Lest I Forget: My 9/11 Reflection By: Joy Seymour, MSN, RN, PHN

Although 20 years has past, the reality of that fateful day, September 11, 2001, will be forever etched in my memory. My day started out like any other day with an early rising at about 5:00 AM. I said goodbye to my husband as he left for work, welcomed the children into my daycare, and waved goodbye to my daughter as she boarded the school bus for her almost hour-long ride to school. 

 At about 9:00 AM CST, I took the daycare children outside to play in the backyard, and as usual I took my first aid kit and my cordless phone, that was connected to my landline. The children were having a great time sliding on the slide that was attached to the activity gym and riding bikes on the driveway in the fenced backyard. 

 At about 9:15 AM the phone rang, and my husband was on the other side of the line. He sounded frantic and my heart started to beat fast, and I had to silently talked myself into calming down, so that I could find out the reason for the call. 

 I asked, "Are you okay?" 

 He replied, "Have you seen the news recently?" 

 "No, I have not seen the news. 

What happened?" 

 "An airplane crashed into one of the twin towers in New York." 

 "Oh my gosh, I cannot believe what you are saying, and I won't be able to watch the news until this evening." 

 "Okay, I just called to tell you this and I must go back to work now."

 "Thank you for calling me, see you later." 

 The news was shocking, and I could not believe that the news would be more devastating. As the children were being picked up by their parents, I got bits and pieces of that horrendous day. When I was able to sit down and watch the evening news, I could not believe that not only one airplane but two airplanes had crashed into the twin towers: One airplane into each tower. I saw desperate people jumped out of windows from the high-rise towers to their deaths, I saw thick cloud of black smoke and dust and firefighters running into a falling tower, and then I saw mangled steels among the mountain of concrete and other debris in the places were the majestic twin towers stood. 

 We loss some of the best citizens and residents of the United States on that fateful day. However, despite the trauma of that day, Americans were united in helping those who were impacted by that horrendous act. In the days and months after that vicious attack, we witnessed the best of humanity in this country. 

 The vicious attack did not only change the landscape of New York City, but changed the lives of all Americans, especially those who were directly impacted by that cruel act. 

 Today, as I reflect on that horrendous day, I salute the many heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice of dying while trying to save others and others who lost their lives in the twin towers, on United Flight 93, and at the Pentagon. I also salute the rescuers and others who served humanity with acts of kindness during that period. 

 May we never forget the people who lost their lives that day and and the families that they left behind. May we never witness this type of horrendous act on American soil again or anywhere in the world. May God bless this great country, the USA.