Pictures can change a persons life, maybe not so much the picture but what was happening at that time in the picture and you were fortunate to get that moment captured.   Being a photographer I love to look back on pictures in my past and think back on how my life was back then or how that moment in time changed my life.  Back 2001 I was not a “Professional Photographer”, I was just a single mom trying to make ends meat.  I was working for a small locally owned company and became pretty good friends with my co workers. 

Every morning my friend/co-worker would listen to a radio station for their contests.  That morning she was trying to call in and win a trip to Vegas for 2.     I remember standing with her at her desk while she was trying to dial in and be the “Winning” caller.   She won!!!!  So here is the twist….the week before while she was trying to call in and win it was for to fly to New York and help to do relief work down at the Twin Towers.  She asked the radio station if she could fly to New York instead of the trip to Vegas. They approved !  I sat there with her as she was on the phone I was a little envious that she was going to help out and experience a piece of history.  After she hung up with the radio station she asked me if I wanted to go.  OMGosh YES!!!!

So we flew out to NY on October 6^th.  As soon as I landed I went and bought a couple disposable cameras.  Ugh…I just cringe now that I look back on that, but I’m thankful that I was able to purchase them !!

Our day to help do relief was on October 8^th, but my friend and I decided that on October 7^th we wanted to go down and see what it was like at what use to be the Twin Towers.  It was my first subway experience.  We were staying in midtown NY and needed to go to downtown NY where the towers were at.  We come up from the subway from midtown 2 blocks  from Wall Street and what a change from the two parts of NY.  It was a war zone.  It brings me to tears to think of what I experienced that day.  The debris from the towers was piled in garbage bins all around and I think I maybe saw 2 people.  It was crazy to be 2 blocks from Wall Street and no one was around.   As we headed towards where the 2 towers use to be the chaotic mess began to reveal it’s self of military, more debris, road blocks and smell.  Yes….smell.   The smell of 2 large towers burning and what was inside them and I’ll leave it at that. 

As I got to the towers, which you could only get 2 blocks close, I had to call my family.  I had to share the experience with them as I stood there.  I called my mom and sister and cried in disbelief that this really happened to our country.   I wanted to help.  I wanted to save everyone from the buildings and make it all go away.  While I was standing there the on the phone with my sister I had to let her go.  Military from all corners came running out to everyone to get out of the area.   “Leave !!! Leave!!! “They all shouted.   It was at that time I was standing down at what use to be the towers that President Bush officially bombed Afghanistan.  Wow….so surreal now that I look back on this.  We all thought that we were being attacked again, but it was the military was just being cautious because they didn’t know if Afghanistan was going to attack us back. 

So because President Bush officially bombing Afghanistan our mission to help out got called off.  I was bummed that I was never able to help anyone out.  So instead of sitting around and doing nothing for 4 days I toured New York, had some great food and caught up with a few fire fighters who helped out down at the Twin Towers!   

I have since been back to NY back in 2007.  I was there for 10 days and had a great time!  NY will always be a special place to me for it changed my life and how I look at life. 

I’m very thankful for all of our military, fire fighters, police officers and civilians that helped out down at the Twin Towers.  I’m thankful for or military who has served & serves overseas to protect us and I’m saddened for the loved ones that we have lost due to this war.