Tuesday, September 11, 2001 -- Where Were You

Nine years since 9-11. Can you believe it?

Sharon:  Sarah and I were listening to the radio as I drove her to school that morning. About the time we are pulling into the Castle Hills parking lot, the radio news announcer says something about an airplane crash, but still did not have much details.

About an hour or so later, Julee calls me and says, "Aunt Sharon (yep, she used to call me Aunt Sharon back then) are you watching the news?" And there was just something about her voice!  I say to her "No, I don't have the t.v. on, but I will turn it on right now!" While I am trying to find the remote, she starts telling me about airplanes crashing into the twin towers. Finally, I get the news on and she says to watch it for awhile and she will call me back.  A few minutes of watching was all it took.

Julee called back.  She was checking in to see if I was seeing/hearing what she was seeing/hearing. Yes, it was true. It was horrible. But, it was happening.  I remember telling her, "Well, we are at war now!"  Somewhere deep inside I was hoping that was not true, but I knew it was to be.....

Mark: I was at work.  At the time, I was in a wing full of "crazy kids" or a child/adolescent psychiatric unit......and once realizing the seriousness of what was happening in our country, I quickly alerted staff and we turned off all the radios and t.v. in hopes of not upsetting or adding fuel to an already unstable environment.  Once my patients were safe, I immediately thought of the safety of "my kids" and all family members.  Emotions were running high and I remember trying to focus on the job at hand, yet all the time wanting to gather my family near.