The news is full of 9/11 stories. I find them almost painful to read-it seems like only yesterday. But my life changed dramatically that day-especially my life as a mom , although I did not realize it at the time. It seems fitting that I would add to the chorus of remembrances, to keep the memory painfully fresh.
It was a beautiful fall day, except my five year old had a high fever. My husband, an airline pilot, met me at the doctor's office. The other kids were all in school, except our oldest. He had just finished Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. The previous weekend I had gone to visit him and go to my first Navy football game. It was Firstie Parents Weekend, and the Class of 2002 parents were all there beaming with pride. It had been a lovely time. But now I was home and so grateful my husband would be there to help with a really sick little guy.
Our doctor, a former Air Force physician , burst through the door and was so happy to see my husband. As he told us what was going on, we realized why. How could a pilot make a mistake like that? It must have been a serious mechanical error. As we watched the TV the horror became revealed, and now antibiotics in hand we rushed home. Our brother in law flies for American -where is he? The kids at school-important they know Dad is OK...it was a flurry of frantic calls. and then the next blow-the Pentagon and all of a sudden my thoughts turned to our son at the Naval Academy. What was the scope of this -could he be in danger?
At the same time USNA was put on lock down. Upper class Midshipmen lent Plebes their phones to call home to let parents know they were OK. Other calls went out from the Academy trying to find out if their parents and family members were alright. In a culture of service, many family members were firemen and policemen, and many had family members stationed at the Pentagon. At the end of that day 11 USNA grads were lost in the attacks, and more would be lost in the War on Terror in the years to come.
The Class of 2002 graduated and became warriors in that battle. Applications to the Naval Academy skyrocketed from 11,000 to 19,000 as a new generation felt the call to serve. And in the coming years each of my children would answer that call.
The economic blow was also a sucker punch. My husband's airline went bankrupt along with several others and thousands of pilots lost their retirement benefits. My husband retired and ultimately spent three years flying in Afghanistan -I joined him to teach in Kabul.
Those at ground zero lost everything. But the ripple effects are almost unfathomable-so many lives touched by such evil acts. Each of us has been affected in some way. I thank God each day for those who stepped up to serve in the midst of this war, and those on the home front who continue to support their troops. Let us teach the next generation and those to come to never forget, no matter how painful those memories may be. Let us honor those who have given the last full measure of devotion, in the air, on the land and sea, or in the towers. Never forget.....
It was a beautiful fall day, except my five year old had a high fever. My husband, an airline pilot, met me at the doctor's office. The other kids were all in school, except our oldest. He had just finished Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. The previous weekend I had gone to visit him and go to my first Navy football game. It was Firstie Parents Weekend, and the Class of 2002 parents were all there beaming with pride. It had been a lovely time. But now I was home and so grateful my husband would be there to help with a really sick little guy.
Our doctor, a former Air Force physician , burst through the door and was so happy to see my husband. As he told us what was going on, we realized why. How could a pilot make a mistake like that? It must have been a serious mechanical error. As we watched the TV the horror became revealed, and now antibiotics in hand we rushed home. Our brother in law flies for American -where is he? The kids at school-important they know Dad is OK...it was a flurry of frantic calls. and then the next blow-the Pentagon and all of a sudden my thoughts turned to our son at the Naval Academy. What was the scope of this -could he be in danger?
At the same time USNA was put on lock down. Upper class Midshipmen lent Plebes their phones to call home to let parents know they were OK. Other calls went out from the Academy trying to find out if their parents and family members were alright. In a culture of service, many family members were firemen and policemen, and many had family members stationed at the Pentagon. At the end of that day 11 USNA grads were lost in the attacks, and more would be lost in the War on Terror in the years to come.
The Class of 2002 graduated and became warriors in that battle. Applications to the Naval Academy skyrocketed from 11,000 to 19,000 as a new generation felt the call to serve. And in the coming years each of my children would answer that call.
The economic blow was also a sucker punch. My husband's airline went bankrupt along with several others and thousands of pilots lost their retirement benefits. My husband retired and ultimately spent three years flying in Afghanistan -I joined him to teach in Kabul.
Those at ground zero lost everything. But the ripple effects are almost unfathomable-so many lives touched by such evil acts. Each of us has been affected in some way. I thank God each day for those who stepped up to serve in the midst of this war, and those on the home front who continue to support their troops. Let us teach the next generation and those to come to never forget, no matter how painful those memories may be. Let us honor those who have given the last full measure of devotion, in the air, on the land and sea, or in the towers. Never forget.....
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