Joyce Parrone’s 9/11 Memory

I was at Lutheran School of Nursing and happened to walk by a TV in the formal lounge of our school and saw the first plane crash into the first tower.  I was shocked and could not understand how the pilot could be so off flight pattern.   I called my husband as he is originally from New York and told him to turn on the TV.  A short time later I watched in horror as the second plane flew right into the second tower and then I knew it was not an accident.  Classes stood still as we watched the towers collapse and then heard the news about the Pentagon.  We knew that the United States was under attack.  My husband and I had just been at the complex of the twin towers about six months before this happened.  We had a friend’s son who was in the maintenance department of the towers and we did not know where he was for over 8 hours.  It was a very difficult day.  We returned to New York to visit family in October and as we came into New York it was very sad and erie to see that whole section of the city black.  Reading all the stories of families whose loved ones died that day was very sobering and heartbreaking.  Our cousin lives on Long Island and he said they attended many funerals and memorials for firemen and policemen who gave their lives to save others.  I believe many more would have died that day without the actions of these brave men and women.  May we never forget them and their heroic deeds so that others could live on.

Joyce  A. Parrone, MSN, RN