Alva James-Johnson: Sept. 11 started as a sunny day

On September 11, 2001, I got a frantic call from my sister, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

She was driving her son to school the day before his second birthday.

On that day, the sun beamed from a bright blue sky, she recalled. And when she stepped out of the house, she thought, "What a beautiful morning."

But as she drove downtown, she could see the Twin Towers in the distance, and her heart began to pound.

One of the buildings was engulfed in smoke, and my sister heard on the radio that it had been hit by a commercial airliner. As she got closer to her son's school, she watched with astonishment as another plane crashed into the second tower.

When she called me in Omaha, Neb., I could hear the panic in her voice as she yelled, "Alva, get up! We're under attack! They're using planes like missiles!"

Those are my memories of 9/11 -- a day I'll never forget.

Looking back, I still have mixed emotions. I'm grateful that my sister and her son survived the day unharmed, but I also grieve with thousands of people who lost loved ones on that dreadful day.

Nearly 3.000 people died in the terrorist attacks. The number includes New York City firefighters and police officers, as well as Port Authority police officers and military personnel.

Thousands of children lost parents and hundreds of adults lost spouses. And while the death toll consisted of mostly Americans, there were also many foreign nationals who died in the attacks.

These were real people who lived, loved and woke up on 9/11 not knowing it would be their last day.

Thirteen years later, we feel not only the loss of their lives, but also of our sense of security. Our world changed dramatically that day and will never be the same.

Today is my nephew's 15th birthday. He's now a teenager who takes the subway to school and hangs out with his friends.

When I asked him how he feels about 9/11, he said he was too young to remember, but he realizes that it was a significant event that will forever be linked to his birthday.

But that won't stop him from celebrating. After school, he plans to go out to eat with friends and then celebrate again this weekend with relatives.

I won't be there, but he will be in my prayers -- as always.

So, happy birthday, Malcolm. And stay safe.

Alva James-Johnson, ajjohnson@ledger-enquirer.com

This story was originally published September 11, 2014 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Alva James-Johnson: Sept. 11 started as a sunny day."