September 11th, 2001, I got a phone call from
my friend, asking me if I had the television on, we're all busy getting
the kids ready for school normally. I didn't, so she said to turn it
on, something terrible has happened. I went upstairs so the kids didn't
see the news. And saw what was happening. At the time, just the first
plane had hit. I called my husband at the time to tell him, and while I was talking
to him, the other plane hit. At first I thought they were showing a replay of
the first plane, until I realized that I was terribly wrong. I just
witnessed a second plane hitting, and something was terribly
wrong. It had to be on purpose, but why? Why
are we being attacked this way?
Jeremy, just turned age 8 at the time, wasn't feeling good, so instead of taking him to school, I took him to the walk-in care and we all sat in the waiting room, just staring at the television. I made a call to my Grandma because I knew her niece worked in the towers; gladly she told me her company had moved out, so she was safe. We were worried about other cousins that worked in the area too; later we found out that all were safe. Like everyone else, we all spent hours and hours staring at the television in disbelief of what happened and what was happening afterwards. All the people..... all the firemen....all the passengers and crew on the airplanes..... I still cry when I see those buildings falling.
My friend and I were also Cub Scout den leaders for our sons. Our first meeting was the week of this tragedy. With 1st graders, we felt we had to do something. This was a historical disaster and wanted to help. We decided to make small blankets and wrote letters and sent them to as many firehouses in NY City that we possibly could, that were around the site of the twin towers. In all the horror and tragic days the firemen were enduring, several of the firehouses actually still took the time and wrote us back. Some even sent us posters and cards. We did not expect this, we were helping them. We promised these brave men and women that we would never forget them or what they went through. These are the departments we promised to remember. Please remember them with me right now, because they all lost friends, family and colleges.
NYFD Engine 28 and Ladder 11
NYFD Engine Company 9 Group 24
NYFD Engine Company 15
NYFD Ladder 18 and Battalion 4
NYFD Ladder 124
And Captain Frank Leto who didn't say which NYFD he was with,
but sent a letter to the boys.
We also had decided that we'd pick one department and would write and stay in contact with them during the whole year to support them in prayer and letters. This was with NYFD Engine Company 15. The boys wrote letters during the year and sent them Christmas ornaments showing we would never forget them and others. Made ornaments with the towers and firemen on them. The boys made ornaments for themselves as well, and they still are placed on our tree every year!
Jeremy, just turned age 8 at the time, wasn't feeling good, so instead of taking him to school, I took him to the walk-in care and we all sat in the waiting room, just staring at the television. I made a call to my Grandma because I knew her niece worked in the towers; gladly she told me her company had moved out, so she was safe. We were worried about other cousins that worked in the area too; later we found out that all were safe. Like everyone else, we all spent hours and hours staring at the television in disbelief of what happened and what was happening afterwards. All the people..... all the firemen....all the passengers and crew on the airplanes..... I still cry when I see those buildings falling.
My friend and I were also Cub Scout den leaders for our sons. Our first meeting was the week of this tragedy. With 1st graders, we felt we had to do something. This was a historical disaster and wanted to help. We decided to make small blankets and wrote letters and sent them to as many firehouses in NY City that we possibly could, that were around the site of the twin towers. In all the horror and tragic days the firemen were enduring, several of the firehouses actually still took the time and wrote us back. Some even sent us posters and cards. We did not expect this, we were helping them. We promised these brave men and women that we would never forget them or what they went through. These are the departments we promised to remember. Please remember them with me right now, because they all lost friends, family and colleges.
NYFD Engine 28 and Ladder 11
NYFD Engine Company 9 Group 24
NYFD Engine Company 15
NYFD Ladder 18 and Battalion 4
NYFD Ladder 124
And Captain Frank Leto who didn't say which NYFD he was with,
but sent a letter to the boys.
We also had decided that we'd pick one department and would write and stay in contact with them during the whole year to support them in prayer and letters. This was with NYFD Engine Company 15. The boys wrote letters during the year and sent them Christmas ornaments showing we would never forget them and others. Made ornaments with the towers and firemen on them. The boys made ornaments for themselves as well, and they still are placed on our tree every year!
One of my most
proudest moments with Jeremy during all this, was when he had just
returned from a Cub Scout Pack meeting, and the celebrity telethon was going
on. They were talking about giving money for 9-11 victims. I noticed
that Jeremy had disappeared for a long time. I went upstairs to find him with
his piggy bank poured all over his floor and he was counting his money. He
had counted close to $60 and he said with the saddest face that he
wanted to give it to the telethon people to help the firemen and their
families. At the moment, I had to keep my composure....I wanted to cry my
eyes out, such a big heart in a little boy! I took a deep breath,
and I told him that he could give half of his money and I would match the
difference, and we would drop it off at one of the local firehouses that I knew
was collecting money. So the next day, he dressed in his Cub Scout
uniform and off we went to the firehouse. They were very thankful to him. I was
so proud that he wanted to help others. 9-11 took place just 3 days after
Jeremy's birthday. So every year, we celebrate his birthday, but a few days
later, we remember those lost.
We will never forget.......
We will never forget.......
No comments:
Post a Comment