Skywards by aussiegall / Louise Docker, via Flickr.
Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On my way to work in Manhattan on Friday, I listened to a radio program about the lives of some of those who were involved one way or another in the tragedy of that day.
I heard the shaky voice of a Boston airport ticket agent who had assisted one of the hijackers to get on one of the flights that struck the World Trade Center. He’s met some of the victims’ family members and say that he still feels tremendous guilt and suffers from bouts of depression, especially on anniversary dates. He now works for Homeland Security.
I was surprised at how readily my tears started to well up, even after 15 years. I know families who lost loved ones in the New York attack; I know nurses who were at the Pentagon on the day a plane flew into it—even years later, they still look up with a bit of trepidation when they hear low-flying planes. I know I do.
So while we hadn’t planned to “officially” mark the anniversary, it just seems natural that we do and acknowledge that the direction of many lives changed forever that day. Here a blog post with links to several related AJN articles:
“Remembering 9/11: Nurses Were There”
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