ALWAYS REMEMBER - NEVER FORGET

It was a crisp morning.  Blue skies. Beautiful September morning.

I was in New Jersey headed for Brooklyn, New York. I had to deliver a load of clothing to a warehouse.

I had the radio on to Howard Stern (not sure why...don't really like the guy, but sometimes his conversations were interesting).

He was interviewing some gal in his studio. He was asking her all kinds of weird questions when all of a sudden he was interrupted.

I was now sitting in traffic waiting to go through one of the few toll booths to cross bridges that connected New Jersey to New York.  This area always fascinated me because of the people in the cars.  They drive like they are the only ones on the road while weaving in and out.  It's amazing there weren't more accidents as they dart back and forth around me.

I am near the outside lane.  The roads go from a 4-lane freeway to wide open spaces at the toll booths right back to a massive bottle neck just on the other side.

Howard Stern chimes back in as my thoughts are dashed by his ranting over the radio.

"What?" he yells as you hear paper rustling near his microphone.

"Look at the monitor" a female voice says in the background of the radio.

"What the.....we're being bombed!"  Howard yells out. 

I look at the radio thinking that he was just pulling some sick joke over the air waves.  Bombed, yea right!

Just then, the lights at the toll booths all turned from green to red.  Every one of them.  Traffic was now stopped.  People were getting out of their cars.  Some crying, others with their hands over their heads in disbelief.  One lady got out of the passenger side and fell to the ground to her knees.  She was visibly crying uncontrollably.  Many other people were wandering around like they were totally lost, leaving their vehicles behind.  It was like a moment out of some horror movie unfolding in front of me.

I watched for a few minutes then had just about enough of Howard Stern and his audience calling in yelling stuff that I couldn't make out.  I turned my radio to CNN news to see if I could make sense out of what was going on in front of me. 

As the radio tunes in, a man is yelling, "I watched the tower just blow up!  I don't know what happened...it just exploded!  OH MY GOD"  He yells again.  My heart skips a beat as I take a deep breath trying to listen to the radio.  "Here comes another one...." he yells.  His phone goes silent.  The news broadcaster comes back on the radio and in a voice clearly cracking from emotion mentions that the man we were listening to was in a building just across from the Twin Towers in New York City.

The story unfolded.  A large passenger plane crashed in to one of the Towers.  It was thought to be an accident.  Then when the second plane crashed in to the second tower, it was now clear that it was terrorism unfolding on America. 

Chaos continued in front of me as I tried to maneuver my truck through a slow moving traffic to a side road that could lead me back to the freeway.  I needed to get out of the area and head to what I would hope to be a safer haven.  I ended up in Edison, New Jersey for the night.  Not a huge distance, but I was now out of traffic and parked where I could listen to the radio and also see the horizon  to the east of me.

The story on the radio continued to unfold as the Pentagon was now hit and another plane went straight down to the ground in Pennsylvania.  I looked out over the horizon to what was now a quiet and warm evening in Edison.

Smoke slowly drifted southward from New York City.  The setting sun in the west glowed on the smoke to the east.   I was outside of the truck now praying for the souls in the buildings and the planes.  What could have happened?  Why was this happening? 

I walked slowly towards the truck when I heard a rustling in the trees across the parking lot.  I was the only one there.  Not another soul around.  I watched trees to make out what the sound was.  It was a Doe.  Her tail twitched as she nibbled on a few leaves from the trees.  Her head came up quickly at the sound of my radio in the truck. 

There were screams now over the news.  I could hear that the buildings were now collapsing in on themselves. The news was filled with chaos of confusing interviews and screams. 

I looked back at the Doe as tears filled my eyes thinking of all the people that were instantly swept away from this world.  The doe was oblivious to anything going on...totally unaware that just across the river was utter chaos and destruction.  My heart sunk as I watched the doe slip in to the darkness of the trees never to be seen again.

I prayed again for all the souls.  I cried softly for everyone.  I prayed again.  I will never forget September 11.  It is a day that has forever changed life and America as we knew it.  From that day forward, everything previous was merely memories in history. America was now going to go down a new path, redirected by the actions of others.

PRAYERS FOR MY HUSBAND - ROB

A BLOG POST IN WOMEN IN TRUCKING ON 2/9/2015---  THEN ALL THE RESPONSES

Hey ladies....need prayers please. My husband is off the truck temporarily with high blood pressure issues. I will be running solo for a bit while he does the doctor thing. Prayers first for my hubby that he can get things back to normal. Prayers second for me that I have a safe journey while solo. I can do it....been solo before. Would just like the extra hands on us. Thank you.

BillieJo Olson You got it!!!

Lynda Bailey Prayers

Ron Jefferson Prayers! For the hubby, a weight loss of as little as 10 pounds can make a visible difference in BP. Black pepper is a great substitute for salt. No caffeine or chocolate until bp is where he needs it. Good luck to you both.Patricia Ethen Black You'll be fine...thoughts and positive energy sent your way!
Renee' Chadwick Sending positive energy to you both.
Joann Rollenhagen Good Luck to both of you!

Diane Farley Taylor Prayers

Rosalind Marie Holland Sending prayers, you got this!

Kat Barker Prayers from Ohio

Sherry Bell Sending positive prayers to you both

Alyson AndTommie Lane

 

Milly Edgerly Prayers ... you can do it!

Aimee Mccall Prayers for you. smile emoticon

Angie Cupp prayers

Sandy Mages Prayers for you please be safe

Nancy Woebke You have my prayers.

Teresa Maxwell Prayers!

Evelyn Lewis Praying right now.

Debra Blackney-Colbert Prayers and blessings

Jody Anderson prayers going up!

Beth Gabrielson Praying for you both.

Janet Vinduska Prayers

Herlinda Robledo-giles Prayers for you and your husband

Jan Dewey I pray for each of you all. My children and all truck drivers every night.

Jennifer Northen Holmes Prayers for your husband and yourself! !!!

Linda Brown Amen sister I will ask god to give you a covering, you can do it!!!!

Susie Contreras Czerwinski Prayers

Laura Martin Prayers said for both of u

Pat Rider Prayers to u both

Jenni Reynolds-Kebler Thank you so much everyone for the out pouring of support and prayers. Where two or more are gathered in his name and agree, you shall be heard. I will keep everyone posted over the next few days. Rob goes to doc again in the morning. I leave out on Wednesday.

Roseanna Zounar God bless you and youe husband in this stressful time.

Kim Underwood Pearce Prayers sent

Bobbie McWaters

Judith Mayatte Prayer said! Take care,drive safe.

Gray Wolf Sending prayers to you and hubby y'all be safe

Antoinette McIntosh

Jamie Rousey Hardison Prayers for you, and your husband for the blood pressure issue to stabilize so he can join you out on the road..

Kat Comstock Wallace You will do great!

Stephanie Reed Talpas Prayers are being sent!

Rhonda A Stanford Praying for you both

Rebecca Griffin I will keep u in my heart and prayers. I went solo when my husband was recovering from a crushed heel. Loved it but was lonesome. Be safe friend

Tommie Oneil You got the prayers coming your way.

Richard Nunn Done and done. Be safe out there and for your husband. Relax and take control.

Priscilla Sherman Pulling for you. Blood pressure issues plague many truck drivers.

Betty Brown Morrow Prayers for you both.that blood pressure thing is not something to play with.i battle it everyday.praying that his dr can fix him rite up so he can get back out there with you.I was solo and know how lonesome it can be

Nancy Wydeck Prayers to you both

Barbara Smith Prayers for both of you

Dee Dee Murrell prayers for both

Deborah Perkins-Lindsey Prayers for u two

Diane Burcham God be with you both!

Vickie Cochran My prayers for you both

Betty Harmes You gotit

Denise Killcrease Prayers

Colleen Marie McDonald prayers sent your way for both of you! Suggest to hubby he drinks cucumber juice and takes Vit C. Best of luck!

Crystal Boyles prayers hunny

L.a. Wilson Diffee Praying for u both

Mary L. Kenneett Prayers for both of You....GOD BLESS

Sally Mcley Praying for your husband and also praying for you.

Sandi Barnett Sending Prayers To Both Of U..Jenni n Robert (Hugs)

Danielle Blessing Sending prayers to the both of you. Both of you be safe either on the road or at home.

Roxie Farr Prayers

Jenni Reynolds-Kebler UPDATE-------I would just like to thank everyone for coming together like this. All of you are so special and awesome. Blessings on everyone for looking out for your fellow drivers. You have brought tears to both mine and my husbands eyes and melted our hearts.

The update is, he went to Urgent Care. His BP was extremely elevated. They also found that he had pretty bad infection in his throat. Strep was ruled out, but he was still put on atibiotics. He was also put on HBP medication, but has a doctors appointment on Friday to follow up on everything. I will still need to go out on the road on my own, but that's okay. It's what needs to be done for now.

We have also done a lot of research and educated ourselves on High Blood Pressure and what we can actively do to help lower it. As a result, we found some awesome foods that help to not only lower Blood Pressure, but help to reverse the arterial plaque that can lead to heart attacks, strokes or worse. We will be incorporating these foods in to our daily diets, along with exercise.

My husband has had a rude awakening. I am taking this warning right along with him and I will do everything right along beside him to not only help get him healthier, but also to get myself healthier. It won't hurt either of us to change our ways.

This was truly a wake up call. We have learned that as we get older, we can't stop the clock of aging, but we can slow the clock down on adverse health conditions if we just pay attention to what we do and eat.

Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, thoughts and support. Every prayer has been heard and is being answered still as we gain strength in our health and our love for our Lord Jesus. We love each and every one of you. Prayers of thanks bestowed upon each and every one of our team members here.

Patricia A Funk Yes!

Dawn E Mowry Prayers sent!

Bonna Bendure Prayers going up. My husband and I are in the same boat Kind of. I'm the one home doing the Dr thing because of sugar and he's solo. So we need prayers too. Good bless!

Jenni Reynolds-Kebler Prayers to you, Bonna.

Joanne Fatta Blessings and praywr

Ann Scarborough

Tammy Brooks Prayers going up for the both of you !
Kim Grimm Sending prayers! They really do help and more is better!