Sunday, September 11, 2011

statue of liberty

What were you doing on 9/11/2001? I can't believe that today marks the 10th Anniversary of that horrific event which changed the lives of so many. 

It was a Tuesday morning and I was getting ready for work. I remember turning on the news and hearing the first reports of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center. Being on the West Coast, it was all happening at peak morning hours here. I couldn't believe my eyes it was so surreal. I ran and woke my husband up shouting something to the effect of "they're crashing into the World Trade Center, they're crashing into the World Trade Center!" We could not take our eyes away from the t.v., it was all so unbelievable, then the second plane crashed and there was news of other hijackings. What was going on?

We listened in disbelief all the way into work. At work we were all tuned in to the unfolding events. One employee called in late because he had relatives he was waiting to hear from. Everything seemed so empty and quiet. I don't remember getting through the day, I do remember sending everyone home early.

I was hardly ever away from the t.v. I felt numb and in shock that this had happened. I clung to every news report, every update, every newsflash as if I was waiting to hear that it was all some kind of cruel, sick joke.  Although I did not know her, I found out later  that Lisa Frost, a 22 year old from a neighboring city had died on flight 175 which crashed into the South Tower. She was a recent graduate of Boston University who was headed home before she would start her life and career in San Francisco. That would never happen. She died along with 2981 other people who had no idea that their lives would be so brutally interrupted that day. I remember driving by the memorial tribute to her by the Lake in Rancho Santa Margarita, an area filled with flowers, balloons and American Flags.



Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers  took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles after takeoff from Boston, Newark, and Washington, D.C. At 8:46 a.m., five hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center's North Tower and at 9:03 a.m. another five hijackers crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower.
Five hijackers flew American Airlines Flt. # 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. A fourth flight, under the control of four hijackers, crashed United Airlines # 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m. after the passengers fought the hijackers. Flight 93's ultimate target is believed to have been either the Capitol or the White House. Flight 93's cockpit voice recorder revealed crew and passengers attempted to seize control of the plane from the hijackers after learning through phone calls that similarly hijacked planes had been crashed into buildings that morning Once it became evident to the hijackers that the passengers might regain control of the plane, one hijacker ordered another to roll the plane and intentionally crash it. Soon afterward, Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville.
Today marks the 10th Anniversary. There will be a myriad of memorials and tributes. In the spot where the two towers once stood, they have built the 9/11 Memorial. Two huge pools have every victims name engraved on plaques that surround them. I will have the opportunity to visit this memorial on September 15th, 2011. It will be a solemn visit, I am sure.