On September 11, 2001 at least 2,985 souls were lost in four attacks on America.
- 8:48 am American flight 11 hits the first WTC tower.
- 9:06 am United Flight 175 hit the second WTC tower.
- 9:38 am American Flight 77 hits the Pentagon.
- 9:59 am the second tower collapsed
- About 10 am United Flight 93 crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pa
- 10:28 am the first tower falls.
Here is a link to a list of the victims names.
http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/victims_list.htm
I remember being disturbed from a deep sleep by the telephone ringing & ringing & ringing. I thought to myself "Dammit! This had better be something pretty important!" I answer to hear my mother on the phone telling me to turn on Channel 3. I do so to see footage of a plane crashing into the WTC! I was still on the phone with my mom when I saw the second plane hit the other tower & heard myself saying "Oh..no, no, no! Oh my God, Mom did you see that? Where is Crissy today? I'll call Jon & make sure she is okay" My heart was racing & I was concerned but not panicked...yet. I was trying to remain calm as I was just out of the first trimester of my pregnancy with DD #1. I kept watching the TV, unable to turn away but too horrified to fully comprehend what I was seeing. After about 3 hours of trying every 10 minutes or so, I reached my BIL Jon. He told me my sister Crissy was on base & they were at the highest security level. He didn't know when she would be able to leave the base but at least he knew she was safe. After I hung up the phone & contacted my grandparents, my mother, father & brothers I began to sob uncontrollably. I was deeply saddened, realizing that thousands of people probably died & relieved that my dear sister was safe.
In the following days, the reporting on the attacks was unending. It got to the point that I just turned off the TV & the radio because I couldn't listen to anymore. It was too upsetting & it wasn't good for the baby.
Fast forward to September 11th, 2002. Our dear sweet Baby Elizabeth was with us...happy & healthy. We attended a event at a local park. There were pictures of rescue workers, the buildings before & after the attacks & of several 9-11 related things. The number of victims was just an incomprehensible number...until I saw the flags. The small American flags placed all over the grass, each with a card & a name attatched. The white cards were for the victims of the WTC, the red cards were for the victims on the airplanes...Flight # & airline included while the blue cards were for the rescue workers. The silence was indescribable...people were treating it like a cemetery. In fact for us in AZ...it was a cemetery of sorts.
I don't need to be reminded by the media of that day. Those images have been forever burned into my mind. I know that as a nation we will never forget those that perished on September 11th, 2001. I know that I personally will never forget that day or the kind words & images of candles people burned, vigils people held & prayers people sent to America from all over the world.
Let us hope that someday...the madness will end.
http://www.911da.org/911faqs.html#attackshttp://www.time.com/time/photoessays/shattered/
http://www.september11news.com/
http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Crime/Types_of_Crime/Terrorism/September_11th_Attacks/
http://911digitalarchive.org/
http://www.sites.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibits/september_11/main.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/graphics/attack/pentagon_7.html
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