The Day The World Stopped

     Unless you are very young of age or have lived in a cave, everyone knows about the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001.  It was a day that has changed the way American's look at things, the way American's feel about things, and the way American's live.  11 years later and American's still walk around looking over their shoulder's wondering when the next attack will take place.  We may not think about September 11 every day but no one can forget what happened.  I am not going into details of what happened in New York, Washington D.C., or Pennsylvania.  I am telling the story from my life.

     It was Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  The sun was shinning and it was going to be a beautiful day.  My oldest son, Christian (age 4) was taking speech therapy classes in the afternoon and they were taking a field trip to the Allegan County Fair that day.  Brian and I agreed to take all the kids to the fair later on that evening.  I was getting our daughters, Elizabeth (age 3) and Ashton (a month before her first birthday) ready for a playgroup with other mom's at a castle park in Plainwell, Mi.  Brian had a job interview at Sara Lee Bakery that morning (and he did get the job).  In the background Blue's Clue's was playing on the tv.   I was taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College but I didn't have class that day.  We were all happily busy.  It was just like any other morning.

     Brian ran to the corner store to get me a gallon of milk before he drove to Grand Rapids.  As he was approaching our house he kept beeping the horn to our van.  I was under the impression that he was running late and he wanted me to meet him in the driveway so he can take off quickly.  Brian flys out of the car with a look of urgency upon his face.  Our neighbor, Buzz, opens his front door and hollars out to Brian, "Did you hear about the World Trade Center?

     I was thinking this was an opening line to a funny joke.  Brian replies back, "Yes, I just heard about it on the radio.  I am going to go check out the tv."  and Brian heads inside.

     As he walks closer me I asked, "What is going on?"

     And as he passed by me without even glancing in my direction he states, "America is being attacked!"

     I stood there, outside, for a moment.  Did I hear that right?  America is under attack?  I went inside.

     We turned the channel to the news and it was already on that a plane struck one of the towers.  You can see smoke coming out from the towers but America was still confused.  At that time we didn't really know what kind of plane it was or if it was deliberate or by accident.  Brian was certain that this was not an accident.  This was done on purpose.  But no one really thought who would do something as awful as this.  It was hard to pull your eyes away from the tv.  Eventually Brian had to because of his job interview.  He kissed us all and was on his way.  The excitment of the interview somehow didn't seem to matter at this point. 

     I looked at our children, who were more upset because Blue's Clue's was interrupted, and thought that even though they do not realize what is happening their lives are about to change forever.  I didn't want them to see images of what was going on so I turned Blue's Clue's back on and called my friend, Deana.  She was watching the whole thing and we were trying to make heads or tails out of the whole situtation.  Suddenly I hear her shout, "Oh my God!  There's a plane!  That plane is gonna hit!  It just crashed into the building!"  There was a shakiness to her voice.

     "What?!" I was hoping the news was doing a recap of what was happening, "What happened?"

     "While on TV I seen another plane go into the other building!"  We were both silent for a moment.  I ran with the portable phone upstairs to the tv in our bedroom and turned it on.  There on the screen was a gapping hole in the building of where the plane entered the building.  We both watched on our own tv's, in silence, grasping tightly to the phone.  Neither one of us made it to playgroup that day.

     On the tv reports we heard about the Pentagon and the United Flight Airlines 93 that went down in Pennsylvania.  I just wondered how much more do we have to see!  What building will be next?!  We were certainly under attack.  You couldn't help but think of the people on board those flights.  You knew there had to be children, and there were.  Did the passengers know?  Could they see the buildings approaching?  Tears for those people and their families were unstoppable.

     Then the unthinkable happened.  The towers collaspe.  At 9:59am the south tower went down first.  It was very hard to watch.  At 10:28am the other town collasped.  All those people in a matter on seconds were gone.  The police, fire department and recuse teams were great at getting out many people.  So many more lives could of ended that day if not for the brave men and women who went into those towers.  I don't think people realized the towers would of collasped.  Most thought several floors would be damaged, obviously, but it did not cross anyone's mind that these towers were coming down.  All around the area soot, ash, rubble blanketed the earth.  It looked like the aftermath of a war scene after a volcano spewed it's ash.  Papers from people's desks fluttered down what looked like a mean spirited ticker tape festival.  This was not a festival.  Those papers were like tears falling from those who lost their lives.  American's were sad and we were getting upset. 

     It was hard being a parent that day.   All I wanted to do was scoop them up and hold them yet, with them being young, they didn't want to sit in my lap all day watching the horror that is unfolding in America right before our eyes.  They still wanted to play.  They still wanted lunch.  They still wanted to be read to.  I played out the roll of mommy threw my actions but my heart and my thoughts went to those suffering from these vicious attacks. 

     Later on that evening we debated on going to the fair.  Neither Brian or I were in the mood.  The kids were wanting to go and we did promise them.  The Allegan County Fair, one of the largest county fair's in the state is also known for it's largest county fair parade in the country, is normally a wonderful place to visit.  They have a historical village complete with a working blacksmith shop, a church, a school where the local schools even use it for a day and homes set in the 1800's time period.  The barns are full of animals you would expect to see at the fair and then the midway that is chock full of rides for all ages.  On this day it was very somber.  There were young kids and teens riding rides having fun.  The adults, however, looked sad.  I don't remember seeing a smile on anyone's faces, even the carnival workers.  Usually in the aisle of games the carnival workers push parents into playing a game.  It was quiet today.  Radio's were on all over the place with coverage of the attacks.  In the exhibition booths where people are showing off their wares and their small businesses it was quiet.  Some had tv's playing at their stations.  The Kalamazoo Gazette had a special edition paper already there for people to take.  I was impressed how quickly it was in the papers.  I still have my copy. 

     Eariler that day President Bush ordered all planes down for several days.  I remember looking up at the sky and just seeing traces of clouds.  No contrails left over for passing airplanes.  I kept my gaze upon the sky.  So this is how it looked before the invention of the airplace.  I tried hard to memorize what was in my vision.  I knew people haven't seen a sky like this in about 100 years and I may never see a sky again without airplanes.  Even at night looking at the stars above it was peacefully quiet.  No moving blinking lights from a passing plane.  Everything was still.  Everything needed to be. 

         The next day I went to college.  Our English class was a big group discussion about what happened the day before.  Everyone was still walking around in a daze.  The little things in life didn't matter.  People were hurting, people were missing, and a lot of people died that day.  Nothing else was on people's minds.  The world seemed like it stopped and the focus was on New York, Washington D.C., and the crash site in Pennsylvania.  People could not stop talking about it.  There was a blood donation site set up at the campus.  There was a long line for people wanted to give.  This was the least American's could do at this moment.  I stood in line waiting for my turn.  No one worried about how they would feel giving blood.  There were people who might need it desperately.  It was the American duty to give.

     A few days later there was a vigil at the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Mi. that my sister, our children and I went.  Some people gave speeches and prayers to those families affected by this terrorist attact.  We held candles and songs were sang.   I tried to tell my children the best I could about what was going on, that we were to remember those who died in the attacks.  We, as a city, all became like one.  As a nation we were as one during that time.  It didn't matter if you were rich or poor, republician or democrat, black or white, christian or athesist, young or old.  We all came untied as a country. 

      We found out al-Qaeda was responsible for planning and delivering out the attacks.  On tv you can see them jumping for joy and celebrating the collaspe of the towers.  These muslim terrorists, on this day, took away a bit of our freedom.  But as a country we united as a whole and didn't sit back for long.  On that day thousands were injured and 2,973 people have died.  There were only 20 people that were pulled out from the rubble from the World Trade Towers.  20!   There were 372 foreign fatalities that represented over 80 nations.  From the south tower (the one that collasped first) one 4 people above the 81st floor survived.  The fires from the towers burned for 99 days, finally being put out on December 19.  This didn't just effect a City.  This effected the world!

     Today when we watch movies, and if they are older, the kids point out the twin towers.  Just yesterday we watched the cartoon Ants and at the end the camera pans out to reveal Central Park in New York City.  The camera still pans out over the city.  Standing tall in the backgroud was the World Trade Towers.  They would be too young to remember the day but I am glad to know my children know about the terrorist attack and what the World Trade Towers are.