Sharon's Entire Letter



Dear Wystful 1:

Thank you for giving us a venue for sharing our memories of that
fateful day in our immediate history. I'm sure it will be a blessing to
thousands.
Here is my account of that morning. I hope it won't be too long:

I live in Norfolk and work in Virginia Beach, VA. The Naval base is
just outside my front door, I can see the ships come and go when I drive
around the corner. The Naval Air Station is down the road from where I
work so we see and hear the fighter jets fly overhead daily.
At around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, I was working on a
hospital case and heard a news break on the radio,
"A second plane, believed to have been hijacked, has just crashed into
the other tower of the World Trade Center in New York..."I was
stunned! "Second? Other?" I told my co-worker and best friend of 20
years, Sandi. We were in complete disbelief. We ran downstairs to the
doctor's office where a T.V. aired the horrendous event. We shook and
hugged each other in shock! After about 10 minutes, we went outside to get
some air and collect ourselves when three Navy jets took off and flew over
us. She looked up and cried out,
"Don't you know what's just happened? Get your butts back here and on the
ground!". I, on the other hand, was yelling out, "Go get em, boys!".
We then turned and looked at each other and cried out, "Oh my God!", as
the realization hit us that "our own" men were in the Navy and on ships.
Hers was already overseas on a routine deployment. Mine was preparing to
relieve hers in just one week. I knew that he would no doubt, be called
out immediately if we were, in fact, at war! She and I began dialing up
the ship's numbers immediately so I could talk to Sean before he was
deployed to defend our country. As I dialed, I looked at his picture on
top of my computer, then my eyes scanned over to a picture of my son in his
Army dress uniform, doing a "can-can" with two of his best friends,
my "adopted sons", who were also in their dress uniforms of the Army and
the Air Force. Tears flowed freely as I realized that I might possibly
lose one or all of them soon. I was unable to get through to the ship, so
I hung up and dialed my son's number, if only to leave a message of love to
him on his voice mail.

Instead, his fiance' answered, totally unaware of the situation. I
explained, she was shocked, then she said she would come to get me and
bring me to their home so I could see Brad before he was called out.
In the meantime, Sandi got through to Sean's ship and I got on the
phone. I could hear the sirens going off in the background. He had only
just that minute heard of the incident, and began comforting me and
reassuring me that he would be calling me that night, as if nothing would
change. The reality of the situation for him had not yet sunk in.

I did go to be with my son, leaving Sandi at work in tears.
Brad works at the Naval shipyard and they had been evacuated and sent
home. His dad called him to wish him well and give him his love, his
friend who had opted to marry than to join the Marines called, another who
was in another Reserve unit called and told him to get prepared, they would
be going soon. Brad had not packed his bags yet, deciding that he would
wait for definite word of his unit's activation. I insisted that he get
prepared for immediate action, telling him that Sean may be sent out and he
has no uniforms or other clothes with him now, as he was waiting until
closer to time of his scheduled deployment to take them to the ship. My
son went immediately to his room and began packing. A couple of hours
later, Sandi burst into my son's living room, screaming,
you've got to get your butt home NOW. Sean called for you at work,
he's going to call you at home...he's pulling out at 6 o'clock and going to
New York! I kissed my son, wished him God's speed and raced to the car,
flying down the road to our home, thinking, "Sean doesn't have a thing to
wear! All he has is the uniform on his back!" And then praying, "God,
please get these people out of my way so I can get home before he calls!
Please, please, please!" A million other thoughts swirled around my head
before I got to my door. I walked in and the phone rang.
"Baby, I love you! I will always love you, no matter what happens.
Please remember that!". It was Sean telling me what the plans were as far
as he knew. I stood crying. I reassured him of my love for him and my
pledge to keep the homefires burning and that I would pray for his safe
return. We said goodbye. Silence filled our home. I lit all my candles
and prayed. I prayed for all the souls lost in the attacks and their
families. I thanked God for my courageous son who was anxious to get out
there and do something for his country and for his love and devotion to me
and his family.

I thanked God for Sean, this loving brave man, who did not run away
from his duty to our country, and took the time to reassure me of his
undying love in this most horrific of times in our life.

These two men in my life filled me with so much pride and love that
day.

They make me proud to be an American!
Sharon (last name is omitted)...aka..ShaZ


Back to homepage

Back to Sharon's

Next letter

Previous letter