A Note to Readers for September 11, 2024:
Nurses are usually ranked the number one most-trusted profession in America. This honor has been bestowed upon us for 22 consecutive years running since 2001.
Nurses were knocked from out of the top spot in 2001, by firefighters after what was their truly heroic response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Firefighters had never before even made the list, not even once.
It took a mass casualty event for people to comprehend and pay tribute to the many brave men and women who when making a very noble career choice, are fully aware that their lives could abruptly end on any given call.
Of course I know in some places this career choice comes with some very nice benefits, and maybe not ALL firefighters are there because they received a call to serve, but please shhhhh.
On September 11, 2001, I was 25 years old and made my way to my job at a camera store hoping to get there by 9:00 AM. I was running late, newly pregnant with my soon to be first child. I remember how happy I felt to see there was no traffic on what was the most perfect and bluest sky day of all the bluest sky days in my memories. Jesus Christ if I close my eyes I can still picture it in my mind. I marveled at the giant puffy clouds and thanked God the open road would allow me to fly down the highway. I turned on the radio, back when Howard Stern was on the actual radio and stopped smiling when the former newscaster and his sidekick Robin Quivers, failed to deliver their jokes. I pulled into the parking lot at 9:03 AM, just as the second tower was struck, sat and listened as they began to report this implausible breaking news story….
I’ve told this story in my head a million times and the clouds and time stamps never change. Back then I was, and still am, living in the suburbs of New Jersey along one of the most popular commuter lines to Manhattan about 50 miles from Ground Zero. There is not a soul here who does not remember the humans who vanished into thin air, on what began as a beautiful and sunny Tuesday morning. The rest of that Tuesday was an absolute blur of chaos here, every phone circuit busy for hours and I didn’t yet even own a cellphone.
When the fighter jets sent from nearby McGuire Air Force Base started to buzz and fly over my sky, I absolutely thought the world was about to end and I drove home with my husband at the time.
Later that evening, as we watched the continuous stream of terrible news and I feared for all of our lives, I suddenly remembered that I always wanted to go to nursing school.
This is not about me other than to say I had forgotten all about my childhood dream until this September night. An everlasting part of the legacy of this dark day in our Nation’s history is the additional 100,000 nurses who in 2002, signed up to go to nursing school. In fact I was a mere one of the hundreds of thousands of people who would go on to become Registered Nurses in the few short years that followed 2001.
This is the only version of September 11, 2001 that I care to remember simply because it’s the story of my personal heroes. Since then I’ve never worked in a hospital that will not pause all sound tomorrow morning in order to have a brief moment of silence to honor the departed.
On that long ago night I received a call in my heart to serve, knew I somehow wanted to make a small difference in this sometimes terrifying world, and I have.
On September 11, 2019 at 0615 AM I pulled out of my driveway, headed to work only this time 18 years later on my way to work in a hospital. A few seconds later I came to a full stop. Once again I sat stunned and felt so mad at myself for forgetting what day it was until I saw my local fire company taking the time to raise our flag on the empty early morning road. I snapped a photo while I waited and posted it on social media in remembrance, but really I was the one who needed to remember.
As the flag began to fly high, I remembered for the first time in years, why I chose to back then become a nurse. Little did I know just how deep I would need to dig over the next 2 years to remember why anyone chooses to do these very difficult service jobs. That’s neither here nor there and I don’t regret my choice, even when these service jobs quite frankly suck the big one sometimes.
I am always thankful my job doesn’t require me to walk into burning building.
Eleven very brave nurses also died on September 11, 2001. Those who lost their lives on that terrible day cannot and will not ever be forgotten by all those who followed in the footsteps of the many 9/11 heroes.
I doubt these heroes would want a thank you, but thank you anyway from the absolute bottom of my Nurse heart. 🖤
Once upon nightmare
wake up sleepy naive girl.
dawn blue sky raise flag
First watch city blaze
love towers no fall cold ground
heroes give their all
Some roads lead through hell
dust indoctrinated souls
darkness where is light
Time stops don’t forget
fear all hate wounds heal my rage
angels damn the nurse
Maybe find a way to say thank you to a first responder tomorrow,
and please do not thank me for anything in the comment section.
Never Forget.
Moments in time where each of us knows exactly where we were. Time stopped for us all that day.
I can replay the entire day in my memory.
Beautiful profound poem Kristin, and a wonderful tribute to the fire fighters laying their lives on the line to save others. That’s the amazing story from 911.
The evening before 911 my ex-husband and I were packing our show to go to Palm Springs. We lived up on a hill with the ocean in the distance and I watch the most beautiful sunset as a pact filled with fluffy clouds like you describe. It took my breath away and was stamped in my memory. Then the next morning of course life changed forever. Out the ashes we all learned how most firefighters chose that career for selfless reasons, and how many giving empathetic people like yourself were called to caregiver careers. You are a true Phoenix myth, Kristin! ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 🤗🤗🤗