Saturday, July 19, 2008

12 Years ago - TWA Flight 800

12 years ago yesterday (well, 2 days ago now that it's after midnight), TWA Flight 800 exploded and went down just off the South Shore of Long Island. I remember watching the news and seeing the devastation of the complete obliteration of the airplane and the boats going out to try to find any survivors amongst the debris and burning jet fuel. 2 days later found both my mother and I at the Moriches Coast Guard Station working with the Red Cross providing food, supplies and support to the men and women who were out on the water recovering all of the debris and whatever bodies and body parts they could find. About 50 yards in front of us, I watched as they brought in lost loved ones and recognizable and unrecognizable pieces of the plane. I remember looking at the windows and realizing that most likely, there was someone sitting at that window in the last second of their lives.

I just want to remember the lives that were lost 12 years ago and I pray for the families that were touched by the tragedy. Seeing the pics on the news and in the papers these last few days really brought back the feelings that I had in those days working at the CG Station. The sadness for those lost lives - and likely lost souls hurts almost as much as it did back then. I also pray for those who did the searching and who came upon some horrific sights. I pray for continued healing for all of them and a touch from the Lord - that they would put their trust in the One who holds life and death in His hands.

1 comment:

Thursday's Child said...

Yes, it was 12 years ago, wasn't it? My husband and I had been married a few months and he'd recently returned from Lebanon. We'd just moved into a town house in St. Louis where I had a teaching job and he was job hunting. I remember sitting in our new living room watching the news coverage. It was haunting and scary. I was so glad that he'd just gotten off a plane rather than preparing to get on one.