I don't know why I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I remember the maternity shirt and capris I was wearing that day.

I remember my friend came into my classroom to tell me that she would watch my students...for me to call my husband.

I remember walking down to the office, people giving me a sympathetic and worried look, and me not knowing why.

I remember calling his office, and first getting voicemail. Calling back and getting a busy signal.

I remember overhearing a school aide saying the second tower was hit.

I remember my principal coming out and bringing me water.

I remember hearing, for the first time, what had happened.

I remember my brother and mother coming to my school, to pick me up, and bringing me to my Grandparents' house.

I remember what my beloved and DEARLY MISSED grandfather said to me. Still in the early stages of Alzheimer's...he told me "Baby doll, this is the starts of a war." He was a WWII vet...he knew.

I remember my MIL calling me, to tell me the second tower fell. The tower where my husband worked on the 69th floor as an accountant. The tower that held my life. The father of my unborn child. The man that was my everything from the day I met him in 1992. My husband of 4 years (at that time). That tower held my heart.

I remember getting back in my brother's car, to go to my parents' house. I thought that IF Russ was alive, he wouldn't be able to find me (my cell was dead), but he would call my mother's house. This was my logic, and the only thing keeping me sane.

I remember going to my mother's house in Glendale, Queens. The house I grew up in. On the block where everyone knew me from when I was a baby. The block where everyone knew that my husband was missing.

I remember people on their stoops, running over to me when I got out of my brother's car, running to see if I had heard from Russ. Maybe it would give them hope for their loved ones as well. I had to report, that I hadn't heard from my husband, since we said goodbye that morning.

I remember walking up the block to my childhood friend's house with my mom. He was a Police Officer. I thought he could help me, but I wasn't sure how.

Then I remember...my brother shouting up the block that Russ was on the phone.

He called.

He said he was ok.

He said to meet us at the Jamaica Court houses.

He said he borrowed someone's phone.

He said, he couldn't talk, but was coming home.

I remember jumping in my brother's car again.

I remember him driving. I remember going deaf. I remember that life moved in slow motion. It felt like a movie.

I remember pulling up the block of the Court houses.

I remember seeing my husband....

He was covered head to foot in ashes.

I could only see his eyes and a small speck of black on his shoes.

I remember jumping out of the car, while it was still moving, grabbing my husband, and collapsing to the ground in sobs on a street in Jamaica.

I remember the locals applauding us, knowing what they had just witnessed.

I remember turning to look at my little brother, who was 19 years old, gripped onto his steering wheel...sobbing for the brother-in-law he though he had lost.

I remember the drive back to my mother's house. We all just cried...no words were spoken. Just cries and "I love you's".

I remember pulling up to my mother's house, neighbors out cheering, my mother running down her long driveway, to embrace the son-in-law she considers her own.

I remember my husband saying he couldn't talk. Didn't want to talk. Just wanted to cry.

I remember not feeling my baby kick all day.

I remember calling my doctor. I wanted a sonogram. I wanted to know if God had granted me 2 miracles that day.

I remember going to the doctor, him seeing my husband covered in soot. I remember my doctor crying, and saying that he will never, ever forget my husband for as long as he lives.

I remember seeing Nicholas' heartbeat on the monitor. I remember feeling that I must be the luckiest woman in the world.

I remember getting home from the doctor and seeing 37 messages on our machine.

All frantic. All wanting to know if I had heard from Russ.

I remember calling 2 people, and telling them to make a phone chain, to relay the news that we had been blessed.

I remember holding my husband in bed that night, sobbing.

I remember his chilling story, every detail...and will until the day I die.

I don't know why I wrote this.

I don't know if anyone will read it.

All I know is that my life as I knew it ended on 9/11/01...and my new life began.

I threw that maternity outfit away that night.

I will never forget.

Message edited 9/13/2010 12:38:38 PM.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

i have no words for what you just wrote only tears.

God bless you and your family

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I"m sitting at work in tears after reading your post.

You had an angel looking over you that day

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

omg, I cannot even begin to imagine what this day means for you

I am so thrilled that your DH made it out okay

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Wow. What a story. I am sitting here in tears.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

WOW! thats all I can say.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I just cried. That was beautiful.

Thank you

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

val that was powerful. I was just hysterical crying. Thank god he made it out alive. thank god.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Val I am crying hysterical!!! Thank God you had angels looking over you that day!!!!! What an amazing story

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Wow, That was an amazing story!
You have touched my heart

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Okay, that really made me cry. I'm so glad your husband and son were okay that day, a day none of us will ever forget

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

What a touching story. Thank you for posting!!
God bless your husband and your family!!

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

Thank you for sharing.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I am sitting at work w/ tears streaming down my face after reading your amazing story.

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I'm sitting at my desk with tears running down my face.....

Many hugs to you and your family today!

Re: I don't know whay I wrote this. This is my reflection on 9/11...The day I thought my DH was gone...Long...Very long.

I'm sitting her crying at my computer. What an amazing story. Bless you, and your husband and family