Taken out of kindergarten by worried mom

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- We all know the story of 9/11. It’s one of those few moments in our lives that we will remember as a “where I was" moment.

Courtesy photo / "Home of the Brave" portrait

The images will be etched in our minds forever; the faces, the tears, the confusion. We always will wonder why.

I was in kindergarten when 9/11 happened. I remember having a good day and for some reason, my mom came and checked me out of school. I was so mad at her because we hadn’t even had recess yet.

I was in kindergarten when 9/11 happened. I remember having a good day and for some reason, my mom came and checked me out of school. I was so mad at her because we hadn’t even had recess yet.

I remember she was tearing up and just happy to see me. Looking back, I was so naïve. I didn’t know exactly what was going on or why. I didn’t know what a terrorist was or even what the Twin Towers were. But what I couldn’t understand most of all, was what those people, those children and adults had done to deserve an attack.

At first, none of us assumed it was an intentional attack, but once the second tower was hit, I was just in a state of confusion. I understand now who attacked us and why they thought it was just, but looking at the pictures of those who were lost and the families they left behind, I won’t truly be able to understand who could do a thing like that.

We know the motivation behind it, reasonable or not; but children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends; precious lives taken, and for what? So many of us lost something that day. But as a nation, we gained something we rarely see anymore.

It may sound morbid or odd but, confession time: I like the aftermath of a bad storm. I obviously don’t like the destruction or loss, but it’s so much more than that. When Hurricane Charlie hit and the other two followed in 2005, the loss was great. But after the storm cleared, there was a feeling of togetherness.

After all of the years I had lived on my street, I had never even met some of my neighbors. But when our street was blocked full of debris or even when it flooded, everybody helped everybody. The storm wasn’t terrible and the worst damage we had was a shed from my neighbor’s yard wind up three streets down; but that’s not the point.

What I am trying to say is no matter whom you were or what you did in life, you were out on the street clearing it off, helping the elderly and offering a caring heart to strangers. The point of this example was although I was not in New York City during the aftermath of 9/11, I think it was a lot like after the hurricane down here. The people you’ve never known even though you’ve lived so close to them are coming out and giving everything they can to help each other.

And it’s not just the Twin Towers. Those lost at the Pentagon and the people I think of as the ultimate heroes on Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, Pa., also deserve to be remembered. 343 emergency workers were lost during their attempts to save those in the Twin Towers.

And it’s not just the Twin Towers. Those lost at the Pentagon and the people I think of as the ultimate heroes on Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, Pa., also deserve to be remembered. 343 emergency workers were lost during their attempts to save those in the Twin Towers.

At least 200 people jumped or fell from the towers to their deaths; innocent people. No one could justify these deaths as morally acceptable. No one can replace the father who the son never had a chance to play ball with and no one can step into a mother’s role.

Nobody can look the 3,051 children who lost a parent in the eyes and say that the attack proved a point and that anything was gained from it. It’s estimated that 20% of Americans had someone they knew get injured or killed in the attacks, but for the 1,717 people whose family member was never recovered, closure may never be found.

“Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.” This quote was said by former president George W. Bush: "No amount justice will bring back the sparks of life lost. No amount of justice can explain to a child why they never met their father and why he intentionally wrecked a plane into a field." 


There was one American not on Earth during the 9/11 attacks: Frank Culberston. He was in space aboard the International Space Center and although he came back to a country suffering so much loss, I think he also had to have seen the growth the American family endured.

They may have taken lives, but they didn’t take the American spirit; they gave it more hope to grow. I could give you statistics and I could give you numbers, but I could never explain to you how precious each life lost was. May they rest in peace. May they never be forgotten. Let them be honored.

They may have taken lives, but they didn’t take the American spirit; they gave it more hope to grow. I could give you statistics and I could give you numbers, but I could never explain to you how precious each life lost was. May they rest in peace. May they never be forgotten. Let them be honored.