In Remembrance 9/11

[Cheryl Haggard]

The Haggard Family hangs their flag today in Honor and Remembrance of those who lost their lives September 11, 2001. We also hang our flag today, to remind others that our country is still at war, and to thank those who have lost their lives and continue to risk their lives to protect ours. We personally want to say thank you to their families also. They too, have sacrificed much.

What were you doing September 11th, 2001 when you first heard about the attack on the Twin Towers?

We were living in Wellington Florida...Mike was traveling, and I had just gotten Chase and Anna off to school. I was at home, crawled back into bed with Natalie who was 1 1/2 years old and we started watching Sesame Street. My mom called me and asked if I was watching the news. I told her no, and she said turn it on right away. She would call me back.


In Peace,
The Haggard Family

(If you have a flag hanging outside of your home, take a picture and post it with your comment...)

[Rayna']

What were you doing September 11th, 2001 when you first heard about the attack on the Twin Towers?

I was in a meeting. My sister kept on paging me & paging me. I thought that was odd so I went back to my office. By the time I called her DC was hit too. My window faces downtown Dallas & I couldn't help but stare out the window wondering if we were about to get hit, too. Coleman was only 2 months old & in daycare. I wanted nothing more than to have him in my arms. I was so scared.

My heart goes out to everyone. My cousin (Joanne who is 24) just lost her father last Wednesday and her fiancee' (Ace) is in Iraq fighting the war. Since they were not married he wasn't allowed to come to her dad's funeral. Please also say a special little pray for Ace that he makes it home safely in November.

[Tricia Hackney]

I was volunteering my daughter's kindergarten class when my mom called me on my cell phone. I remember going to my son's preschool, picking him up and going home. We just sat on the floor in front of the tv and rocked until it was time for my daughter to get out of school. It seems like it was yesterday in some ways and in some ways, it seems like it was years & years & years ago :(

[Cathy]

I was home my son Robert was 1 1/2 and Joseph was 5months My husband had just gotten home from work and heard it on the radio in the bathroom I was downstairs and he yelled to me to put the tv on the first plane had just hitIt was all over the tv I lived in Nassau county only 10 minutes from the city All I could remember was Hearing the fire engine sirens going down the Boulavard 100 yards from my house it was totally crazy.
I lost a few friends there that day. My cousin just made it out she was 5 months pregnant with her 3rd child and after the second plane hit we didnt hear from her for a few hours it was crazy she wound up walking over the williamsberg bride with many thousand of other people just trying to get out of the city. One of the friends I lost was 3 months pregnant. I also knew alot of workers down there they all have terrible memories fromt hat day. (people jumping from windows and all) it was just a horrible day. I remember going to the hospital trying to donate blood because they thought that there would be alot more needing blood It is just so horrible that thats not what happened.
I know that is one day that I will never forget
God bless all the millitary people serving us today and always
Cathy

[Cathy]

also I do have my flag hanging out I just cant get my pictures to load today I dont know why its driving me crazy

[Kirk Kief]

I was on my way to taking my son to school. We had stopped at a convenience store for a cup of coffee for me when the cashier told me that a plane had crashed into the tower. That was the first plane. I took my son on to school, and headed for the studio. By the time i got there, the second and third palnes had already crashed. I went straight to my son's school and took him out of school.
As I sat and watched the events unfold, I decided to do something I've never done before. i went and gave blood. I don't know how much I gave, though. Being Mr. Macho, I passed out about halfway through. Since i was unconcious they could have taken a gallon, and i would have been none the wiser!
God Bless our Troops! I've been wearing a green USO wristband that my son put on me when the first troops were sent over. He told me then that I can take it off when they come home.

[linda]

Kirk,

Every time I hear of the wrist band I get the chills. So often "WE FORGET." I have been in the Air Force for 11 1/2 yr on Sep 11th 2001 I was stationed at Ft. Meade in MD. I was on leave but got called in, the plane that crashed in PA was headed over the patomic, I thought for sure it was headed for NSA. For the first time in my career I thought this is what I signed up for! It was a sobbering moment. I dropped Elijah off at the Day Care Center, asked the lady if I don't make it out, to stay with Elijah until my mom arrives from CA. I called my mom and told her I was driving to work and if I didn't make it out that she best get in the car drive straight her to get Elijah. She promised me she would! I parked and said a prayer, when into NSA did my job for the day and went home. I picked up ELIJAH AND I WILL TELL YOU THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT WILL EVER PASS WHEN I FORGET THE ELATION OF HOLDING YOUR CHILD SAFE IN YOUR ARMS. If he only knew then what he knows now.

Today I am a Unit Deployment Manager, this month alone I have 7 deployers going down range. Let me high light two of my guys for you. The first guy I deployed has 5 kids, the oldest was 10 the youngest just seven days old the day I took him to the airport. In a few weeks, I drop off a guy whose wife is due any "minute" seriously and it's their first. He'll miss her "every" first, to include her first birthday! PLEASE PRAY FOR MY FRIENDS, MY COMRADS AND MY HEROS! FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!

[Kathy Schneider]

Hi,
My name is Kathy Schneider and I am new to this forum. Today is a very hard day for me because I remember exactly what I was doing when the planes hit the twin towers. I was delivering our daughter who was born still at 36 5/7 weeks due to a knot in her cord. This is my story. I went into the doctor on the previous morning because I couldn't remember when I had last felt her move. They told me that she had died and I had 2 choices. Either I could wait until I went into labor naturally or I could be induced. I knew there was no way I could wait so we went over to the hospital and started the process. Monday was a very long day for my husband and I. I remember the nurses telling me to try and get some rest, but I told them I really needed to see the sunrise. They told me they would wake me up when the sun rose. I needed no one to wake me up however as my contractions woke me up. I delivered Isabelle at 6:47 am(Mountain time) 9/11/2001. I remember my mother calling and she told us that she couldn't get out to see us because someone had bombed New York. Because we knew nothing of the attack at the time, we just took it as one of my mother's exaggerations. Later we found out what had happened.

One of our friends who had lost a child to a cord accident brought a disposable camera over and told us to take lots of pictures of Isabelle. We did and with the pictures the hospital staff took, I filled an entire scrapbook in her memory. I only wish this group was around 6 years ago to take some professional pictures of my angel.

I know it has been 6 years, but it feels like yesterday. My husband and I now have 2 wonderful boys who are 5 and 2 1/2, but I really miss my Isabelle especially on days like this when people pose the question "do you remember what you were doing on Tuesday, September 11, 2001".

All of you who have lost a child are in my thoughts,
Kathy Schneider
Mom to earthly angels Matthew and Andrew and heavenly angel Isabelle

[Cheryl Haggard]

Kathy,
Thank you for sharing Isabelle with us. I am so sorry for your loss, and yes, I can only imagine how you feel when people ask you that question.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Happy Heavenly Birthday baby Isabelle...

[linda]

Kathy,

Thank you for sharing, I will never forget Miss Isabelle on her special day. The day I was delivering Elijah the Columbine Shootings were happening. I was so sad that children were killing children and here I was giving birth to my first child. Although on a much smaller scale, I can only imagine what that day must have been like for you!

[Kathy Schneider]

Cheryl and Linda,
Thank you so much for caring. Yesterday was a very hard day for me. Even 6 years later I remember alot of details. I remember holding Isabelle for hours then going home and eating (if that's what you call shoving food in because you have to) pot roast my neighbor had heated up for us. Funny how little details stay with you. Maybe that is how you deal with the pain.

Thanks again.

Kathy
Isabelle's mom forever

[Lyssa Sauer]

Not sure how I missed this Thread but Kathy I am so sorry to hear of your loss and although it has been years many here know that feeling. Thank you for sharing you precious Isabelle's story. Welcome to our special family however and hopefully we can help with this journey that so many have experieced in one way or another. Sending you hugs as they may be a day late.
Happy Heavenly Birthday Isabelle
Lyssa

[Kathy Schneider]

Lyssa,
Thank you. I can't believe how much love you have all sent me.

Kathy

[Lindzy Foster]

i was at home watching sesame street with my oldest son and my mom called and told me to turn on the news...i watched the rest of the day in horror....my husband is national guard air force and is active duty currently at Offutt AFB, NE....his unit is having a deployment next year but as of right now he is not on the list to go yet....but many many of his dear friends just left on a deployment 2 weeks ago and will be gone for a year.....I pray for all the men and women serving and fighting for our country, here and overseas.....for their safety and for their families waiting for them......GOD BLESS YOU ALL!


Kathy,
Thank you for sharing your Isabelle's story with us....my thoughts and prayers are with you dear....
hugs

[don duff]

Sorry for being late on this thread, but first, thank you Kathy for sharing your angel Isabelle with us.

Second, although no longer in the Army, I can not adequately thank our past and current soldiers that have fought for our country and those who gave their lives for our freedoms. Our country called and they answered...God Bless them all.

As for 9/11/01, I was working the night shift when a co-worker came in and said a plane had crashed into a building in New York. She didn't have details, and we both just figured it was a little private plane or something...just one of those crazy news bites you see of a plane sticking out of a roof somewhere. As I listened to the news on my way home, my heart sank. I walked in the house, and as if it were this morning, I can see my wife rocking our oldest son while sitting on the floor watching the news. It was so surreal, like there was no way this could really be happening...and then the first tower fell. The specifics for the rest of the day are blurry since I should have been sleeping, but I remember the feeling in our house as if it happened an hour ago.

Thank you Cheryl for starting this thread and everyone for listening.

Don

[Lyssa Sauer]

What I was doing on 9-11 I was sitting in a swather (tractor for ya city folk) listening to it and on the phone with my mom. I worked from 9 am moutain time to 9 pm so I didnt see the images till later that night. I do pray for those families and people who lost their lives that day. Lyssa

[Erica Stone]

I was on my way to work downtown for the state Treasurer's office. I must have turned off the morning news just before it happened.I took the bus, and when someone got on at the next stop they said a plane had hit the Trade Center. Thinking it was a commuter plane or something, I let it go. When I got to my building, someone on the elevator said another plane had hit. I knew it wasn't an accident then, and it certainly wasn't a commuter plane. When I got to work everyone had their radios on and was freaking out. Me especially, as the first thing I thought of was that my dad worked in Manhattan and I didn't know if he had gotten home yet.

I rushed to call my mom to see what she knew. My dad worked for ABC News and had left work. He was on his way home and stopped for gas where he noticed some guy taking pictures of a "fire" behind him towards the city. (The part of NY where I'm from you have to drive through NJ to get to NY.) He had the radio off and didn't think anything of it. Fortunately he was out of Manhattan before they closed the bridges and tunnels. I remember talking to him on the phone telling me that the towers were built to withstand a plane crash, blah blah blah... and then talking to my sister a short time later (she was watching CNN) and her screaming that the "building just fell". With my dad's words echoing in my head, I kept saying "you must mean the top of the building", and "above where the plane hit" and she kept yelling that "NO, the WHOLE BUILDING was gone. Didn't believe her until I got home and watched it for myself. Once that happened - and trust me when I say that I never need to see the footage of those people jumping EVER again - I panicked again for my friends that are NYFD. A very close friend who happened to have the day off lost 9 men in his company. Another girl I went to school with lost her father who was a Captain. A neighbor and another high school friend escaped the towers, running for their lives. I'm sure there are more people I lost touch with that had to run, too. Our town lost 5 fire fighters. My girlfriend watched everything from across the river in NJ. She said she could see the whole thing happen and it was the most disgusting thing she'd ever witnessed.

All I kept thinking for months afterwards was that I was glad that at least I didn't watch it unfold as it was happening. Sounds strange, but a few years earlier after my Grandmother died I got back from NY and couldn't near to go to work the next day because I was crying so much. I turned on the TV and watched the Columbine shooting coverage that day.

Kathy, I'm so sorry for you and your family. I think the details are what keep our memories close to us, no mater how small or random they may seem. Thinking of you...