9/11/2001 found me working at a hardwood flooring in Northeast Ohio.

It was already a solemn day as one of beloved Board members had passed away on Friday and many were attending his funeral on that pretty morning.

I received a call from my husband around 8:55 a.m., stating that a commercial plane had crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center. I asked him to bring our TV to work, so I could watch the footage while working. As soon as we got the TV on, we saw the second plane crash into the South tower. We were stunned and horrified at the loss of life, not knowing what was to come.

As my office was frequented by the team leads from the production floor of the manufacturing plant, word spread quickly that this might be a terrorist plot. My phone began ringing as everyone crowded into my office. It was my distributor from Prague, Czech Republic, telling me that he was so sorry this was happening within the US. As we spoke, the first tower crumbled before our eyes. I don’t recall saying goodbye, just hanging up the phone on this kind man.

Then, around 9:45 am, several of our yard workers rushed in to say that a huge plane had turned around over the yard & kilns, at a very low altitude. We later found out that this plane was the one that crashed in Shanksville, PA with our heroes aboard, around 10:00 a.m.

It was a very difficult day to focus and execute as we mourned those lost and everyone went home later that day with heavy hearts. As the Amish do not have electricity or televisions, we relayed a lot of information by phone throughout our little community.

We shall never forget that day, our heroes that died or were injured, or the lost innocence of America. This became the catalyst for many to join the armed forces and changed the lives of all that witnessed this tragic day.