took a trip once again to the New Jersey side to see the blue lights that memorialized the twin towers on the last night they were lit.
It was a chilly evening in May 2002. Teresa, Angie and I were bundled up in a blanket while we paid our respects. My husband took our picture. It would be the last photo I would have taken with Teresa. She died six months later. Teresa’s death was the second greatest loss of my life.
Let us never forget.