September 11, 2001

It has been 19 years. Nineteen years since that tragic September morning. I wanted to share with you my thoughts from that day and I thank you for reading.

One September 11, 2001, I was working at ESPN Radio in Bristol as the Office Administrator.  I had been there for six years at that point so I already knew that I worked with some extremely talented and dedicated co-workers.  Today, when I think back to my 12 years there, one of the things that makes is proudest is the ability of my department to come together and work as one that September morning. 

When tragedy strikes, your first thought and reaction is natural; you want to make sure your family is safe.  I was making phone calls to my family and still trying to grasp and understand what was happening around us that morning.  Meanwhile, my co-workers had done that too, but then they had to quickly move onto the next step.  They still had a job to do. 

Management, on-air hosts, producers, board operators - everyone had to quickly come to terms with what needed to be done to keep the shows on the air.  All the prepared topics and sports news for that morning show were quickly scraped.  The on-air hosts not only had to process what was going on, they had to be able to talk about it on-air too.  

I knew that I could not even fully grasp what was unfolding around me, never mind having to compose myself and articulate it to millions of people.  I still think about how tremendously difficult this must have been for the hosts.  I was in awe of their strength and true level of professionalism and dedication.  

Soon, ESPN switched to national coverage on all of it's platforms and we were told we could go home. As I think back to that day, as much as I wanted to be in the comfort of my own home, I was hesitant to leave.  I felt great comfort there with my work family and I stayed.  

People doing their job.  People being proud of doing their job. And people doing what needed to be done, even if it cost them their lives, as we soon learned.  It was evident all across our nation that day and in so many ways. In my little corner of the world, I felt pride at what was accomplished by people that I admired.

Pride and admiration because I knew that it was something that I would not have been able to do.  I admire people that have the strength, the knowledge and the dedication to do what needs to be done, even when it is so extremely difficult.