Remembering September 11

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts into words today. I've been reading other's stories from that day; where they were, who they lost; and it has made it a very emotional morning. I think we all remember what we were doing 8 years ago when we learned of the attacks.

I was 21 and lived in Westchester, NY (NYC suburbs). I was in school that morning really not too far from the city. There were only a few students in class as the rest had went on a field trip with the instructor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Class was nearly over when one of the other student's phone rang and she shouted out about a plane hitting the first tower. At that point, we though it was just an accident. We made our way down to the lounge area to watch it unfold on CNN. My class never did make it to the museum, they were stuck in traffic for hours and eventually were able to turn around and come back.

I made the 30 minute drive home in silence as I listened to a radio station broadcast with literally all the details. I got home and turned on CNN again only to watch the first tower crumble. I was in a state of shock and remember calling my mom at work to tell her what I was watching. Shortly after the 2nd tower went down, I went into work. I worked in a pharmacy and we listened to it all day on the radio. There weren't too many customers that day. My good friend who worked with me called to say she wouldn't be coming in - her aunt was in one of the towers and they could not get a hold of her. Unfortunately, she was one of the victim's and they were never able to recover her body.

That night I was finally able to get a hold of my father, who owned a restaurant in NYC at the time. All the phone circuits were filled that day and it took me forever to get through. He was fine but he and his staff spent most of the day in the basement, not knowing if more attacks were coming and where. Many families in my town lost loved ones that day, so many children lost a parent. But out of that horror, I watched communities and a nation come together to support one another. At work we donated a bunch of supplies for the volunteers who were searching for survivors. First aid kits, toothpaste, anything they needed. My uncle volunteered at ground Zero to help with cleanup - they needed people who could operate heavy machinery.

I can't believe its been 8 years already because it feels like it was yesterday. As hard as it is for me to sit here and type through the tears, it is so important that we never forget what happened that day. So remember to take a few moments today to remember those we lost and those who continue to fight for our freedom. If you have a story to share, I would love to hear it.