Yes, I know right where I was. I remember who I talked to, who I called, what I did. At first, we thought it was a small plane, but the skies were so clear, how could a small plane have hit the towers? But, it didn’t take long for the speculation to end and the shocking truth to slam my psyche.
I remember my son calling me, begging me to come home because I worked in a government building in NJ. Any and all buildings were targets, so we thought. I called my brother in California, woke them up so they could reach out to my nephews who worked in San Fran and tell them not to go to work that day. I checked on friends who worked in the towers, in the City. I remember the chaos, then quickly the coordination. I remember America’s Mayor, Rudy Guiliani, and his strength through it all.
And, I remember sitting in my car on the hill in Denville NJ (Morris County), watching the smoke, where there had once been twin towers, still filling the horizon for weeks and weeks.
I do not know the pain of those who lost loved ones, but wept as I photographed Morris County NJ’s 9-1-1 Memorial when it was finished. The names. The lives. The loved ones. The responders. The heroes. I’ve sat in silence in that solemn place, weeping for the incredible loss.
It’s been seventeen years, but no, I will never forget. God Bless America, and have mercy on every soul affected that day.