I Was In Santiago de Cuba on 9/11

by Emily
(Alberta)

It's strange how some dates are indelibly printed in your mind.

I was a child when I heard the news of John Lennon's death. I can still recall huddling round the t.v. with bothers and sisters thinking that Lady Diana looked like a fairy princess as she walked down the aisle of that magnificent church.

It was a sunny September morning in Santiago de Cuba when I heard the shocking news of the twin towers atrocity.


I was swimming in the hotel pool which had lovely views of the mountains and Santiago shimmering in the autumn sunlight. Life could not be better. It was a beautiful morning.

Then this dark cloud overshadowed the morning. A maid shouted across telling me about the horrific images she'd seen on t.v.

I returned to my room and could not believe the horror playing out before my eyes. So shocking it was hard to believe this was really happening.

Like one of those awful violent video nasties only this was real life playing out I watched in shock as the tower in flames while people jumped to their death.

The staff were as horrified as me. 'Barbaric','How could anyone do this" they said in horror, as they made a sign of the cross.

Their hearts went out to those poor folk pushed to the desperation of jumping to a certain death.

Suddenly the sunny day became heavy,overcast, grey. We said a prayer for the victims of this horrific atrocity and prayed for their families and loved ones.

Political differences were set aside in Cuba on that tragic day when Cubans were at one with their American neighbours. They reached out in love and respect and felt the pain that their neighbours were feeling on that sad day.

Tragedy unites us, it transcends political and cultural divides.

Today I have prayed for those poor souls who lost their lives on that tragic day which I will never forget.


May they Rest In Peace.