On a fateful morning in September 2001, I was a busy plumber, preparing to start a new project in a small ranch house near the Foxboro line in Sharon. The homeowners, a couple who had reconnected after decades apart, were eager to create a comfortable space for their blended family. As I waited at a packed parts counter, a sudden commotion erupted when a plumber burst in, shouting that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. We were all in disbelief, assuming it was a terrible accident. But when another plumber rushed in 15 minutes later, announcing that a second plane had hit the South Tower, our collective denial turned to shock and horror. The United States was under attack.
I hastily gathered my materials and drove to the job site, my mind racing with the news. When I arrived, I knew I couldn’t focus on work. The husband, a retired Navy veteran, was home alone, and we sat together in stunned silence, glued to the TV as the tragedy unfolded. We shared stories, and he spoke of his time in the service. As the morning wore on, I received a call from my wife, telling me that our kids were being dismissed from school early. I headed home, eager to be with my family during this dark moment.
The memory of that day is etched in my mind, much like the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which I had witnessed as a child. The sense of security we once felt as Americans was shattered, leaving us feeling vulnerable and uncertain. In the days that followed, I attached small American flags to my work truck and my wife’s minivan, symbols of our national pride and resilience. They eventually faded away, but the impact of 9/11 remains.
Years later, when my son underwent a kidney transplant, I was reminded of the devastating loss suffered by our doctor, who had lost his 42-year-old son in the attacks. The tragedy had reached into our lives, a painful reminder of the human cost of that fateful day. As we reflect on the anniversary of 9/11, we must never forget the lives lost, the families torn apart, and the sense of security that was forever altered.
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