THE UNITED STATES WAS ATTACKED ON 9-11
WHERE WERE YOU?
Maybe you were not born when terrorists hit the World Trade Centers, The Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. For those of us who were alive, it will be a day to never forget. Now, all Americans must never forget. The thousands who perished will forever be remembered by their families. The bravery of so many who rushed into the towers to try to save as many as possible was remarkable. They, too, must never be forgotten! The rubble was searched continuously by men and women, as well as brave dogs to desperately look for a possible survivor. Now, even today, the research for any tiny DNA is being carefully studied and documented.
I'd like to share a personal story that happened to my husband, Bill, and me just before 9-11. It was our anniversary and we planned a trip to New York City to celebrate. Walking into one of the towers, we saw an elevator that had a sign reading that it was a speed elevator straight to the top of the tower! That was exciting, so we took it.
Because it was early in the morning, we were joined at the top with one other person. She was as excited about viewing the city from such heights as we were. In fact, she even took our picture. This was in June, just a few months before September 11.
On September 11th, I watched the TV, in shock, as each tower was hit by the planes. I thought to myself that certainly there were visitors standing on the tower roof, just as we had been. It was a terrible thought, but probably a realistic one.
Our story does not end here, for in the days after the terrorist brought down the towers, a friend of ours told us about some of the terrorists who had come to America to learn how to fly planes. He worked at the local airport in Venice, Florida as a flight instructor. It was not unusual for people from various parts of the world to take their flight courses in small planes at the airport. A group from Italy had chatted with us on the beach one evening and were grateful for their training.
Our friend said there was something different about two men who came from the Middle East. In fact, they were so strange that they didn't want to take the time to listen to his instruction on landing the planes. Why in the world would they not want to know how to get the plane safely on the ground? He asked his boss to get someone else to train them, which he did.
Another man, who had been extremely kind to the young men, who didn't have a place to stay while training, was told they could stay at his home with him and his wife until they could find a place to rent. He eventually had to throw them out because they insulted his wife, saying they did not think she dressed properly. As one knows, Florida is a hot state a good part of the year and she often wore shorts around her own home.
The men finished the small airplane training and left the area to be trained elsewhere to fly jets. The local airport personnel were never told by any government agency to be on the look out for possible terrorists. These men turned out to be some of the very ones who flew into the targeted locations that killed thousands of not only Americans, but people working there from many countries including their own.
A chilling thought is that most likely these men walked right by our home in Venice, Florida, which was within a few blocks of the airport.
The rescue efforts were attempted over and over. Many of those who worked within the rubble still suffer from medical issues all these years later. A great number have died as well. Even the furry rescuers, who worked with their handlers, gave it their heroic effort.
All these must not be forgotten.
PRESIDENT BUSH ADDRESSES THE NATION AFTER 9-11
FLY YOUR FLAG TODAY. TALK TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT WHY WE MUST NOT FORGET.
