Sunday, September 11, 2022, was a day of mixed emotions and remembrance. For any of us that do remember that fateful day, twenty-one years later we still feel the sad emotions. I believe that 9/11 was our Pearl Harbor, which our parents and grandparents remembered. One more tragedy to add to our history.
That day in New York and Florida (where I lived at the time) was beautiful, blue skies, no clouds, and a bit cooler. My job at a brand-new Catholic school was just getting started for the year. The announcement came, and around 10:30 a.m., the second tower fell. Besides New York having a terrorist attack, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA was part of this terrible event. Let’s just say it was hard to believe.
Some of our teachers and students were part of the military, and at the base in Tampa. They knew that most likely their husbands and dads would be going overseas to fight the war on terrorism. One of the mom’s even collected books for the soldiers fighting. They liked to read when they had a day off. Our school was certainly patriotic.
There was a retired Lieutenant Colonel that worked part time as our tech person at the school. I remember how scared I was to think that I had to drive from Riverview to Lakeland, FL on I-4. (At the time, I hadn’t learned my way on the back roads.) Our tech person was a former jet fighter pilot. He reassured me that I would be fine, as jets would be released to patrol the country.
As the years have passed, I still remember where I was and what I was doing that day. There have been movies and documentaries made. Even though we know what these portray, we watch them. This year, twenty-one years later, is no different.
Sunday evening (September 11, 2022), there was a very moving documentary presented by National Geographic. It was called, “Where is Carmen Rivera ?”). I watched in awe and sadness thinking at the time what a beautiful but sad story. The documentary was the story of the Rivera’s journey from when the towers fell and they lost Carmen until she was a laid to rest.
Carmen Rivera was married and lived in New York City. She was 33, had a beautiful family, and a very devoted husband. As any other day, she kissed her husband goodbye twice, and Carmen went to work at the World Trade Center. The family later found out she had been helping people get out of the building. Carmen never made it out. Her husband, and family, were devastated. He refused to believe that she was really gone.
Carmen’s husband printed 3000 flyers and posted them all over New York City. He checked all the hospitals. Refusing to give up, he would go out every night looking for her. Perhaps he would pass her on the street. Perhaps she had a memory problem. As time went on, I believe he knew and didn’t want to accept that Carmen was gone. No giving up, and he didn’t.
The lab where the bodies and pieces were being identified called, and pieces of Carmen were identified through DNA testing, Her wallet was also found a few blocks away from the Trade Center. The funeral was a means to celebrate her life. Carmen was cremated and laid to rest.
The courage of this family to film such an emotional journey is remarkable. Her husband loved her so much, and kept searching for the impossible dream. It was a true love story, but with a very sad ending.
A dear friend, here in Atlanta, told me the story of her niece who also worked in the World Trade Center. She and her boyfriend had a fight that morning which escalated. About 10:00 a.m., she realized she was late for work. The “fight” saved her life. To this day she gets very emotional when talking about it.
These are only two stories about that tragic day, but they both were so moving.
Every day that God gives to us must be celebrated. We don’t have perfect lives, but a new day to do new things.
Blessings from The Blogging Grandma