Where were you 5 years ago?

It's hard to believe it has been 5 years since the World Trade Ctr disaster.  Like many of you, I have those images burned into my memory and as I watched specials and commemorations over the weekend, those images were as clear as they were that day.

I was in Australia when the attack happened. I was invited to teach a class on FEA in Product Design by the Institution of Engineers; Queensland in Brisbane that week, starting on 9/12.  My wife woke me up in my hotel room the night before crying after the first tower had been hit and I stayed awake watching CNN until I had to leave for the class. The organizers offered to cancel the class for me but I felt it was important to keep going.

The outpouring of warmth from the Aussies I met in the class and as I traveled thru the area that week was incredible.  As soon as people heard me talk & identified me as an American, I'd get hugs and other truly sincere gestures.  It felt like the whole world was united in mourning over this tragedy.

The class went off without a hitch and, I was given, ironically, a stainless steel cased pocket knife with the Institution of Engineers logo as a Thank You.  As they had just announced that flyers would have to use plastic spoons to cut their dinners, I made sure that was buried deep in my checked luggage for the flight home. I actually made it to LA almost on-time. We were the first international flight allowed to land in the states after 9/11.  They hadn't figured out the new security procedures yet so we spend over an hour standing in customs. At one point, they pushed us against the pack wall of the room for about 20 minutes (it seemed much longer!) because they'd found an unidentified black bag in the hallway outside that area.  It turned out to be nothing and, after learning that my flight to Chicago was cancelled, I had to spend the night in at LAX before heading home the next day.

All this came back to me just recently as I was packing my bags for a flight home a few weeks ago when they thwarted the bomb plot in London and once again security was clamped down on air travel.  I have to say though that this time around, the authorities responded quickly and professionally and there was very little delay (for my airline at least) and everybody seemed to take the new measures in stride.  It is great to see the understanding and cooperation in times like that when, let's face it, people running late for planes or otherwised stressed about traveling, don't make airports the friendliest of places.

I know this little personal catharsis has nothing to do with design analysis but I wanted to say something to remember the day and the horrible loss we all experienced.  If you do nothing else on this 5th anniversary of the WTC disaster, please at least take 5 minutes to remember where you were, what you were thinking, how your life has changed, and hopefully how you have used this to strengthen your bonds with family & friends.  There are no guarantees and as I boarded that plane for LA, I couldn't help thinking about all the things I didn't do with my wife, my kids, my parents and my friends. I think, I hope, I'm better.

-- Vince

Comments

[Jeff Mirisola]

I remember exactly where I was 5 years ago. For people of my generation, 9/11 is, sadly, our JFK.
I was sitting in my shared office with four other guys having a normal morning until someone decided to check out msnbc.com. From that point on, my day was anything but normal. I don't think I've ever experienced such a broad range of emotions in any one day before or after, and I hope I never do again.
Thanks, Vince, for sharing. I'll be taking those five minutes.