Remembering September 11, 2001

Like most of our parents remembering where they were when JFK got shot, I think this generation will always remember where they were when they found out about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

I was fortunate enough to have a good school schedule that semester where I only went to class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Therefore, I worked on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-3 or 5. I worked as the telephone (PBX) operator for the Omni Southpark Hotel in Austin. One of my co-workers kept a small hand-held tv in the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet to sneak out and watch in the evenings when it was slow, so when my boss came in around 7 telling us a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center, I got it out immediately and tuned in. I witnessed the 2nd tower get hit and then everything else throughout the day as the whole world watch in horror.

I just can't imagine the feelings of those brave people on the planes that were hijacked and the people that were trapped up in those buildings. CNBC was re-playing the exact news presentation they played from that morning, this morning on tv and I watched as I worked out at the gym. I still get teary eyed and emotional seeing it. My heart will forever go out to all of the people affected by the tragic event.

Every year when I think of September 11th, I go and fish out my pictures from my trip to New York to look at. My dad and Jamie got me for Christmas 2000, a trip to NYC with Jamie, my Aunt Liz, and my cousins Kelly, Ellen, and Jennifer. So we went for spring break 2001...exactly 6 months before the attacks. I took lots of pictures. I haven't been back since, so the only New York skyline I have ever seen still had the towers in place. I also have something that is a special keepsake to me as well. When we went to the observation deck of the WTC, I got one of those pennies that you push through the machine and get an imprint on it with the WTC on it. It is just crazy still to me to think that those buildings are not there. I can still remember perfectly leaning against the glass and looking out over New York. It was kind of a scary sight looking down from so high up and the observation deck wasn't even at the top of the building! Here are a couple of pictures. I had to take a picture of them with my camera to put them on here because my scanner isn't cooperating, so they aren't great, but wanted to share.

This is looking down from the observation deck of the World Trade Center. (I often think how someone could jump from this when I look at this picture.)

This is the view of New York from the WTC.