Sunday, September 4, 2011

9/11-In Remembrance & Where I was


September 11, 2001. A date that most of us know exactly where we were at that time. The horrible events of that day will forever be etched into our memories. It's hard to believe that in less than a week, on next Sunday, September 11, 2011, it will be the 10th anniversary of this awful tragedy in American history. Ten years!

Will I always know where I was that day? Yes! I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I was working as a manager at a convenience store here in my town & had to work 3rd shift late on 9/10/01.
My shift was over between 7-8 am that next morning and I went home, just as I would any other morning, rather tired but still had to unwind before I could sleep. When I arrived home, my neighbor was outside & wanted to chat a bit. He and I talked for around 30 minutes I believe it was. We parted ways & I went inside to turn the t.v. on to watch the Today Show/GMA just as I had done many mornings before...and then....I saw it...all unfolding on LIVE television. Time stood still for a while. Was this real what I was seeing on my television screen?

It felt more like a nightmare. Instantly, I thought of my family. My Aunt was in Virginia, but luckily my brothers were just a couple of miles away. I called them all immediately & it felt good to bond during such a tragic time. I had already had a horrible year because I was involved in a bad car accident in which my best friend who was about to turn 22, was killed. He died in my lap(something you never forget) & I was already having a hard time processing his death & trying to come out of a 7 month depression when more bad news was playing out on the screen in front of me.

One of the first things I thought of when I got off the phone with my family, as I watched it all unfold on the screen, was how helpless the people in the buildings must have felt. They all had loved ones, family, and friends who cared about them & their life was going to be cut short. Sadness overwhelmed me and I didn't know how to process what I was feeling. For days, even weeks, the coverage was on t.v. & with each name that was read/face that was shown/story that was told, all I could feel was immense empathy for them & their loved ones. It was like something out of a horror movie that played over and over in my mind.

9-11 is a day I will never, ever forget. I think most of us feel the same way as American citizens. Where were you on that day? Share your story with me here on the blog. Let's never forget! Always remember the ones that lost their lives & also, the many heroes of that day. Thank you in advance for sharing your memories of that day.






*This is being posted early because I was invited by http://www.blogwithmom.com/ to write about this in conjunction with http://www.bootcampaign.com/ . All thoughts above are my own and I was not compensated in any way to write this blog post.

13 comments:

  1. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN FROM ONE DAY TO NEXT. AUNT SHIRLEY WAS AT WORK, WHEN I HEARD THE TERRIBLE NEWS. IT BROUGHT PAIN AND HEARTACHE TO ALL OF US AND STILL DOES TODAY.
    EACH DAY I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY, AND PROUD STILL TO BE AN AMERICAN.

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  2. Thanks for posting/reading Aunt Shirley(anonymous!)

    :) love you!

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  3. Joey, I'm sorry to hear of you "losing" a friend in such a traumatic way. I can't imagine going through something like that & grief is a part of my daily life. my 9/11 experience short version: When the 1st plane hit, I went back to sleep after getting the call. I too was in a depression, (figured it was just a plane crash) My son brought cupcakes to school to celebrate his bday. He had to bring them back home. Hard for a little boy to understand.My sis was in Europe-supposed to fly to back via NY that day ( so once I figured out what was happening, I freaked out) She made it home okay & I was blessed to have her another 5 years. I still watch the footage every year. It is a difficult thing to see. However I will never forget. AND They deserve to be remembered.

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  4. Thanks Lissa! Losing him was the hardest thing I've ever been through besides losing my Mom!

    I appreciate you sharing your story! awww about your son!! I'm SO happy that your sister is okay! Sorry to hear about your loss too:(

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  5. *I meant "was okay" at the time! Again, sorry you lost her, but am glad you had 5 more years with her..I have had so much loss & it's never easy!!

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  6. I checked my email today and yours really brought tears to my eyes. I'm sorry for your loss, & all that were lost that day!
    At the time I had a 4 yr old daughter, & I was pregnant w/ my 2nd child and was asleep that morning, I woke up turned the tv on, & it all unfolded right before my eyes, I sat up & was completely in shock. I didn't watch much because of my daughter. I talked to my family and they were all safe. They lost people though and there were lots of tears and anger. I can't believe it's been 10 years. My daughter is 14, my son is almost 10 & I have a 7 almost 8 year old son as well. They all know about that day. We just talk about it and deal with it the best way we know how.

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  7. Hey Athena! Sorry to make you cry...I appreciate your kind comment..Sorry for your family's loss...I was lucky to not lose anyone I know that day, but it still is a loss for all of us!

    I watched a GREAT heroes program about that day, last night on TLC! It really showed the bravery that was shown that day!

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  8. Joey,
    Here's the link to the 9 11 post: http://www.blogwithmom.com/2011/09/have-you-forgotten-9-11/

    Bobbie Anne

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  9. Losses like that hurt forever. My empathy, Joey.

    I was out on an early morning walk, and came home just after the 2 planes had hit. It was on tv, and felt totally unreal.
    My Uncle worked on Wall Streer and lost 100 friends he'd know in the business for years that day.

    What a senseless emotional and physical tragedy.

    And with a financial ripple effect that continues to this day, costing the USA billions of dollars in safety measures at the airports.

    I saw a video of how massive the destruction was and then the tragedy and scope of it really hit home even more.

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  10. Thanks Bobbie Anne! Going to check it out:)

    Thanks Cinderella! That means alot:)

    Thanks for sharing your story..Sorry for your Uncle's losses:(

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  11. I was on my way to college. Even here in Georgia ambulances were whizzing past, police cars with their sirens where driving by. I didn't have the radio on and cars were pulling over. I thought the rapture had occured and I was left behind.

    I started to cry and called Scott and he answered and then I knew it was not the Rapture. I turned the radio on and found out what had happened.

    So sad, hard to believe it has been 10 years. Freedom is not free. God Bless our great Nation Joey!
    xoxo
    Leslie

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  12. Joey,

    This post is just so sad. That day will live in infamy. I sometimes just can't believe it myself.

    Mary
    @sweepingme

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  13. Awww, Leslie! Thanks for sharing..I kinda thought it may have been the rapture too! Amen to God bless our nation!

    Mary, yes, so sad...I still can't believe it happened and that it's been 10 years!

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