My 9/11 Memories

Just some thoughts on this 10-year anniversary of 9/11.

I got into the office early that day. Turned on the TV in the work area. Saw the breaking news of the first plane hitting the tower. I watched in horror as the second plane hit the second tower. I immediately called my girlfriend (now wife). I could't get through.

Fast forward, and the first building collapsed. I'm running up Beacon Street to go get my girlfriend so we could get home. I remember looking in the sky, expecting to see a plane heading towards the MA Statehouse or one of our sky-line buildings. I was scared, angry and confused. People were everywhere.

I finally connected with my girlfriend. She was distraught. Many people were. We were going to grab the train back home and someone said, don't. You know know if they are targeting the trains.

Someone my wife worked with drove us to my sister-in-laws house. It was the longest car ride I've ever taken. Traffic was backed up. It took us a couple of hours to get from Boston to Malden, which normally takes 15 minutes.

As we sat in my sister-in-laws living room, watching the news in horror, I remember my nephew, who was about 2 at that time, playing on the floor with his toys. He was smiling. Making noises. Just being a kid. I thought to myself, man, what I would do to trade what's going on in my mind with what's going on in his mind right this minute.

Most times, memories fade into pictures and moments. These moments I'll never forget.