From Tragedy to Triumph

Trilby O.

I was living a relatively normal life with a husband, three kids, two cats and a new house when I woke up that morning. Little did I know that tragedy would not only change everyone's relatively normal lives forever, but have lasting effects on my family.

I was on my way back from dropping my sons off at school when there was a news break on the radio about a plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York City. I thought , "What is this crazy radio morning show doing now"? I walked into my house and told my husband to turn the television to the Today Show and could not believe what I was seeing. Smoke was billowing out of one of the towers. No one, not even the anchors on the Today Show, knew what was going on. Neighbors who were home were outside sharing their thoughts on what was happening. I was still inside glued to the television when the next plane hit the other tower right in front of my eyes! I felt like Chicken Little with the feeling the sky was falling right before me. New York City was in a panic, and I felt the helplessness of these people. As I watched, people were still trapped in the first tower, and some of them were jumping out of the windows. I didn't know what to do.

After the collapse of the towers and the planes crashing into the Pentagon and then the plane going down in Pennsylvania, I was just in complete shock. The sky was definitely falling that day.

The next morning, completely exhausted from watching the TV, I went to buy an American flag to put in front of my house. I felt it was the least I could do to show my support for the victims and my country. There was not one flag to be found in my town or any town close. I had to settle for a sticker for my car window. A few months after the shock of 9/11 was wearing off and lives were starting to return to normal, my world started falling apart again, but this time closer to home.

First, my husband, a police officer, was told by his command that there was not going to be anymore overtime assignments since the city had to cut back on spending due to the 9/11 disaster. We were depending on the overtime since I was staying home with my six-month old daughter. It was a big cut in pay for us, but we would just have to make do. Soon after, we received a phone call from the person renting our previous home. He said that the computer company he worked for was laying him off and he had to move immediately. We tried desperately to find someone to rent that house, but to no avail. We then had two mortgages to pay and even less income. Just when I thought things could not get worse a third blow came. My ex-husband called me not too long after and stated that he was being laid off and could not help me with child support for my boys for a while. I felt like the Twin Towers were collapsing all over again. My whole world was falling apart and I felt, once again, completely helpless. Something had to be done and I figured I was the only person to do it. I couldn't help the people in New York, but I was not going to let my family be run into the ground like the victims in the hijacked airplanes.

I had been totally dependent on others for the income to take care of my children, so I decided to go back to college to become a surgical technologist and increase my income capability. It took me one very long year of being away from home ten hours a day, staying up for hours to study after my children were in bed, and then getting up before the sun. During that same year my husband and I lost everything we owned as a result of 9/11/01. Our marriage, houses, cars, everything of value was gone, but I was determined to climb out of this financial hole we were in. I wanted to turn this tragedy of losing most of my income, a house for my children, and a lot of dignity into a triumph for the sake of my children and myself.

I began working as a surgical technologist in the operating room at Darnall Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood, Texas. I was excited to be able to help the wounded soldiers who were coming back from defending our country against the very people who caused the 9/11 tragedy. While I loved the operating room, I wanted to do more for all of the sick and injured people. I wanted to be more involved before and after surgery as well.

I am now back in college to attain a nursing degree. I can hardly wait to do more to help people and raise my family. It is tough right now for me and my kids, but I know I will be glad I did it in the end.

I thank God every day for my relatively normal life, even though it has had its ups and downs. If the victims and their families and our brave soldiers can triumph over the horrific tragedy such as 9/11/2001, I can certainly get through the tough times in my life. Their hope and bravery show me that I will triumph as well.