On September 11, I watched the events in New York with horror and disbelief. I simply couldn't image why anyone would want to destroy the lives of so many innocent people. That afternoon, I had to drive 50 miles north to a meeting. My heart was not in that meeting. In the light of the events of that morning, a meeting to discuss automotive vision systems seemed futile.
In subsequent months, my anger remained, but so did my determination. My feeling was, if we allowed the terrorists to destroy our way of life, then the terrorists had won. I refused to let that happen. I wanted to show the terrorists that they may be able to destroy our buildings, but they could never demolist the American spirit. They may be able to kill our people, but our way of life will always survive. I followed those thoughts by continuing with my favorite hobby -- riding roller coasters. I drove to some destinations, but I also flew to California to experience even more coasters.
The flight to California provided more feelings of September 11. On the way, we encountered some severe turbulence. One of the flight attendants, in a panicked voice, told everyone to return to their seats immediately. The tension grew. People started praying. An elderly couple, separated by the aisle, stretched their arms across the walkway to hold on. Gasps were heard rising through the plane. Eventually, the ride became smoother, and the pilot explained it was just turbulence, but the experience, combined with the terrorist activities, helped reaffirm how fragile life can be.
The September 11 events were tragic, but I'm proud to be able to say that I have carried on, refusing to give in to fear. Immediately following the attacks, I volunteered to answer phones for the Red Cross donation hotline. The discussions with the callers helped show me the resolve, determination, and spirit of the American people. It is truly an experience which will stay with me forever.