Although this happened six years ago, it still feels like it just happened. I may have moved half a country away, and nobody here really understands the impact of that morning. I remember it like it was just last week.
Alan has not started school yet because he was waiting for his records to come from the Philippines. Terrence walked off to school and it was a nice mild, breezy, sunny day. I remember Tyler was a little over 2 years old. We both were up early with Rodney and then got Terrence ready for school. My mom went to work that morning and Alan was still asleep. So Tyler and I went back to bed. I looked at the clock, it was 8:38 AM.
Alan woke me up a little bit after 11, and yelling, "Ate, the Twin Towers is gone. The Pentagon - gone!" I was a bit dazed and he turned the channel to the the closest channel that was showing the news. Of course, we were glued to the television for days and even weeks afterward. The people was what I was concerned about. How bad was it in there that people chose to jump? I have asked myself that question over and over throughout the years. Everytime there was an email or something in the news about wearing red or light a candle outside your house or display the American flag or observe a moment of silence, of course, we did those things because of the poor innocent victims that we saw before the collapse jumping or waving out the window - and then ... they were gone!
I read many books about that day, bought the DVDs. I even did a few transcripts in preparation for these books, movies, and documentaries. And even then, when I felt such grief for those victims and their families, that was nothing.
Just a few weeks ago, I came across this YouTube video of a transcript of a 9-1-1 call from Kevin Cosgrove [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE9TLgCVLBM]. The audio was used during the trial of one of the "replacement" hijackers, who is now serving a life sentence for that conviction. Listening to that recording, I cried like it just happened.
My prayers are with Kevin Cogrove, his family, and the many other voiceless souls! Not just today on 9/11, but always. That recording has changed my life. Listen to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE9TLgCVLBM
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