I graduated in 2001 and was in my freshman year of college. Some of my friends and cousins and I had planned a trip to NYC on MLK Jr. weekend 2002 prior to 9/11/01. I was the youngest of the group.
I happened to be at home that day and dad just happened to be off which was a coincidence as his days off rotated. We watched it together and afterwards we went to Tractor Supply and got some work done that day.
Dad grew up travelling the world. My grandfather was an E9 EOD through Viet Nam. Served 21 years. My father took it in, reflected, said a prayer, and told me, "we don't let terrorist cowards stop our lives."
Fast forward to January 2002. When we got to NYC we were lost. We stayed in Tarrytown and commuted into the city. We got on The Today Show, took in some sights, got lost on the subway trying to get to see The Blue Man group and ended up in China Town, and then the 2nd or third day there we got as near to Ground Zero as folks were allowed.
It was still a disaster. We all stood in shock. Six young adults...kids really, from Ohio lost in a sea of folks carrying posters of their loved ones which read, "HAVE YOU SEEN ME?!" People showed us pictures of their loved ones hoping to hear good news. We had none. Emergency personnel were everywhere. Street vendors had cheaply made, "Never Forget!" type wares.
At one point we found a "before" picture. We were standing within eye sight of a MASSIVE building. Just, much larger than I'd really known. My mother worked her entire career life, 42 years, at Nationwide, and I'd been to the top of that. This building was MUCH larger, or so it seemed at the time anyway.
It had a large half domed top. I was staring up at it and looking at that picture realizing the twin towers were far more than double, maybe triple, the height of this building. I stood in silence. THAT'S when it hit me. 9/11/2001 didn't shock me. My dad had that old grit of, "We'll fight anyone." He gave me hope and I got equally angry at the attackers with him at the same time.
Standing there that day, though, I was humbled. Now, watching back videos of people bailing out of windows and what not I recall that day and how far that leap was and what must have been going through those folks heads. I think back to the mother asking me if I knew her child. I think of the personnel still searching through rubble months later.
R.I.P.
Never forget.