I wasn't in New York when it happened.
I didn't lose anyone in the terrorist attacks that brought down the Twin Towers in New York or the plane crash into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA, or United Flight 93 that crashed into a field near Shanksville, PA.
I wasn't directly affected by 9/11 but 10 years ago when I woke up and watched live coverage of the attacks and then watched in disbelief as the second plane crashed into the South Tower, my life was affected.
I refuse to put up a pic of the Twin Towers falling. I choose to remember the NY Skyline this way.
I was 26 years old and four months pregnant with Oz and I remember sobbing in the bathroom, apologizing to my unborn son for bringing him into such an awful world. I couldn't believe what was happening in the US and I felt awful for everyone who WAS affected by the attacks.
When I woke up Big Daddy and told him what was happening, he looked at me like I had said the moon had fallen out of the sky. He was sure I was misunderstanding what was happening on the news because there was no way it could be real.
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We watched what we could, glued to the TV while getting ready for work and when I eventually left, I searched every Edmonton radio station I could for updates on what was happening and the ONLY station I found that had continual coverage was K97.
Now if you're not an Edmontonian you probably don't realize the reputation K97 has... they're known for their inappropriate remarks, vulgar comments, objectification of women and edgy marketing campaigns. They're kind of the guy-version of MOM except they are radio and really popular :D
Listening to the somber voices of the usually goofy Terry Evans, Bill Cowan & Steve Zimmerman discuss the events and the impact of what was happening in the US, boggled my mind. I remember wondering why NO OTHER STATION felt it necessary to provide ongoing details of the attacks but these guys, these highly inappropriate DJs whom I had always rolled my eyes at, were serious and kept me informed.
I literally (and I mean just-now-as-I'm-writing-this-post-and-got-to-this-paragraph literally) was discussing my recollection of 9/11 with Terry via Twitter when he told me what was going on in the studio that day.
"I remember being so confused when the 2nd plane hit...that was Steve's 40th birthday. We had strippers outside studio door ready.
"There was whipped cream and cherries and all kinds of shit ready to go.
"Sudden left turn. Strippers went home."
See, it didn't matter what was happening in your life at that moment or if your personality wasn't warm and fuzzy. If you had an ounce of humanity or selflessness, 9/11 brought it out for the world to see.
You didn't have to be in New York to be affected by 9/11. It was like a tsunami effect; the tragic events in the States were felt by all of humanity, and the outpouring of compassion and empathy was reassuring that the entire world hadn't gone to shit.
For that one event, that one tragedy that will forever be ingrained in the memories of those who were alive to witness it, changed so many things for so many people.
However, life goes on; people have to move forward but that doesn't mean we forget what happened that day or where we were when it happened or how it affected us and to what degree.
Sept. 11 is and always will be one of those days that will mark a black day in the history of the world, one that no one can ignore or should ever forget.
I know I never will.
t.
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