For Longtime Captives, a Complex Road Home

(Photo by Ivor Markman/Associated Press)
During her 18 years in captivity, Jaycee Dugard endured trauma hard to imagine. Now, therapists feel that her biggest challenge will be to break away from the abuser who fathered her two children. And, it won't it be easy to begin a new life and re-establish trust with her first family again. -- The New York Times, Aug. 31, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/health/01psych.html

When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated

After class returned from lunch and recess, my sixth grade teacher cried when she told us that President John F. Kennedy had just died in Dallas, Texas. Because Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connelly and their spouses were planning to come to the state capitol next, all the schools in Austin were scheduled to dismiss early. So, we still got out early there but of course the parade and events canceled that Nov. 22, 1963.
For a long time, a dark cloud completely covered the entire country because everyone was sad. The television coverage was even in black and white. Jacqueline Kennedy climbing over the top of the convertible trying to get help from the secret service after her husband was shot, the horses pulling Kennedy’s flag-draped coffin and little John Jr. saluting while his big sister Caroline stood close by were impressions left behind by the newspapers and television.

Life as we know it changed

Undoubtedly, 9/11 changed life for everyone that lives in the U.S. My son called me after he heard about it on Minnesota Public Radio the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I couldn’t believe what he told me. After that, my kids and I sat in front of the television in shock and disbelief.
The way that people travel changed that day as well. One month later, when our family flew to Texas, the National Guard was heavily armed and guarding both the Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) airports. TGI Friday’s at DFW didn't even carry plastic knives for customers to cut up their steak with.
Most importantly, 911 served as a reminder of just how quickly life can change in the twinkling of an eye.

The Oklahoma City bombing

The bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City was horrendous. That April 19, 1995, 168 innocent lives were lost and more than 680 were injured. It was unfathomable that supposedly one man, Timothy McVeigh, and his friend, Terry Nichols, could come up with such a senseless act of terrorism. In contrast, the volunteers and emergency crews let us know that there are still good people around. The famous photo of the firefighter carrying the baby that didn’t make it is one that I will never forget.