Where were you on 9/11 has become my generations "Where were you when JFK was shot?". I will never forget that horrific day. I was attending a company training about one hour away from home. The company stopped the training and made an announcement about what was happening, then they told all the Dayton staff to return to Dayton, since we are only 20 minutes from Wright Patterson AFB. I remember driving home and listening to everything on the radio and feeling scared, angry, sick to my stomach and worried about my parents in the Washington DC area and my brother who is in the Army. Once back in Dayton I went to pick up my one year old from my neighbors house. The hug I got from MJ was the best hug I have ever received. As the day went on and air travel stopped I remember thinking how eerie it was to not hear or see planes in the sky above my house. As the day continued I kept trying to get a hold of my parents and brother. I finally reached my parents abut 7:30 that evening, what a huge relief. They were both fine and had already spoken with my brother.
Fast forward ten years to the 9/11 tenth anniversary. Most communities held celebrations to commemorate the anniversary. My children and I attended the 9/11 ceremony in Kettering, Ohio to honor those who lost their lives that fateful day. While my boys have heard about 9/11 they really do not know how much the world has changed because of it. Kettering's celebration opened with the presentation of colors by the Police and Fire Departments along with a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem by Eleventh Hour and ended with a one minute running of sirens, 21 gun salute, and playing of taps to honor those who lost their lives that day. Kettering's City Manager explained that the Stone Memorial was done by a New York artist. The location for its placement had to be painstakingly accurate. The stylus on the statue had to match up with Solar Noon on the Solar Calendar from 9/11/2001. On this day that time would be exactly 1:33:17 pm.
On September 11, 2001 nineteen men committed the worst attack on the US. Three Thousand men and women lost their lives while, going to work, rescue personnel trying to rescue those trapped in the twin Towers and a plane that saw instant heroes by stopping the hijackers from carrying out their attack on their intended target. On September 11th we must come together to honor, remember, and pay respects to those who lost their lives on that fateful day. We as parents need to talk with our children about the events on that day so they understand why and how this attack occurred and how it has changed our country for ever. My oldest was only one years old at the time of the attack, he will never remember what it was like that day or for the days, weeks and even months following the attack. I want my children to know that each and every 9/11 is a day to celebrate the survivors, remember the innocents lost and to know that hatred will not win.
