Friday, September 11, 2009

On September 11, 2001, a horrible tragedy hit the USA. It was a scary ordeal from which ordinary people became heroes.

I still remember that day clearly when I awoke to the news of our Nation being under attack. The fear I felt was real and unmeasurable. Just the past weekend, 9/6-8/01, my sister and I, were in Chicago, IL, attending my nephews graduation from the Naval Academy. We visited several places in Chicago and had a great time. However, on the date of our flights, my sister and I, were scheduled on the same flight home. Unfortunately, due to chance or something else, we had to be separated from our destination to Houston, Texas, whereby we would each depart to Brownsville, Texas and El Paso, Texas.

My sister was allowed to go on the same flight, while I had to board a different American Airline flight.
I still remember feeling that something was wrong since my flight got cancelled 3 times and then I finally flew to El Paso in the wee hours of the morning on 9/9/01 through American Airlines.

I wondered the peculiarity of the flight cancellations, but thought nothing much of it. However, 2 days later I awoke to the frantic telephone call from my sister telling me to turn on the TV. My heart sank as I saw what was happening and the devastation it caused.

I quickly got dressed and went to work at the Child Guidance Counseling Center, in El Paso, Texas, and we were all in shock and awed as the news kept pouring. Some clients cancelled, others came in panic, it was a tough ordeal. However, in the midst of chaos this country banded together in solidarity and ordinary people became heroes. We lost so many lives of children, women, and men, but all through this our Nation prevailed.

Nothing, not even the disturbing attempts by ignorant and hateful individuals will ever kill the American Spirit!

Till this date, I still have problems watching at the twin towers collapsing and the other videos of the attack. I keep thinking of the people that died not knowing what happened and the despair of those that survived. Overall, I remain in awe and admiration for the ones that without fear or hesitation ran into buildings to save people, only to be received by the hand of death. Those fallen heroes and all that gave their lives deserve the best remembrance ever as their blood was not shed in vane. Their blood shed did not destroy, but instead, invigorated this nation of ours!

P. Ricardo G0nzalez & Sons

No comments:

Post a Comment