911

Sigh...I haven't had the ability to write on this because every time I do, I get so choked up. Ken's cousin, Paul Hughes, was lost during 911, he was on the 97th floor of Tower 1 World Trade Center. Every year it is so heartbreaking to see him and his family grieve. I am just now watching the video today of the interview that was done with his Paul's wife and daughter because I couldn't do it last week (Link Below).

It was weird last week on the anniversary because Ken was just about to call his dad to see how he was doing and Ken happened to turn on CNN. There in the middle of our T.V. was a photo of his cousin with the words "Missing" written under his photo. Out of all the people lost, there he was on our T.V. It was from when the families posted photo's of their loved ones that were missing days following the attack. It just broke my heart to see that and to know Ken saw it. To know what his family went through, to know my boys will never get to meet their cousin.

I didn't get a chance to know Paul because he lived in Conn but to know Paul's mother and the rest of Ken's family, I only wish I could of known him. I feel love for him because his family keeps his memories alive and helps me to feel like I know him. Sigh. That day, 10 years ago was like that whole day was in slow motion, minute by minute, our families calling each other to see who made it, who wasn't heard from. Both our families are from N.Y. and we both have friends who worked and live in the city. My uncle was working in the Pentagon the day of the attack and it was horrible just waiting. Thankfully he was fine. One of Ken's best friends had to walk that long walk across the bridge the day of the attack that is always aired on T.V. He worked very close to the buildings and the photo's he sent us when he went back to work will forever be engraved in my mind.

We were in Boston that day and we had just gotten back 2 days before the attack from Vegas. I actually sat next to a woman on the plane on our way to Vegas that would of been on the plane that hit the tower if she hadn't been called home early because her kids were sick. She was mad at her husband because he called her to come home because he couldn't take care of all the kids sick. We had talked about my anxiety of flying and she was just so sweet. I can remember the day of the attack I got a 1 sentence email from her and it read, "Jody-did you make it home from Vegas, I was supposed to be on that plane that flew into the towers". I just started crying, thanking God her husband called her home. Every single time I hear a low plane since we live near Sarasota airport, I can't help but think of 911 because of that video with the noise of the low plane hitting the tower. I hate it. When they grounded the planes that day, Ken and I stood outside and it was the scariest sound of silence at our house because we lived pretty close to Boston airport and we always heard planes overhead. To hear the silence....and to just be waiting to hear the news of Paul, my uncle and our friends is something you never forget.

Below is the link of the interview that was done this year with Donna, who is Ken's cousin. If you know our family, you will see how much he looks like Ken's Dad. To everyone out there who has lost someone from 911, I wish you all the peace God has to offer you. To Ken's family, I love you so much. The part of the clip about his cousin's and interview with Donna is about 5 minutes into this link. http://www.wetmtv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=2836879&navCatId=20170