Take a second - 10 years ago

Funny how much life has been altered by the events of 10 years ago. This morning at my sons sort outs, I actually stopped and rememberd at 8:46 where I was and what I was doing. 10 years ago I was in the car, driving like mad to get to the airport to fly to New York then to San Jose for a weeks worth of meetings. My wife called me at 9:00 when I was stuck in traffic at the Hunt Club bridge worried I'd miss my plane to tell me to not get on my flight, begging me to stay home. Luckily my work at the time was at Auriga drive so I stopped in to see what was up. The TV in the cafeteria was on and I walked through the doors in time to see the 1st tower fall.

I can't explain how I felt, but most of you already know that same feeling as you experienced it too.

10 years later I was watching 40 kids skate around the ice doing drills, and at 8:46 wondered if they knew. My son has asked about the events of that day. My father and Sister have been involved to degrees over the years. One in the military one in Customs/Immigration they both have seen and felt the effects (much like us all) of the events of that day.

Imagine the Hanson family Mother, Father and 2 year old daughter on the plane to San Francisco which crashed into the 1st tower. They were together but how horrible it must have been when they realized what the eventual outcome would be.

This is our generations Pearl Harbor. I doubt the press or anyone involved will ever let us forget. I only know each year on this day I remember how weird the feeling was for me when I realized that I was to fly out that day and wonder what if.

I was in boarding school here in Ottawa, in OAC; my parents were posted in Washington, DC at the time. That day was meant to be the annual Ice Breaker picnic, sort of a huge school-wide picnic where there are games, bbq, and festivities for everyone to catch up, and meet the new students. Really a great tradition.

I was in my class Le Monde Contemporain, (World Issues in French), when the neighbouring teacher ran in, and told our entire class to enter into her classroom. I remember watching the tower burning. I don't remember how much time passed, but I remember the feeling in my heart, and in my stomach. I remember when the 2nd plane crashed into the other tower. I remember just standing there, focused on the television.

I don't remember how much time was passing, but I remember then the report turning to DC, when the plane hit the pentagon, and the staunch realisation that this was not over. My teacher then grabbed me, lead me to his office, and told me to call my parents to make sure they were ok. My father was the Canadian Ambassador to the US at the time, which meant there was a possibility he could be anywhere in the city: The Capitol, White House, Embassy (felt this was the safest), Capitol... not likely, but possibly, the Pentagon. And when something is possible, in a time like that, you think the worst.

So I called home, but couldn't get through. Called cell phones, but they were all down. Kept trying, and trying, but never got through to anyone.

Not only did my parents live there, but so did my uncles, aunts, cousins and grandmother. One works for an International organisation, but my mind wasn't really on him.

The Headmaster called all the boarding students with parents in NYC and DC, and let us know that we could use there phones to keep trying. I don't remember much of that meeting. One of my friend was in there with me, his father was in the Navy, and posted to DC as well. We were the oldest, and I think the only two guys, and tried to put on a brave face for the others. But I do remember my heart pounding, and stomach just feeling empty, but really heavy.

Next thing I remember, we were on the bus heading for the picnic, and I'm on my cell phone continuously trying to get through. Eventually I get through to my mother, and she says she's Ok, that my Dad is fine too, that everything will be OK and that she loves me. We then got cut off. I try her again, but the phone is busy. I don't reach her again until later that day.

My parents were fine. My father was at his office when the first plane hit, and stayed there. Turns out my friend's dad who is in the navy, was actually inside the Pentagon at the time. He wasn't on the side that got hit, and was thankfully ok.

PS: I was on the verge of tears writing this.

crazy story 22. its so tough to fathom what the passengers went through. heartbreaking.

mine was ordinary but i was in high school and we heard rumblings that a plane or rocket hit the world trade center and pentagon. at that point i didnt even know what the wtc was, so my focus was more on pentagon. then the principal went over the intercom to inform what had happened. but even after it didnt occur to me how serious this "attack" was until i got home and saw the coverage and videos. never been so horrified in my life. really felt a world war was about to take place. the next day it was all about who this bin laden guy was....

i want to mention that i visited nyc 3 weeks after the incident. needless to say i have never seen more patriotism in my life, but we did pass ground zero on our boat cruise...the mood was pin drop silent as we passed by. we could see the debris...the very same from the television. i didnt sleep that night and was just thankful that everyone i loved was okay. my uncle was on a work related trip to nyc on sept 11 and was a couple of blocks away from the towers.