I went about my normal routine as manager of a catering co. Making sure everything would be ready for the Rotary lunch that day. The manager of the building came into the kitchen and said a plane had it one of the Twin Towers in NYC. I thought what a horrible accident and hoped that no one was hurt. Then what seemed like seconds later he ran back in and said they hit the other tower.....then the Pentagon. Now they say another plane is missing. We are being attacked with hijacked planes. We had no TV so we were glued to the radio.
Slowly the Rotarian's began to trickle in and everyone was in shock. When news came that the 3rd plane had crashed in PA. 2 men walked through the doors and said "this building is on lock-down." The building we were in was Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum, we were across the street from the Old Courthouse. All buildings that had any government affiliation had been locked down.
The next hours lasted for what seemed like days. I suddenly remembered that my grandparents were in NY, a stop on their way to Canada. I had no idea if they were safe. I had not been able to get in contact with my kids or family, I could not leave the building I was in and only knew that we had been attacked, the Twin Towers had fallen and thousands were dead. Finally at 5 o'clock we were allowed to leave. The drive home was very quiet. No one was out, it looked like a ghost town.
When I arrived at home my kids were crying while watching TV. I sat and watched and I don't think I moved for at least 5 hours. I was in disbelief at the images I was finally seeing. The planes hitting, the people running, the buildings collapsing. I was able to finally get my mom on the phone and my grandparents had left the city about an hour before the events unfolded. They were told what had happened after they crossed the border in Canada. It was all like a bad dream.
Although I did not know anyone personally who died that day, I feel the loss of all those lives It is a day we will never forget. We mourn today on the 10th anniversary as we mourned that Tuesday 10 years ago.
God Bless America
