Remember

On September 11, 2001, I was working in the lab. Steve called me to tell me to tune in to a particular radio station -- an airplane of some kind had hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center.

I spent much of that day in our Conference Room, where the TV was located, along with most of my building and several people from the Medical School next door. I didn't actually see the plane hit the second building -- I think I had gone back upstairs, not realizing what was happening.

When the first tower fell, I was in the hallway, talking to Steve. We knew his brother had plans to fly somewhere, but we couldn't remember when his was scheduled to be in the air.

We were glued to the television, watching the confusion and fear as people tried to escape the area of the towers in New York and as the news people tried to determine what actually was happening.

At that time in my life, I was keeping a journal -- a blank book I filled with thoughts (instead of a computer screen). That day I wrote:

As we watched, event after event occurred, building on the horror. Thousands of people must be dead; no one really knows. All air traffic was stopped. The images of people in New York City were like those in a war zone. The people were covered in gray soot. Debris is everywhere -- smoke bellowing.

It's shocking and horrible.

Colin Powell, Secretary of State, said, "A terrible terrible tragedy has befallen my nation."

The Capitol Building, the White House, and all federal buildings in DC and NY have been evacuated. Disney world, Major League baseball and the Sears Tower in Chicago have all been closed or halted.

The President was in Florida and has now flown on Air Force One to Nebraska. it is not yet safe for him to go to DC.