9/11 Remembered | Mari Schwanke

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- September 11, 2001 ... I remember everything like it was yesterday. I used to work at the office in midtown New York City. On that day, I was about to take PATH train to the World Trade Center, but for some reason, I felt weird and didn't get on the train. Instead, I took a different route to my office. I got to the office and my coworker announced that there is a smoke coming from one of the World Trade Center buildings. I called my mom who lived across the river from the WTC and I asked her if there was a fire at the building. She turned on the television and told me there was a plane that crashed into the building. I announced to the people at my office about the accident and my boss turned on the television. We thought it was a little plane that accidentally crashed, but a few minutes later, we learned it was a passenger jet. After that, we heard that there was a second plane that crashed into the other WTC building. I just couldn't believe what was happening as two beautiful buildings collapsed one by one. Midtown Manhattan, which is normally very crowded, was completely empty and eerie. I never felt so scared in my entire life.

After those heinous terrorist attacks, my appreciation for our military members grew stronger. Later on that year, I was fortunate and lucky to have met my future husband who is an active-duty Air Force member. He is my hero. After 10 years, and although I no longer live and work in New York City, I still think about it often. I want people to remember what happened on that day, and to never forget about those people who lost their lives in that attack.

Editor's Note: Would you like to tell your Sept. 11 story? E-mail it to 28bw.pa@ellsworth.af.mil.