This post was written by my husband about his experience in Washington, DC on September 11, 2001.
Surreal — that’s the word that I’ve used most often in describing the events of 9/11 while living in the Metro DC area. I had just started my day in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill working in the office of Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. We always kept a couple of TVs on and tuned to the news channels and CSPAN. This day was just like any other until we started seeing the news reports of the first jet hitting the World Trade Center.
At the time, of course, no one but the cowards that carried out the attacks knew what was in store for our Country that beautiful Tuesday. As we continued watching the news that morning, it became apparent that it was going to be a day that would be remembered forever. Still fixated on the news, my office mates and I watched as the second jet hit the second tower.
As is often the case when these types of events unfold, rumors and unconfirmed reports spread like wildfire. In DC, we starting hearing about an explosion on the national mall and a car bomb at the State Department. We also eventually heard about an explosion at the Pentagon which was, of course, confirmed by camera shots of thick smoke rising from the immense building. What we had watched taking place in New York had suddenly hit close to home.
The Congressman was in the office that day and was following the news reports as were we. He was also taking press calls. I remember him speaking with folks from WIVK that morning and also former WBIR meteorologist Marti Skold who was at the time working for a TV station in Miami, FL, as I recall.
Eventually, we were told that we needed to evacuate the Capitol complex buildings and after hanging around a few minutes more, we did just that. I headed out from the garage knowing that I wouldn’t be able to take my usually route to Northern Virginia which took me past the Pentagon on I-395. Instead, I headed toward Maryland on South Capitol Street, across the Anacostia River to the Anacostia Freeway before crossing the Potomac River on the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge on I-495. As I was leaving the District, I looked over and could see the thick smoke rising from the Pentagon. As I drove, I attempted to make several calls on my cell phone. The networks were overloaded, but I do remember finally being able to make a call except I can’t for the life of me remember who I spoke to.
What was normally a 4-mile commute to Arlington, Virginia, turned into a two and a half hour exercise in patience as I made my way back to the condo that I shared with my then-fiancée, Heather. Still my biggest regret of that day — leaving the city without her. She was told by her boss that everyone needed to stay in the office. We were married 11 days later on September 22, 2001.
When I finally arrived home and was walking to the door, I could hear the distinct sound of fighter jets in the air above. This was really strange and something I’ll never forget because that just didn’t happen — you never saw or heard fighter jets over the Nation’s capital. You would often see military and U.S. Park Police helicopters, but never fighter jets.
Once inside the condo, I turned on the news and flipped back and forth between different cable news outlets all the while trying to make sense of the unfolding events. Heather arrived home later than day and we were both glued to the TV.
Of course we later learned that Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, PA, was heading in the direction of Washington, DC, and most likely the U.S. Capitol or the White House. I can’t imagine what may have happened were it not for the heroic passengers on that flight.
As my wife and I sat last night watching some of the coverage of that terrible day, were were again reminded of the other great heroes of 9/11, the firefighters, police, paramedics, the men and women of our armed forces, and the everyday citizens who, in a moment of great courage and selflessness, did what they had to do to save their fellow man and protect and defend this great Country of ours. I will never forget.
God Bless America.
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