Most everyone in the United States can remember where they were or what they were doing the morning of September 11, 2001.

My family and I were living in Millersburg, Missouri with our three young children, ranging in age from one to six years old.  My husband had already gone to work that morning and I was doing my usual routine, getting the kids breakfast.

I don’t watch television or listen to the radio in the mornings so I didn’t know there was any news of importance happening.  We were in the process of getting our house painted, so I made a call to the paint store to order more paint.

I remember exactly what the man said when he answered the phone: “I’m surprised you’re calling this morning when the United States under is under attack.”

I was confused at first as he told me that a plane had hit the North Twin Tower.  After we hung up, I turned on the television and just in time to see a live feed of a plane flying into the South Tower.

I felt ill and afraid.  I began crying, causing my kids to ask me what was wrong.

There were no words; all I could think at that moment was, what else was in store for the U.S.?

I called my husband and we prayed for those who were in New York, experiencing the tragedy first hand.  I believed my husband and kids were safe, but there were so many in New York who didn’t.

Following are words from my friend who lived on Staten Island on September 11 and she has graciously agreed to let me share her story with you.

“I was in bed pregnant with my son when my husband called to tell me someone hit the Twin Towers. They still thought it was an accident. I was watching as the second plane hit. Words cannot express the horror of knowing you were being attacked.

The phone lines and all communication went dead and you couldn’t reach anyone for a little while. Everything was shut down and wherever you where, you were stuck. 

All the bridges and tunnels were closed and no one was allowed out. In the days that followed, it was difficult to go outside, as you couldn’t escape the smoke plumes.  It was difficult to know all who were lost or could still be trapped under the rubble.

As the numbers grew for the death toll, no one asked, ‘Did you know anyone?’  It was, ‘Who did you know?’ Because everyone knew someone involved.

My oldest son was in kindergarten and at the time, my husband worked in midtown. It took 15 hours for him to get back home.  My son was terrified for his dad and begged him not to return to work the next day, so he worked from home.

We lived on Staten Island and all the debris was to the dump there and you could smell the death in the air. Typically, New Yorkers aren’t fazed by anything, but this affected all.

My father did some work for the NJ/NY Responder and it was being used as a ferry to bring in fresh first responders to help.

When he got the call they needed him, he was surprised because the other Captain hadn’t been on long. After a few days he understood.

So many came to help from all over and got on raring to go and help, but came back different; broken by the devastation they had witnessed. My Dad said it was almost too much for the soul to bare seeing so much loss and knowing it was just the beginning.

I have never seen the entire city affected like that; it was quickly replaced by an outcry for vengeance. I don’t know a single person who was not deeply and forever changed by 911.”

About the Author

Born and raised the first eight years of her life in Missouri, South Dakota PolitiChick State Director Angela K. Love moved with her biological mom to Southern California the summer before her ninth birthday. Due to health issues, Angela was put into a foster home shortly after arriving there. The foster family took her in as their own and adopted her when she was 12 years old. During her first year with her new family, Angela became a Christian, surrendering her life to Christ. Her adoptive mother was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the adoption took place and finally lost her battle with cancer the summer after Angela graduated high school in 1986. Angela worked for two years at Focus on the Family (1987-1989) and went on a stateside summer mission project to Daytona Beach, Florida, with Campus Crusade for Christ the summer of 1988. Angela had a short stint in college before she moved back to mid-Missouri in 1990. Then in 1991, Angela was introduced to her future husband, Phil Love, by Senator John Loudon and PolitiChicks anchor Dr. Gina Loudon. Phil and Angela were married in June of 1992. Angela moved with her husband, three kids and beloved Golden Retriever dogs to Pueblo, CO, in 2005. In 2007, Phil and Angela started a home-based business, Phang, LLC, specializing in Commercial Underwriting. In 2008, Angela obtained her real estate license. She became an Employing Broker and opened her own real estate business in 2010. She has been a part of over $10MM in commercial real estate deals and was the driving force in convincing International Hospitality Group to allow Holiday Inn hotels to reside in two adjoining, competing Denver, CO, suburbs. In the summer of 2012, Angela and her family moved to Rapid City, SD. Angela expects to graduate with honors with Bachelor Degrees in Business Administration in both Management and Finance in 2013, after which she plans to pursue an MBA. Angela enjoys stimulating intellectual debate over politics and Christianity. Angela enjoyed her work supporting Dr. Gina Loudon, author, radio talk show host, and PolitiChicks anchor, as an Assistant Producer for the Dr. Gina Show. She still continues as an Assistant producer for Dr. Gina's YouTube Channel." Angela is a staunch social and fiscal conservative.