September 11,2001
At 6:50 am I was climbing out of the shower at Station 33 after a 24 hour clinical for my Paramedic School. At the fire station there is an overhead intercom system that sends out tones to alert firefighters of incoming calls. The tones went off and the dispatchers voice came on. Instead of dispatching the intended unit to a call the voice said" Per your batallion chief please turn on your television" I had no idea what was going on but i figured it was no big deal so I got dressed and headed out into the common area. Where the fire captain was sitting in the recliner watching the news. I asked what happened and he said " a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center". I thought he was just messing around with me so I went and stood behind the recliner and watched as the fires were burning. About 5 minutes later I stood there in disbelief as the first tower collapsed. It was unreal what was going on. I left the station and headed to my moms house.The next days would be horrible horrible moments both seen and heard both on radio and tv.
My dad was in the middle of a business trip and was at LAX. Standing there with his partner in Military uniforms as this was unfolding, they decided it would be best to get out. They rented a car and headed back home.
My brother Kyle was stationed in Washington DC. We tried for some time to get in touch with him to make sure all was ok there. It would be a few days as when the plane crashed he was called back to his quarters and issued a rifle and instructed to stand guard in front of the State Department. He was later walking past an American Red Cross station and a lady told him to call his mother. He called us to let us know he was alive and well but he would be busy for a while. For my brother this would turn out to be one of the hardest periods of his life. His unit was responsible for the clean up of the wreckage at the Pentagon. They would clean until they came across a body part, it was then that they would clear out and let the FBI come in to remove and mark. My brother later recounted to my father that" no 21 year old boy should have to see the things that I have seen"
My mother, my children and myself would spend countless hours in tears in front of the television that day and in the days to come to try and make sense out of the things that had happened. There was no way to even try and comprehend it. All we could do was sit there and cry.
In the weeks to come following the attacks we would find out the depth of the planning and the amount of hatred that was felt towards this country and our beliefs. But BIGGER than that we would see the way our country pulled together and the unity we felt with one another. Our resolve not to be defeated by something so catastrophic. People banded together from all walks of life, religous and political affitiations. I remember a radio station in Tucson organized a human American Flag at Tucson Electric Park. The attendance was overwhelming!!! So much patriotism and caring during such a terrible terrible time.
I am sooooo sooooo proud of those who gave their lives to save and try to save those suffering,dying, and in need. I am sooo sooo proud of those public servants who,today, stand where most people would not even attempt to go. I am grateful for our military who serve their country honorably and, without thought, lay down their lives.
In the end we would have tremendous outpouring of grief and loss from that day. We would begin a debate regarding military action that continues even today. But what I remember most about that time was the way we as a nation banded together and helped one another deal with what happened in a way that makes me so proud to live here, in this country.
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