My 9/11 remembered
My 9/11
On September 11th 2001, I was working in a VA Hospital doing tread-mill testing with isotopes as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. The TV was always on in the patient waiting room. I came in to get the next patient and those waiting called my attention to the screen. The first plane had hit. We all thought it was a terrible accident. When I went back a few minutes later for another patient, I took a moment and was watching as the second plane hit. There were sounds of shock and surprise, then some old vet said, “Well we’re at war with someone!”
As the day progressed and the scope of the attack became clear (WTC, Pentagon and “Let’s Roll!” in Pennsylvania) there was a rising anger and frustrated desire to take action on the part of patients I worked with.
I will never forget the quiet tears of a veteran who had been a Ranger at Omaha Beach on D-Day. He remembered himself as an elite warrior of age 20, and just wished he could rise from his wheelchair to be that man again . . . knowing that he could not.
I will never forget 9/11.
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