Today is Patriot Day, the twenty-fourth anniversary of 9-11. The day we pause to honor and remember those who lost their lives.
It’s a bittersweet holiday for too many. One that triggers memories for many of us.
I can describe exactly where I was, what I was doing, and all those feelings stir again.
That morning, I was having a cup of tea and watching the Today show on NBC. Matt Lauer stopped his author interview mid-question, and the screen switched to a commercial break.
When the cameras returned, he and Katie Couric showed a replay of the first plane striking the first tower.
Then I stared in horror as the second plane hit the other tower in real time. I could not believe what I was seeing.
Fear and panic washed through my body. I was convinced our country was under enemy attack. Fighter jets flying overhead outside my Houston home only heightened my concern.
I made frantic calls to warn friends and family. My heart raced until everyone finally made it safely home.
Our nephew’s family lives in Battery Park, close to the World Trade Center. We’d walked over to the Towers for lunch when visiting them in the summer of 2001. Thankfully, he and his family were able to walk through thick clouds filled with debris and escape across the Hudson. His eyewitness account still sends chills down my spine.
As the day progressed and we learned of the attack on the Pentagon and the plane crash in Pennsylvania, the horror and anxiety only increased.
The anniversary of 9-11 stirs my memories every year. I get through the day by remembering how our country came together and supported each other. I’m reminded of Charles R. Swindoll’s words:
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.”
Next year, we plan to visit the Museum and Memorial to pay our respects in person.
The original broadcast of the 9-11-2001 Today Show can be seen here.
