Eight years ago on this day I was in Des Moines, Iowa eating breakfast at the National Barrow Show. I was on the livestock judging team at Texas A & M University and we had finished a competitive collegiate pig judging contest the previous day. I remember a woman working in the kitchen coming out and telling us that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. A few short minutes later she came back screaming that another one had hit the second tower. The whole room was shocked as each of us were trying to process what had just happened.
It was a long, somber drive back to College Station, Texas. Folks everywhere were filling up their gas tanks and buying food — scared and confused. Our ears in the judging van were glued to the radio. After getting back to Texas, I remember how proud I was to be an American after hearing about the heroes here in New York City and seeing the patriotism around the country. I also remember feeling sad that it took such a tragedy for all of us to come together.
On this anniversary, I challenge everyone to reflect back to where you were on that day and how lucky we all are to live in this country. In a post- 9-11 world, we have unique challenges that can only be solved by working with that same unified spirit that we had after the towers fell. For example, I believe that a strong agriculture industry is paramount for this country’s national security. No matter what side of the political isle we all sit on, I hope that we can find that sense of unity again and work together to reach this common goal.
For those of you who are also residents of New York, there will be special memorial and remembrance services in each of the five boroughs. At the site of the World Trade Center, there will be a commemoration at 8:40 am where each of the 2751 names of the victims will be read out loud. The “Tribute in Light” will commence through dawn on September 12, 2009.
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9/11, 8 years today, we were at home on the farm with a bin crew (2 bin crew and my family) building a bin. I took a radio out so we could hear the news. There was an overwhelming heavy feeling of sadness for innocent people who lost their lives and for the people who loved them. I was instantly grateful that my family was here with me that day working together. Keeping all of those personally affected that day in my Prayers, our Nation, and those who protect us-hero’s.
Isn’t it interesting what we remember? I remember the judging team being gone, and all y’alls vehicles were parked up at Louis Pearce Pavilion. The girlfriends of all the guy judgers went and filled up their cars/trucks with gasoline if they had extra sets of keys.