I REMEMBER… 9/11 Changed My Families Legacy!

I can never forget! I was in South Dakota filming a hunting show with ESPN outdoor writer Lynn Burkhead and my lifelong hunting buddy / cameraman Rodney Hutcherson. 17 years ago cell coverage was not guaranteed and when you are in the badlands in the bottom of a canyon you do not have reception! As we drove out of the canyon, after the morning hunt, my phone exploded with missed calls. No texts at that time it had just been invented. That fact alone dates the event since most of us think we always had texting. I called Darlene with my “bag phone” to hear her say “ We are under attack!!” Something I never expected in my life time…. I said slow down and tell me what is going on! She filled me in with a very concerned voice as we drove into town that was basically two buildings one of them being a Post Office / Bar / Restaurant and the other a gas station. I think you get the point it was small, but here is what I remember. As we walked into the bar, with everyone watching a TV hanging above the bar, I saw the twin towers on fire, the replay of the planes hitting them, south tower collapsing! We were not there 10 minutes when the north tower came crashing down! I can still remember how bewildered I felt and how angry!! How was this possible? Were there more attacks coming? Who did this? It was all running through my mind! Needless to say, we packed up and headed home not knowing if we could get home. We heard all airports were closed, road blocks on the major highways, etc. It was a long drive home and we only had to go thru one major road block in Colorado, but none the less it was a scary time!!

As a patriot of our great country my blood was boiling. Little did I know that it would also affect my family. My son who was 11 at the time decided at that moment he would be a defender of our country and he left as soon as he became the eligible age. That turned into serving 6 years as Navy SEAL and helping defend our great country against our enemies on the highest level! I have deep seated memories of that day partially because I was out of town and not with my family and partially because it changed my sons future and our families legacy! God Bless America the greatest country in the world!!