where I was at 7:56am CST when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. I was on a bus, on my way to work, in downtown Chicago. I was listening to the radio when they broke into the current song with the news. I remember walking into my office, where it was business as usual...no one had heard the news. That changed after the second plane hit...people were glued to cnn.com, and msnbc.com watching the latest updates, me included.
I remember trying to reach my father, who also worked in the city...to only get voicemail.
I remember holding one woman who worked for me after she came into work, only to hear the news and break down in tears...her aunt and cousin worked on the 97th floors of the towers...they never did recover her cousin's remains.
I remember a woman who had an account with us, who worked for Fred Alger Management...her name I will never forget. Meredith Whalen. She was just 23. I never met her, only spoke to her on the phone once or twice about her account. But for some reason, her name stays with me. Maybe because she was so close in age to me.
I remember senior management sending everyone home, fearing that the Sears Tower could be a target as well. I was one of the last to leave...all the trains were packed with people, yet they were eerily silent. Everyone sat in stunned silence.
I remember getting home and being glued to the television, like so much of America.
I remember crying.
I remember being sad.
I remember being angry that terrorists could do this to my fellow Americans.
I remember everyone saying "We Will Never Forget".
6 years later, I'm still glued to msnbc.com, watching the memorial service.
6 years later, I'm still crying.
6 years later, I'm still sad.
6 years later, I'm still angry...but now I'm angry that others seem to have forgotten.
I am the only one wearing any semblance of red, white and blue in my office. My house was the only one I saw with the American Flag proudly displayed. Why have people seemed to have forgotten?
I Will Never Forget
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