9/11

8 years ago today, this country suffered its worst tragedy in current history. The days that followed are blurry for me. I remember the National Guardsmen and women on street corners with DC Metro Police and Capitol Police. I remember the humvee parked on the street corner outside the office with a missile launcher attached to the roof. I remember thinking I had fallen asleep and woke in Israel.

I remember sitting outside my girlfriend's house (I worked in VA but lived on Capitol Hill. I couldn't get home). I sat with neighbors' children, keeping them calm as we waited for word on parents who worked at the Pentagon. I remember breathing a small sigh of relief as my friend's husband and his friends (all commercial pilots) called in.

But one didn't call and because phone lines were swamped that day, we didn't get word of him until 24 hours later. He was scheduled to be the pilot on Flight 77. At the last minute, a pilot with more seniority requested that flight. He had to be in LA for something that day. Chris didn't argue with him. He gave up the flight and took on guilt I am not sure has left.

It took 48 hours to be able to track down friends from the Pentagon and I am lucky to be able to say, I didn't lose anyone on that horrible day.

But as we reflect today, I would like to bring to the forefront something that has gone the wayside, something that was not highly reported about 9/11.

Flight 77 passengers included DC elementary school children who had one a National Geographic contest. So while many mourn mothers, brothers, grandparents, siblings, and friends, please remember that for a group of parents in the DC area, they are mourning the loss of a child.