I know, everyone has a story, and memories of '9/11', and I'm no exception to that rule. For me, this will always be an emotional and moving time, that I will ALWAYS remember.
I had just moved 3,000 miles away from family that I was very close to, to help my Mom, who was in her late 80's, and to eventually sell her house and move her back with us to California. I had just gotten two part-time jobs, both in the small town where she lived, and was at one job. We were all in the Break Room, and mesmerized by the TV News Alerts, and were watching as the first tower went down. It was like you saw it, but you didn't believe it . . .
My first thought was to call Roger at work, and to call our family in California, but I could not. I was working, and could not make personal calls. When I could, I could not get through, as the phone lines were over-loaded. When I could get through, it was hard to even talk about what was happening, as events were being up-dated, and more was changing quickly . . .
At my job, which was in a career field that worked with people grieving over the loss of loved ones, and those that had just died, we just didn't know what that impact might be like in CT, since this happened in NYC. I can remember our owner, my boss, saying to us, 'we have to be prepared to leave immediately if called, and to go to NYC, to identify bodies'. I learned at that moment in time, that 'bodies' may not be complete 'bodies', but 'body parts'. It didn't make any difference, because they were all treated with respect, as that was what we did. It was an honor to go.
So, I am no longer living on the East Coast, and my Mom is no longer with us. I personally did not know 'anyone' that died that day, though felt the emotion, the sadness, and the grief of 'everyone' that suffered, and those that died. Be it people in planes, buildings, be they first-responders, be they their canine responders - they all touched my heart. It all brought me to tears, and still does today.
No, I have not seen the Memorial in NYC. I don't know if I can, which doesn't mean that I shouldn't. I have helped people work through grief, and need to find a way to work throught that grief myself.
"Long May it Wave, Over the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave . . ."
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