I’ll never forget that day…or the major events of the weeks that followed in my life and our country.
I was working from home that day, had no TV or radio on, when I got an email from my mom to my work account telling what had happened.
I stepped into the living room, sat on the floor, and watched in enough time to see the second tower collapse.
I was still a full-time student as well at the time. Class that day was not officially dismissed, although my first professor admitted that there was no point in having class with everything that was going on…so he dismissed.
Some of my other classes still met that day. I was one of two drum majors for our marching band. We met that day not knowing if we would have a game that Saturday or not.
Lines to get gas were backed up, fearing more attacks. On my way home from marching, word that an explosion in Afghanistan made me question whether we had already launched an attack.
That Friday, they told us we would not have a ballgame on Saturday, so band dismissed. Early Saturday morning, we were told the game would go on. I had the chance to step down from my duties for that Saturday and rejoin my section in the band while the Director of Bands conducted for the day.
I’ll never forget that the actions of one day caused our Director to change his mind on the next set of songs, moving from a theme centered around Queen to a theme centered around our patriotism. I remember my fellow drum major and the percussion marching instructor writing an amazing version of the Star Spangled Banner for our band.
And I’ll never forget conducting “America The Beautiful” in front of thousands, being thankful that I had that opportunity.
I remember listening to the morning radio shows all that week and the next. People hurt, stressed, angry…and a radio show geared more towards humor (crass at times) turned into a venue for people to air their minds, similar to most talk radio shows.
No, I’ll never forget that day.
I’ll never forget that two weeks later my father-in-law was informed that his National Guard unit was being activated for deployment overseas…and my finance trying to inform me of this while I traveled with the band out-of-state.
I’ll never forget the decision to get married early, in fear that my bride’s father would not be home for the wedding just a couple of months later.
I’ll never forget the angst and fear in my wife’s eyes and voice, worried that her father may never be coming home; a reality of the task at hand.
I won’t forget flying the American flag outside of my house at the time…the first time in my lifetime I can remember U.S. flags being sold out at most of the major stores.
No, I’ll never forget…and I hope that proud Americans everywhere will never forget.