In Memory Of September 11th, 2001

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In the early morning hours of September 11th, 2001 I drove east on I30 outside of Dallas, Tx. My partner and I were finishing a 14 hour marathon shift and we steered our ambulance towards the north to call it a night. In the distance, heavy fog weighed upon the city causing the normal well lit skyline to blur. At the center of downtown is a tall building, one of the tallest in downtown Dallas. As we rounded on the freeway coming in closer to downtown, an eerie site took us both by surprise.

The building was on fire. Or so we thought. The red beacon on it’s roof lit an eerie glow through the fog and gave a cast of flames and smoke. We looked at each other and laughed for a moment both accepting the fact that for a second we thought there really was trouble. Relieved we talked briefly about what someone would do in a situation like that. At the time, I was a certified firefighter in the state of Texas so the discussion was one I found intriguing.

We finished our shift and I headed home while Roderick crashed on a couch at the central command center…too far a drive for him to make to his family after such a hellish evening.

I was waken by my wife shortly after 8 AM. A friend had called her to turn on the TV. A few moments later my pager went off and I was immediately put on call for the next 72 hours. My first thoughts, that building really was on fire. As I made my way in the living room, my heart stopped when the gravity of what was happening around this country woke me from any dangling webs of sleep that had remained.

We all have stories and memories of what we were doing that morning. Where we were at, who we were with and of course the emotion of what we were experiencing. Hate, anger, confusion, desperation, pity, remorse…and yes…love.

Today, we remember those who did not survive those brutal attacks on our country. We will reflect back on a time that was much different than it is today. It has been ten years since the attacks on September 11th occurred and in many respects this nation is still trying to heal. Evidenced a short few months ago when the mastermind behind these attacks was finally brought to justice.

While it is always easy to honor the fallen we often forget that the real victims are not those that perished. The real victims are those that were left behind. The co-workers, the friends, the sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and so on. The children who are now 10 years older and have endured life without one or in some cases both of their parents. So please make sure that as you reflect today, pray for those left behind as well.

In honor of September 11th, this site will not publish any articles today from now until 5:00 PM. No breaking news about football or the NFL, no game day previews about the game on Monday. This is our moment of silence. An opportunity for us to thank those around us who serve to protect us, our nation and our freedom.

…and remember those who’s lives have been lost by it’s quest.

Please join us as we remember the millions of lives who have been affected by this tragedy.