“I have no intention of ever stopping.”
‘Why do you do what you do?’ The answer is always the same: ‘To give back to the families who lost everything.’: Police officer uses all his free time to create portraits in honor of fallen heroes
‘We won’t charge you for her. She’ll be FREE!’ I was freaking out. We already had 5 children. We didn’t sign up for this. We’re done, right?!’: Mom of 10 has all-natural birth at age 43, ‘We’ve brought 7 lives into the world, and saved 3. That’s worth it!’
“Let’s just say, passion wasn’t an issue in our relationship. We were headed to the movies and had a conversation that I might be pregnant. He asked me to take a pregnancy test in the movie theater restroom. I just swung my arms in a rocking cradle motion as I walked towards them. My family started asking if we were done. My mom even told me I needed to make John an appointment for a vasectomy. Funny story.”
‘He would count, look up, then scream ‘GO!’ The officer was helping us avoid the falling bodies.’: Woman describes feeling like a ‘walking zombie’ after surviving 9/11 attack in World Trade Center
“What looked like ash started falling from the sky, followed by a HUGE fireball. I was on the 32nd floor in the stairwell when the second plane hit. The force of the impact threw me up against the wall. Once we got across the street, I stopped, looked up and saw the buildings with huge flaming holes. I swear to you I looked at my friend and said, ‘Do you think we’ll have class tomorrow?’”
‘My daughter arrived on 9/11. I woke up to see the first tower falling. I thought my family was watching an action movie.’: Mother gives birth on September 11th, ‘I was not emotionally OK’
“My OBGYN came in to check on me while not knowing where her own husband was at Ground Zero. I was in a hospital where they were calling in extra nurses and doctors for the casualties that should be arriving, but never came. Everyone knows where they were on 9/11, but I lived that day in a strange reality.”
‘I fell to my knees crying. ‘Mrs. Marlowe, when do you want her?’ I was determined to give little Teeba a home.’: Mom adopts little girl in wake of bombing, ‘I just couldn’t take no for an answer’
“Her skin was scarred from the bombing. She had virtually no hair left. But all I could see were those big, brown eyes with extra-long eyelashes. As we waited at the gate and the plane arrived, the last passenger walked out and there was no Teeba. My heart sunk. There was no way I wasn’t going to answer this calling.”
‘No matter how badly I want to stop my son’s addiction, I can’t. I finally had to walk away. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.’ Mom’s heart ‘aches’ for homeless son battling addiction
“Within 48 hours, he was out of my house with his bicycle and backpack. I lie awake at night wondering if my son is in a safe place, if he is eating, if he’s warm. I cry for him every time I think or talk about him for more than a few minutes. My heart aches. Knowing he is now a homeless, unemployed drug addict is the most terrifying thing I have ever dealt with.”
The medics arrived, and he couldn’t hide his pain. My husband extended his hand, looked him straight in the eye and quietly said, ‘thanks for the ride.’
“It was then that I saw it. My husband was a hero. In that moment I witnessed in his deepest, darkest despair, yet he still did the right thing.”
‘Hon, I know if you’re alive, you’ll make it out.’ I could see the Pentagon from my office. I was 32 weeks pregnant.’: Military couple recalls ‘pure fury’ felt by 9/11 attack, realizes ‘we are a part of history’
“After the first plane hit, my Senior Intelligence Officer was in my office. When the second plane hit, I looked at her. ‘Cathy, this isn’t an accident.’ The phones started ringing. It struck us – all at the same time – my husband was in that building. Our son was home with our nanny. ‘Is Daddy’s shirt ripped?,’ he asked as he saw people streaming out of ‘Daddy’s Pentagon’ as he called it.”
‘We ran away and married in secret. I fell in love before I knew her name. Right then, I confessed, ‘I’d marry you in a heartbeat.’: Veteran recounts whirlwind romance, ‘We were meant to be’
“It was love at first sight. Every time she entered the room, it felt like the world stopped turning. Life had different plans for us, and it wasn’t quite our time. I was deployed and we lost touch. After returning from Iraq alive, I had a fresh perspective on life. There was an instant bond between us.”
‘I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked. I’m putting a plan together. Tell the kids I’ll talk to them later.’: 9/11 hero’s final words to his wife, his heroic actions played out minute-by-minute
“Deena: ‘Where are you? Are you in the air?’ Tom: ‘Yes, just listen. Our airplane has been hijacked. It’s up to us. I think we can do it.’ Deena: ‘I love you.’ Tom: ‘Don’t worry, we’re going to do something…’ Tom’s last act on earth was one of the most courageous things imaginable. I’ll never forget Tom’s last words. I hope you won’t either.”
