Yesterday was 9/11. It’s been 20 years since that terrible day.
Today, I thought maybe I would share my own 9/11 memories.
Jason and I had been dating for 8 months. He had been in Seattle for a few days on a work trip. I had a ticket to fly out to meet him there on Sept 12th.
When we heard about it on the radio someone turned on a fuzzy tv in the conference room and we watched the second plane hit. We saw the first tower fall, then the second. We stayed at work a while, numb, not really knowing what to do. I don’t really remember leaving the office. I don’t remember how long we stayed there. I do remember I spent the next days glued to the tv with the rest of the country. I sat on the couch for hours at a time mesmerized by the enormity of what happened. The image of people walking home over the bridges with black smoke behind them. The loss of life took my breath away. The photos of the missing on the walls and fences. So much tragedy.
I probably watched the planes hit the towers 500 times in those first few days. It was on a continuous loop. I can see it now if I close my eyes. I can see the towers fall too. One then the other. I’m sure all of us can.
Jason was stuck in Seattle for 5 days or so trying to get home, thinking about maybe just renting a car and driving home with his co-workers. He ended up on one of the first flights back in the air after air traffic resumed.
I was so grateful to have him home and heartbroken for families that didn’t get to welcome a loved one back home.
We will never forget.