September 11th

September 11th marks more to me than the anniversary of 9/11. First and foremost it will always be my Grandma Kitty's Birthday. I think of her first.

Second, my cousin and her husband worked at the Trade Center. So my concern that tragic day was very personal.
I remember calling Sergio in to the living room and watching it together, holding hands.
Our conversation went like this:
Sergio: Are you sure Janet & Patrick work @ The Trade Center?
Me: Yes, A large accounting firm around the 70th floor.
Sergio: Honey, I am sure they are fine.
Me: Look at it burning!
Sergio: They will get out. We don't even know if they work in that building. I bet they are in the 2nd bldg.
Me: Oh My God! It's collapsing!
Sergio: Janet's not in that bldg.
Then, as you know, the second building collapsed.

It would be hours before I would know their fate. I had to go to the office as I was in charge of our Real Estate Office, with our Broker out of town. There, my friend Carolyn & I held on to each other in fear with the rest of the country. Her son was in the Army stationed in Europe. She was terrified for him. We stayed tuned to the television.

I soon found out that Janet was fine. She had just transferred out of that office weeks earlier. It would be another four hours till we found out about Patrick. Luckily he was on the first floor Starbucks at that fatal moment. He was unable to reach Janet though for several hours to assure her he got out. I can only imagine.

It is so unbelievable how vulnerable we as a country were. How horrific we lost so many lives and not just in one location. Lest we forget the two planes that crashed in the Pentagon and Shanksville.

I agree with Sergio about his thoughts on the memorial site in NY. Rebuild the Trade Center Buildings. Honor those who died showing we can not be torn down.

I pray that we never ever see such tragedy in America again.