My 9/11 memories

There are moments in our lives when you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing and no matter what, you will most likely never forget those moments.

For example, I can remember the details about when Kennedy was shot. I can remember man landing on the moon and I can certainly remember the events of September 11, 2001.

I remember I was getting ready for work and was supposed to drive to Valdosta to visit some childcare providers. I was going in late as I was waiting for Dad to come by the house. I was watching the news when I saw the first plane crash into the first tower. I went outside when I heard Dad drive up, told him what had just happened and he came into my bedroom and watched the news with me. Mom called me sometime in between to ask if I was watching the news. It was about that time that we saw the next plane hit the second tower. I remember seeing all this unfold on television like a bad movie, but it was real. (The above picture shows the twin towers before the attacks).

Eventually I headed on to work, but upon my return home, I couldn't stop watching the news. I stayed up most of the night and couldn't stop crying. There was the loss of some many people. So many missing people. So many sad stories. So many things that would never be right ever again. It was such a horrible event that just kept unfolding hour upon hour on every news channel.

In November of 2002, I had to go to New York City for a childcare training in Harlem. I arrived at my hotel before noon and couldn't check into my room. So, I decided no time like the present to get in a little sightseeing. I took a cab to Battery Park to catch the ferry to Liberty Park and Ellis Island. (I had seen the Statute of Liberty off in the distance a couple of earlier times in my life, but this was the first time I'd been this close). Because of 9/11, the park service wouldn't let you go up into Lady Liberty, so I stayed on the ferry and went on over to Ellis Island. What a fantastic place to visit! There was a special exhibit taking place at this time. It was pictures and quotes/memories of 9/11 from the vantage point of Ellis Island. The displayed exhibit pictures were taken by people who were on Ellis Island looking across to downtown Manhattan. It was a very poignant display. One of things I remember was what happened to the seagulls which frequent Ellis Island. Apparently when the towers were burning and the sky began to turn black, all the seagulls landed on the Island and put their heads under their wings. Scientists believe that it wasn't necessarily the blackness of the sky that made them do that, but it was also that the birds seemed to sense something was wrong. There were pictures showing the seagulls with their tucked heads. It was just amazing to me that even nature was disrupted by all that was occurring.

After I landed back in Battery Park, I asked and was told how to reach Ground Zero. While walking through the park, I came upon a memorial. It is a large bronze sphere which once stood between the two Twin Towers as a symbol of global peace and now stands in the northern section of the park. The severely damaged sculpture was recovered from the rubble of the World Trade Center and transferred here later on. Together with an eternal flame, it is serves as a memorial to the victims of 9/11.
This was taken showing the outside of Ground Zero and the crowds that were hoping for a glimpse into the pit.
My first look into the pit. It was very large, very deep and even after a year since the attacks, you could see the surrounding buildings with smoke scars on their sides. There still were some surrounding damaged buildings.
Across the street from Ground Zero is Trinity Church. This historic Episcopal church managed to stand while the twin towers crumbled around it on September 11, 2001; however the historic pipe organ was severely damaged by dust and debris and had to be replaced.

The gates to the historic church were serving as an impromptu memorial to the victims of 9/11, with countless tokens of remembrance left by both locals and visitors alike. All the names of those who were killed were on this very long sheet of paper. You could read comments written by several of the names and people had left various flowers and items.

The strange thing about being here at this location was that although you were in the middle of New York City, people spoke in hushed tones and the whole atmosphere was muted. I guess people just realized that they were basically looking at or were in the vicinity of a mass graveyard since many of the remains of victims were never found.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero, especially after seeing it on the television so many times. It made me appreciate my life even more and I realized that life can certainly change in the matter of a very few minutes.