9/11 recovery

By Marie Louis: On 9/11, I was a patient at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, recovering from gallbladder surgery I had the previous day. My pastor called that morning to see how I was doing, and my roommate had "Good Morning America" on the television.

A plane had just hit the first tower, and I was telling my pastor about it when I saw the second plane hit the second tower. I said to him, "I think we're under attack." We quickly ended our conversation to begin what every American began ... trying to process what just happened.

It was reported that a plane had hit the Pentagon and another had crash-landed in rural Pennsylvania as well, supposedly preventing an attack on the White House. We would later learn of those heroes -- of many heroes -- who helped their fellow Americans or made the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives trying to save others.

The American spirit of unity in a crisis reminded me of the day that President Kennedy was assassinated and how, as a nation, we collectively mourned a great loss. Ten years after 9/11 we are still in recovery mode, but to an American, recovery is not wallowing in our mourning but remembering our greatness.

The American spirit overcomes and will never give in to terrorism. God bless America!