I vividly remember the morning of 9-11-2001 as though it were yesterday.

I had just secured a great new job in downtown Phoenix working for Asarco, (a copper-mining company in their corporate offices) a few days before.  It was mandatory that I had to take a drug test.  Also, it had been a while since I had worked out in the corporate world and I was excited because I had gotten a little extra help with money so I could get some new needed clothes for the job.  I got up that morning planning to get the testing done and then go shopping.

There is a 3 hour time difference between New York and Phoenix, AZ, so I arrived early at the clinic so I could get finished quicker. When I got there around 5:50am as I walked into the clinic I saw everyone's faces glued to the TV.  I got checked in and sat down and started to watch it myself.  The first tower had already been hit.  Smoke was billowing out of the windows!  I was in shock and started asking what was going on.  A few responded and said that an airplane had just hit the tower.  They weren't sure if it was an accident or if it was intended.

I was dumbfounded and couldn't believe what was happening right before my eyes. There were several people in the clinic, so I kept hoping I wouldn't have to go in right away - I just wanted to watch what was happening on TV.  At 6:02 am, I saw the second plane hit the South Tower. They called my name after that so I had to go in to get the tests run.  As soon as I was finished, I was back in the waiting room watching the TV for a few minutes longer.  While I was there, the South Tower collapsed at 6:59 am.  There was a huge cloud of dust and debris that filled the streets.

At first, I thought that the North tower was going to be okay because it was still standing.  I left to go get something to eat because I had to go shopping whether I wanted to or not because I was starting my new job the next day.  Again, at the restaurant (can't remember which fast food place it was) had a TV going.  The North Tower collapsed at 7:28 am Phoenix, Arizona time. I again saw the big cloud of smoke filling the streets.

Within around 1 hour and 45 minutes -- both north and south towers had been hit -- both had collapsed -- as well as the Pentagon being hit -- and a plane going down near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

My head was swimming, I didn't know if it was safe to go to the stores or not - I remember listening to the radio and they talked about the possibility of large cities being hit.

I decided I had to go get the shopping done anyway.  I was there for a couple of hours.  Everyone coming and going were talking about what was happening.  The stores got news that the mall was closing down early at noon.  They weren't sure if anything was going to happen either.  I made my purchases and then went home and sat glued in front of the TV seeing what was going on the rest of the day.

I remember I was so proud to be an American.  I remember how much everyone came together.  Everyone was united in the efforts to make sure the world knew that we would come out of this okay, that America was strong and determined to do whatever it took to right this wrong that had been done to us.

Yes, it was a sobering thought knowing how many lives had been lost.  How many children had lost parents, how many parents had lost children, how many friends had been taken. It made us all stop and think about our lives and the directions we each are headed.  I resolved I didn't want to just exist.  I wanted to make a difference in the lives of my children and grandchildren and friends and other family members.  To help in doing whatever I can to help them learn and grow and progress while hopefully I am the one through them that is learning and growing and progressing.   After 10 years, I can say that this is true - my children and grandchildren and other family and friends are great examples to me.

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Story from a friend:

I had some other friends - Judy and Gary Clawson that lived back in DC and called them to make sure everything was okay. They told me an interesting story. 

Gary had applied for a position at the Pentagon.  The interview went well, everything seemed all in order and that he should get the job.  He had prayed about the job and felt like he was really going to get it and it was the answer to his prayers.  Well, it ended up he didn't get the job and he was baffled when he was so sure he was going to get it. 

Sometimes we don't understand why things don't seem to go our way.  Sometimes we think we know more than Heavenly Father when to us they are so obvious.  Well, this ended up a blessing rather than a failure. It just so happens that had he taken that position, his office would have been in the area where the plane hit the Pentagon.  Needless to say, he doesn't question anymore but understands it will all turn out the way it is supposed to if we are honestly striving to do Heavenly Father's will for us.

TIMELINE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS - New York Time Zone

8:46 am--Flight 11--American Airlines impacts the north side of the North Tower (World Trade Center) between the 94th and 98th floors.  It was flying at a speed of 490 MPH.

9:02 am--Flight 175--United Airlines impacts the south side of the South Tower of the WTC between the 78th and 84th floors at a speed of over 500 MPH.  Parts of the plane including an engine leave the building from its' north side, to be found on the ground up to six blocks away.

9:37 am--Flight 77--American Airlines is lost from radar screens and impacts the western side of the Pentagon.  The section of the Pentagon hit consists mainly of newly renovated, unoccupied offices.

9:59 am--COLLAPSE--The South Tower of the World Trade Center suddenly collapsed plummeting into the streets below.  A massive cloud of dust and debris quickly fills lower Manhattan.

10:06 am--Flight 93--United Airlines crashes near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in Somerset County, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburg.  This is also 124 miles or 15 minutes away at 500 MPH from Washington D.C.

10:28 am--COLLAPSE--The NorthTower of the World Trade Center Collapses.  The fact that the northern tower withstood much longer than the southern on is later attributed to three facts:  the region of impact was higher, the speed of the airplane was lower, and the affected floors had their fire-proofing upgraded.

10:50 am--COLLAPSE--Five stories of the Pentagon collapse due to the fire.

(These times may vary 2 or 3 minutes depending on the reference point used from the news broadcasters.)