My Reflections

September 11th Memories

PROMPT September 11th

What were you doing 20 years ago today? Of the events that transpired, what memory stays with you, almost haunts you?

Wow! I was 24 years old and working at Foley's at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. I was trying to work to maintain my own apartment with 2 roommates that drove me absolutely crazy. I ended up moving to a different apartment just a few weeks later.

Prior to 9/11/2001, that day had only been a friend’s birthday. It was nothing more than a normal September day. That changed that day.

I walked into work to start my shift and everyone was glued to the tv in the break room. When the second plane hit the second tower muffled gasps came from everyone around the room.everyone was in stunned silence for a moment. I finally asked, “Was that for real? What just happened?” It took a moment, but a lady near by finally answered my question.

Everyone slowly began to disperse because we had to get to our departments and be ready for the store to open. When the store did open, there were very few customers that day. Everyone was in shock and panic. No one knew if there would be more attacks. They were saying on the tv to avoid large gatherings and to stay away from malls. I have never seen a Mall so empty as I saw it that day. It was erie. Stores closed early. I think that is what will forever haunt me the most. Plus, being afraid there would be another attack, and more people die. Would our mall possibly be targeted? Thank God it wasn't.

Memories of the Oklahoma City bombing, in 1995, were still fresh on the minds of Oklahomans. We had an idea of how New Yorkers felt. Our hearts went out to them. For some, it even brought flashbacks.

After this day, 9/11 took on a whole new meaning. I had some personal tragedies occur on the anniversary of that day. It has been a day of sadness and reflection.

In 2010, my best friend’s mom was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She had just said during the summer that she would hate to die on that day with what happened 9/11 to overshadow it. Plus, she would have hated to take attention away from those victims. September 11, 2010, at 11:45 pm, she passed away.

Now her grandson, who she had adopted and was 11 at that time is haunted on this day. He always complained afterward that everyone at school was all about the world trade center, but he hurt because he missed his grandmother who was a true mother to him. He is 22 now. He has to work tomorrow at a fast food restaurant. I hope he is able to get through his day. (This is also my godson.)

Fast forward to 2017, September 11, was the day my mom went into a coma to never awake again. 😭 To my best friend and godson, it was almost like going through it with their mother again seeing how I was hurting. For me, it was that and then some. I just knew my heart was breaking again. I cry a little as I write this being filled with emotion regarding every tragedy.

The next few days are kind of hard for me. They bring back hard memories. September 16th, 2010 we laid my best friend’s mom to rest. September 16th, 2017, near midnight, my mom passed away. September 19th was my dad’s birthday which was awkward to celebrate right after my mom had passed. We buried her September 20, 2017. My dad died in late August 2 years later in 2019.

Yeah, September is kind of a rough month emotionally.