forever in our hearts
Ashley Healy
Everyone has a story they can recall immediately. On September 11th, 2001, at 8:46 in the morning, I was at my desk in my top floor room of my sorority chapter house, on my computer wishing my old friend Felicity a happy birthday. I had the TV on, but not the news, and a friend's mom IM'd me to tune in - one of the Twin Towers had been hit.
The hours that came after are a tearful blur. At Syracuse, a great population of the student body is from New York, New Jersey, and it was only a matter of time before friends and classmates starting learning of the devastating news of their parents, uncles, family friends. It was horrific.
I went to class, as they instructed, and somewhat insisted that we do. But halfway in, when a classmate got a phone call that her father had been on the plane, I left.
I went to the supermarket. I filled my jeep with bottles of water, and I drove as far as they would let me towards Manhattan, eventually delivering the water to a firehouse of fighters who were about to make the trip down. I don't even remember what fire house. And I pray that all those that went, made it home safely that day, that week, those months.
There's not a day that goes by that I take for granted that I live in NYC. And also not a day that goes by when I don't think of what this city went through 14 years ago. There are plaques at every fire house of those souls lost. There are patches pinned in every pub from fire and police brigades that came to help from out of state. Photo memorials of friends, sons, daughters next to cash registers in diners. We have rebuilt, but we're still sore, bruised and emotional. And the truth is, is could have been any one of us. And we miss and pray for those that we lost. Because they are us. We are them.
There are stories of people who missed their trains. Forgot their laptops. Had the day off. I cannot imagine.
I now work on the 25th floor of an iconic building near Times Square: The Time and Life Building. I sometimes catch myself flinching when I see a low plane, or cringing when I hear sirens. I'm not a nervous person, but the truth is, I'm 34 years old and I've chosen to live and work in city that is a target. I'm older than a lot of the firefighters who lost their lives, and business people who perished at the World Trade Center. It is a constant reminder to me to do good, be kind, work hard, and make it a great day.
I pray for the families and friends of all those lost. And remember the bravery, courage and humanity shown that day, and in the days that followed. You are forever in our hearts. And that is how you will continue to live and inspire us.
