I traveled up to NJ (where I grew up) for Labor Day weekend in 2000. On September 4, 2000, I was in Liberty State Park across from a fog covered lower Manhattan. It was so strange to see the towers fully blanketed in dense fog...as if they didn't exist... basically an empty sky. I never dreamed that exactly one year and 7 days later, that empty sky would become a reality.
On September 25, 2001, I flew from Houston, TX to Newark, NJ on American Airlines to be with family and attend several memorials. We were all a bit scared, but even in those early days- we clustered together assessing how we could defend ourselves if attacked. There weren't many restrictions at that time, but I had some spiky heels, a hair dryer with a long cord, and the woman next to me had assorted knitting needles.
I had a layover in Dallas where I also paid my respects at a memorial for the American Airlines employees lost. A good friend of mine is a former AA flight attendant and one of her friends was working onboard flight 11 that morning- so it hit me really hard seeing their tribute in person, but getting off that plane in Newark was a tear jerker.
I flew into Newark's terminal A- pretty much right across from the gate where United flight 93 took off for the last time. It was impossible to not look over there and up the terminal walkway and think that just 2 weeks and a few hours earlier all of those innocent people and the hijackers were in the same space I was walking...and then I turned around and saw a wall of people just standing there. I approached and realized- they were all standing there...looking at the empty skyline...most wiping tears from their eyes. I spent around 2 weeks up there- spending time with my grandparents - attending memorials and hearing stories of escape - being told they were happy to see another friendly face alive - and shedding many tears for those we lost. I was invited to go down to Ground Zero and help feed the firefighters and rescue crews, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't walk around midtown without breaking down! Everywhere you turned, the fallen were being memorialized and you couldn't help but cry. I attended a Giants game during this trip and even there- flowers and wreaths were resting in seats of season ticket holders who died in the attacks.
In August of 2002, I returned to NYC with DH and finally made my way downtown. I stayed as long as I could, but just couldn't stop sobbing.
Now 10 years later, I still cry at the thought of the people who were lost and the images of the attacks themselves. I thank G-d that my cousin chose not to go into work that morning (supposed to start a job that day in Tower 1), I thank G-d that 2 close family friends who also worked in the towers were out of town on business that day, I thank G-d for the handful of people I know who were able to navigate their way out of the towers in time, I thank G-d that one of my high school classmates originally among the missing turned up alive, I thank G-d that my friend whose husband flew out of Dulles within minutes of flight 77 was on a safe plane, I pray for everyone (not just the people I knew) who were lost that day and lost loved ones, and I pray we never have anything so horrific happen in the future.
PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!