I had just dropped my oldest son off at pre-school and thought I'd hit the mall to shop for a few hours. I had my two-year-old with me, and had just found out I was pregnant with my third baby. What seemed like such an ordinary day would become the most extraordinary of days.I was in a store, and they had pulled out a television. Everyone in the store was huddled around the small t.v. We really didn't know much in those first few minutes. We all thought a plane had simply crashed.
Until the second plane hit the towers.
More information started coming out. It was not a crash; but terrorism. How many more planes did they have? We didn't know. One thing was certain - two of the planes HAD flown out of Boston's Logan Airport. As had my husband that morning.
I immediately tried calling him. No answer. I tried calling his office to see if anyone had heard from him. His secretary said that, no, Josh hadn't called in yet. She told me that the car service the firm uses had taken someone to the airport that was on one of the planes.
"Debbie," I said, my heart pounding, "JOSH TOOK THE CAR SERVICE THIS MORNING."
I remember sitting in the car, in the mall parking lot, looking at the pristine, blue sky. I have never felt so small. The tears starting flowing. I started praying. Praying that my husband was not on one of those planes. Praying for the husbands that were. Praying for all of us.
It was a good six hours before I heard from Josh. He did fly on American Airlines that morning, on a flight about 20 minutes ahead of the hijacked planes. Same flight path. Same terminal even. He probably walked right past the terrorists and all the people on those flights. I've often wondered since then how many times we cross paths with sheer terror and never even know it.
The whole world changed on that crisp September morning. Nothing has been the same since. I will forever be grateful that my husband got on the plane that he did, instead of the ones that left a few minutes later. And my heart will always go out to those whose husbands were not so lucky.
God bless America.
I was inspired by Gabi's post today. Where were you?
21 comments:
A somber day indeed. God Bless America.
I posted about the same this morning. Isn't it interesting that this many years have passed and it's still the first thing on our minds when we wake up this day?
I can't believe how close your husband was. That is so scary.
I can't even imagine what the waiting was like for you, and then realizing how close he was to everything.
You are right about how close we might be to terror, but not know until later. Chills.
We were planning to leave for a trip to Las Vegas the next day. We didn't of course, and still haven't made it there. Someday.
it was a sad sad day...changed the way we think about things...but as the commnet above said...God bless America!! we need to keep our pride in our country strong.
Thank you for that post. I posted on it this morning. Fly your flags high today! God Bless America!!
I had on the Today show as I was making breakfast for Maren and I. We were just headed to the gym when the first plane crashed. At the gym every treadmill, bike and elliptical were pointed at the TVs. It was totally quiet. No one even spoke to each other, we were just entranced seeing everything onfold.
Nathan at the time was EQ pres. and the bishop wanted him to call all the families that night to make sure they were ok. He couldn't get a hold of the Greens (remember them Stie) and had a bad feeling. Turns out yes, his brother was killed on one of the planes.
I had forgotten what a 'close call' you had. That must have been SO scary.
Having Josh stay with us was a highlight of that weird week. I remember the two of us took my kids shopping and out to lunch the following day. We just didn't know what to do. It seems like ages and ages ago...
I can't believe just how close Josh was to it all. I often reflect upon the sheer panic I would have felt to have any loved ones involved.
I was living and working in Salt Lake City as Deseret Book's corporate event manager. I saw the first plane crash on the news when I was on my way out the door. It wasn't until I got to the ZCMI Center Mall (where our office were located) that I realized the magnitude. Everyone spent the entire morning glued to the big-screen TVs in the food court. It just seems like yesterday....
I can't believe it's been 6 years. I can't believe how close you were to it! Your post made me cry...I loved how the country sort of united right afterwards. We have our flag out today. Thanks for the inspiring post!
My body is covered in goosebumps right now. For Josh, and for all those who lost loved ones that day. So sad....
I had forgotten that Josh was so close! Thanks for this post. I think I'll post to my blog the full memory, but we were living in DC, my husband working in the city. Like you, it was a rough day of uncertainty--he worked a block or so from the White House and heard all sorts of rumors as he tried to come home. At one point they announced over the PA of his building that a plane was headed for them (we later wondered if this was the one that went down in Pennsylvania). One of his friends from work was on the plane that went into the Pentagon. I thought I had protected my kids from absorbing too much of the news but when I took my kindergartner daughter to the grocery store that evening, she said "There's nobody here shopping. Did they all get killed today, mom?"
You gave me chills with that post and I can't imagine what you must have went through. I loved the part when you said, "I've often wondered since then how many times we cross paths with sheer terror and never even know it." So true.
Great post. I too remember how surreal it all seemed and I didn't know anyone who even knew anyone that was directly affected. I remember on that day and for months to come wondering what was next for all of us...
Thank you for your beautiful post. I stopped by after reading Gabi's. Reading these today was such a comfort. I hope you don't mind that I linked to your post on my blog.
I was laying on Mika's couch with a migrain. Don't know why I was at there house instead of mine since everyone was gone. I had taken all the kids to school and Ron and Sue where at the hospital with Kyle who was getting his tear ducts probed. Chris called me to turn on the T.V. I watched the whole thing unfold with the painters who where working on the house while every Mika relative called to make sure Ron wasn't in NYC. Thanks for letting me use your blog for this.
Oh my goodness, what a day you had had. As for me, all I can remember was that I was at school and there wasn't much going on that day than tears shed and prayers said. *B
We were living with Devon's parents in Cedar City and Devon's sister woke us up to tell us the news and we didn't believe her. We spent the entire day glued to the TV. It's hard to believe you were so closely involved...I can only imagine what you must have been thinking for those few hours that you couldn't reach Josh. Scary stuff!
Oh, that is such a scary story. I was terrified enough, and I didn't know anybody who was in danger. The panic you must have felt. It was a terrible day for everyone.
Woweee...I would have been a basket case. Well I was a basket case (make that am a basket case)- but if my Josh was flying that day I would've just been a wreck.
Since we're on the west, we were asleep and Josh's dad called us to tell us what had happened. My oldest was 1 1/2 and I remember being very afraid. It was all very surreal.
On a very silly side note- glad you got your magnets and that you liked them! ;)
Wow, Christie. That is just freaky.
"I've often wondered since then how many times we cross paths with sheer terror and never even know it."
Amy Grant had a song about that, remember it? Back in the 80s? Something about a car running out of gas before it came her way. It really makes you feel small, doesn't it. Thankfully God is big! :-)
Wow! What a day that was for you! I was on my mission in Portugal when the terrorists attacked. My companion and I knocked on a members door and when she opened the door, she had a panicked expression on her face. She proceeded to say, "Your country is under attack by terrorists!" What??? My companion and I were very confused! And of course concerned! She brought us into her home where she was watching the news, and we saw the second plane hit the tower! Talk about feeling out of the loop . . . we couldn't watch tv or listen to the radio, so we tried to get as much info as we could from people and magazines when we were at the store! And of course, everyone was interesed in talking to us about it since we were americans. They kept asking if my family was ok, and I tried to explain that Portugal was closer to New York than California was, but they didn't seem to comprehend! Can't believe it's been 6 years!
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