A Time for Reflection—September 11, 2001

Every September 11 since I started blogging I’ve rerun this piece Pop wrote because, thankfully, I have new readers who may not have read it. Although over a decade and a half have past since these terrorist attacks, both Pop and TW can recall the events of that terrifying day as if it was yesterday. Both worked in New York City at the time. It's a long post and I thank anyone who reads it.

With all the natural disasters—floods, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, fires in the west, earthquake in Mexico—it's easy to forget that this is the anniversary of an unnatural disaster. An act of war. Planes struck both towers of the World Trade Center in NYC, the Pentagon and one was downed in Shanksville, PA. Over 3000 people were killed. Among them were innocent people at work doing their jobs and first responders from FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority cops. It's easy for those not in the tristate area to focus on what's going on now and consider the events of 9/11 old news.

It's not "old news" for those in 2017 still suffering life-threatening illnesses from breathing the air at Ground Zero or the children living in lower Manhattan who were exposed to chemicals released while the buildings burned. Those children are showing early signs of heart disease risk.

15 Years Later. We Never Forget

Every September 11 since I started blogging I’ve rerun this piece Pop wrote because, thankfully, I have new readers who may not have read it. Although a decade and a half have past since these terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC, the Pentagon in DC and Shanksville, PA, both Pop and TW can recall the events of that terrifying day as if it was yesterday. Pop still shudders when a low-flying plane passes the condo and TW remembers the uncertainty of not being able to contact Pop for 12 long hours. She can still hear the anguished cries of her co-workers who had friends and loved ones working in the WTC as they watched the buildings crumble and disappear from their office window. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic; I’m just reporting the facts. It was too close for comfort for both my peeps.

TW has been to several 9/11 memorials and masses over the past 15 year. Some of today's photos were taken at last year's local memorial. She promises some day to jot down her memories which are just as fresh today as 15 years ago.

Remembering Today and Every Day

Every September 11 since I started blogging I’ve rerun this piece Pop wrote because, thankfully, I have new readers who may not have read it. Although 14 years have gone by since this terrorist attack, both Pop and TW still recall that terrifying day as if it was yesterday. Pop still flinches when a low-flying plane passes the condo and TW remembers the uncertainty of not being able to contact Pop for 12 long hours. She can still hear the anguished cries of her co-workers who had friends and loved ones working in the WTC as they watched the buildings crumble and disappear from their office window. I’m not trying to be overly dramatic; I’m just reporting the facts.