When I got to my mom's house to pick up the older boys, she came out crying telling me about the attack. I watched in shock...as did most of the country...at the coverage of that day's sad, sad events. I grieved for the deaths of loved ones connected to the victims of that horrible morning.
We found out a couple of weeks later that a family we were friendly with had a son, the oldest child of their ten, that worked in the twin towers. When the first tower was hit, he made a quick phone call home and left a message saying, "Don't worry, I'm in the other tower!", before he became part of the mass exodus of people trying to get out of the building.
When his family got the message a while later, they were, understandably, devastated. With no further communication or way to reach him, they found solace in their faith. They drove to church to pray with the growing number of parishioners...not knowing whether their son was alive or dead.
Hours later, they received a phone call from their son. I can only imagine the reaction of joy and relief that overtook them. Their son had just exited the second tower when it was hit. He said that the sound was so loud that he was sure that he was going to die. So, he fell on his knees in the middle of the chaos and prayed an Act of Contrition, asking for mercy if this was his time to meet the Lord face to face.
That detail always amazes me. He was only around 20 at the time....and to have that type of focus in the extreme pandemonium that he was all around him just seems incredible.
Of all the pictures I saw this morning, this one touches me the most:
Hope in the midst of devastation!
My prayers are all those that lost a loved one that day....and that our country will be protected from having to experience such a tragedy ever again!
