We were privileged to be in New York during the third anniversary of 9/11. Our hotel was opposite Ground Zero, so we only had to walk outside to appreciate the atmosphere. We went out after breakfast and were confronted by lots of people milling around, paying respect, and getting ready for the ceremony. We had to walk round to the opposite side of Ground Zero, as the side our hotel was on was set aside for friends and relatives of those who perished. When we got around the other side, there were quite a few people but not as many as I had expected. Inside the site, many police and fire fighters were standing and waiting for the ceremony to start. At the time of the first plane’s impact, the church bells rang and a minute’s silence started -- you could hear a pin drop. Then, relatives of the victims started to read out the names of those who died. They were read in alphabetical order by last name. Each of the men and women reading the names had to give the names of their own relatives, and this was exceptionally hard to listen to, as they often broke down or had to be helped by husbands and wives to finish their sentences. It was absolutely heartbreaking, and I, along with many others present, could not contain my emotions. Even now, as I write this and remember the event, it still brings a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. There was another silence at the time of the second impact and the name-reading continued.
The police officers and firefighters who were present were crying, and after nearly an hour, we could take it no longer. We left the area, as it was simply too emotional. We felt extremely guilty doing this, but it was just too much to take. I cannot begin to imagine how the friends and relatives of the victims felt. Although I didn’t know anyone involved in 9/11, I feel as though I knew them all. I still remember first seeing the sight of the plane crashing into the second tower on TV whilst at work, after my husband had phoned to tell me what was happening. I also remember driving home that evening, listening to the radio and having to pull over on several occasions, as I could not see to drive through the tears. I am so glad that we were able to be in New York at this time and to share in their grief and their hope for the future.