9/11 – Pausing to Reflect and Remember (My Account)

The comment I’ve heard several times today, I can’t believe it has been 12 years. Yes, it is hard to believe as memories remain so fresh.

It was 12 years ago and I was working morning radio in Columbus, Mississippi. The layout of our studios had multiple stations in a horseshoe pattern facing a centralized news room. On this particular morning, I looked over to the news room and became aggravated. What I saw was some type of Bruce Willis action flick. Who changed the channel to a movie?! We always keep it on a news or weather channel, so we don't miss anything. You never know what could happen at any moment. I come to find out, it was on a news channel and a real plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. I thought what a horrible accident as I reported it on the air. Then, there was a second plane to crash into the World Trade Center. Chills immediately raced through my body, as they are right now as I remember the moment. Our country, our freedom, was under attack.

Lives were lost and heroes were born. Remember 9/11.

I came across this photo which shows a contrast of now and then. A person holding a photo of a smoking World Trade Center before its collapse, while standing at the same corner where resilience is shown with the rebuilding.