Where was I when...

Travelin'Oma week 8 day 5

JFK died?

I remember watching the funeral on TV at home in our family room. I was six. Mainly I remember how quiet and intent my parents seemed to be.

records.viu.ca

Man landed on the moon?

I was in Mayville, NY at my grandmother's house. I posted about it here.

Reagan was shot?

I was teaching fourth grade at Riverton Elementary School in Riverton, UT. The custodian poked his head in my classroom and declared: Ronald Reagan has been shot! I asked if Reagan was still alive. Yes. We gathered the fourth grade classes together and watched the news. I remember telling my students to pay attention - it would be something important that they should remember.

uselectionatlas.com

The September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers occurred?

I was teaching early morning seminary in Kirkland, WA. A few minutes before 6:30 a.m., my teaching partner came in and asked if I'd seen the plane that had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. I had no idea what she was talking about. She'd seen it on CNN before she came to seminary.

It was my turn to drive the carpool to the high school. As we drove the news came on and said there had been another crash. At this point people still didn't really know what was happening. My husband called and asked if I had the news on. I said yes. I told the kids in my car that this would be a major event in their lives. It was all I could do to keep from crying. I dropped the kids off and drove home as quickly as I could.

When I arrived at home I simply stood and stared at the television replaying over and over the events of the morning. Ray filled me in on what he'd heard. Then we learned about the pentagon. Then the plane that went down in Pennsylvania. We watched newsmen and their crew trying to find out what had happened - cloths over their faces, trying to breathe without inhaling all the smoke and debris.

I felt stunned. It was hard to go about doing a normal routine. I remember US flags being flown in our neighborhood. By that evening flags were everywhere - on houses, in store windows, and on many, many cars that were driving around.

In the days and weeks that followed I marveled at all the people who put their own lives on hold to go and help. One man in the south packed up his barbecue business, put it on a trailer, and drove to New York. Daily he fed those who were helping - searching through the debris in hopes of finding loved ones, or the loved ones of others. It was an affirmation that we are a country that pulls together in time of need.

It still makes me cry to think of it. I remember it well, and I will never be the same.

washingtonpost.com