The Following is a letter that I wrote to my son, word for word, the day of September 2001. Nothing has been changed, and as you can imagine there was much we DIDN'T know:
Kainan,
Today I awoke to the news that a hijacked airplane crashed into one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Then 18 minutes later another plane crashed into the other tower. Both towers burned from huge holes in their sides. We thought the first plane was an accident. When the second plane crashed everyone knew it had to be a terrorist attack. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon a short time later. Then the building that the second plane crashed into, collapsed to the ground. Many people were crushed because they were near the buildings, escaping, or trying to rescue victims. None of them expected the buildings to fall. A few minutes later the first injured building crashed to the ground. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were no more. As this is going on a fourth hijacked plane is crashed in Penn. President Bush said early in the day: "Freedom itself was attacked this morning..." and later: "We will hunt down and punish the people who committed this horrible act." It has been popular belief that supporters of a known terrorist Osama Bin Laden were behind this destruction. A huge investigation is taking place. As these events unfold I will keep record of this for you Kainan. The world is changing before my eyes and I want you to know what was happening as you life was just beginning. God Bless the rescuers and victims; and God Bless us as things are so confusing and difficult right now.
Mom
I wrote three more letters after that and I put them in his baby book. I distinctly remember the shock of the events and the horrible thought of "what kind of world did I just bring my baby into?". I remember rewriting the letter, taking out most of the emotion I was feeling, I thought it best to leave it as "just the facts". I left off the fact that I woke up that morning and laid my 2 month old, Kainan, on a blanket on the floor right in front of the tv, just like every other morning before that one. I left off, that as the tv came into focus after turning it on, I watched the 2nd plane hit on live tv. I left off, that I sat on the couch with a perfect stranger (the air conditioner repair guy) and prayed for our country. I wonder if that guy remembers me as vividly as I do him. I couldn't get past the thought that I brought a child into such a messed up world for a very long time...I have to say though, as the days and years passed, I think that the people in charge of this country did the very best they could with what they had to work with.
I am a Proud American. God Bless the USA!
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