be summer 2009 you say so 23
I went to my boss who, like everyone
else, was oblivious to the New York news.
He told me to go home. I called Rhonda
and met her at her house where we
watched with all of America, the replays
of two planes going into the towers, the
Pentagon and one crashing into a field in
Shanksville, Pa.
All planes were grounded. The horrible
truth hit us. We were being attacked. Jim
was there in New York. It was so unreal.
We prayed.
"Lord, we don't like what is happen-
ing but we trust You. Please let Jim come
home safe."
We knew that no matter what hap-
pened Jim would be OK -- one way or
another. The situation was in God's
hands and we trusted Him. We had to.
The towers came down. We still had
hope even though we hadn't heard from
Jim. Maybe he had made it to the other
Marsh Office north of the Trade Center
area and the phones just didn't work.
Maybe he was down in the bottom of the
towers, there could be food and water
there. Maybe he was injured. Maybe he
was injured and walking the streets not
knowing who he was. Maybe he was in a
hospital but unable to tell them who he
was. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
We went to the Des Moines airport to
pick up Jim's van. We still had hope that
he would come home but couldn't justify
letting his van just sit there at the airport.
Rhonda, her husband Jim and I got to the
van. I opened the van door and got in.
When I looked down I saw Jim's wed-
ding ring in the ashtray compartment.
He had taken it off because his finger
had swollen and he was going to have
it enlarged. I cried. This, in my eyes, is
another God-thing.
After a week had gone by, we knew Jim
wasn't coming home. We had checked all
of the hospitals and triage areas and no
one had heard from him or knew of him.
Jim was gone. We had a Celebration of
Life service for the husband, father, son,
brother and co-worker. So many people
loved and respected him. It was truly a
celebration of his life.
A friend of mine asked me if I had
called the man from New York who
helped people out of the Marriott. I didn't
know what she was talking about. She
gave me a TIME magazine which had a
story about Kevin Burns. Kevin worked
across the street from the towers and his
company had evacuated their building.
Kevin wanted to help, he had EMT expe-
rience. He went into the Marriott and was
helping "a big man with an injured leg"
out of the hotel. When I read that, I knew
it was Jim that he was helping.
We were actually able to get a hold of
Kevin but he said he couldn't confirm or
deny that it was Jim. He was too trauma-
tized. We asked if we could fax him a pic-
ture of Jim to identify him as the man he
had helped. He agreed. Within an hour
he called back and said yes, that was the
man he had helped out of the Marriott.
In January, Rhonda and I went to New
York to meet Kevin. The Red Cross sent a
grief counselor with us. We met up with
Kevin and he was able to tell us exactly
what happened to them while trying to
get away from the buildings.
They were in the hotel waiting for a
safe exit. As they were leaving, the South
Tower collapsed. They were able to get
out of the rubble and proceeded toward
the North Tower not knowing that the
South one had actually collapsed. When
they got to the opening at the north end,
Kevin was asked to climb across the bar-
ricades to find a stretcher for Jim. When
he got to the other side someone yelled,
"The tower is falling. Run for your life!"
Kevin was spared. The others, including
Jim, did not. Meeting Kevin and know-
ing what happened that day was another
God-thing.
Through the following months I read
many eye witness stories which con-
firmed where Jim was and who he was
with. On the first anniversary, I was able
to meet the family of one of the fire chiefs
who had remained with Jim and perished
with him. On the fifth anniversary, I met
another family whose father was also with
Jim and had perished. I was able to share
with these families how I found out that
their loved ones gave their lives trying
to save Jim's. No greater love hath any
man than to lay down his life for another.
Chiefs Lawrence Stack and Raymond
Downy are my heroes.
So many other stories I could tell. They
are all "God things". Reading God's Word
and resting on His promises has gotten
me through the horrors of September
11th.
The promise I relied on the most is
found in Deuteronomy 31:8. It reads,
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the
Lord is the one who goes before you. He
will neither fail you nor forsake you." Our
God will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.
It is a promise we can hold on to when we
go through our 9/11s.
We will all have 9/11s in our life. They
will come in all forms. Death of a loved
one, loss of a job, unexpected tragedies,
infidelity, discouragement, ill health,
betrayal.
The list goes on and on.
My question to you is what will you do
when your 9/11 happens? z
Jean Cleere of Newton is retired and
enjoys volunteering, spending time with
family and friends, and traveling.
"The towers came down. We still had hope even though we
hadn't heard from Jim. Maybe he had made it to the other Marsh
Office north of the Trade Center area and the phones just didn't
work. Maybe he was down in the bottom of the towers, there
could be food and water there. Maybe he was injured. Maybe he
was injured and walking the streets not knowing who he was.
Maybe he was in a hospital but unable to tell them who he was.
Maybe. Maybe. Maybe."
Cleere --
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