I just posted this blog on my MySpace page and thought it was worth sharing in a few other places:


Today, September 11, 2009, is of course the eighth anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on U. S. soil. I don't think any of us will ever forget the shock and horror as the events in New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania unfolded that day. And let us NEVER forget the innocent lives lost that day, and especially the firefighters, police, and other emergency personnel who gave their lives in service to others that day! Our country and the world at large have done an admirable job of recovering from that awful day and taking steps to ensure that it never happens again, but there is still plenty more work to be done.

Another September 11 that was a sad day for me, for a much more personal reason, was in 1991. In talking on the phone with a dear friend whom I hadn't talked with in awhile, I learned that she was going through a divorce.

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since this next one! My fellow Barbara Mandrell fans will certainly remember September 11, 1984, the day of Barbara's car accident that severely injured her and her two children and killed the driver that hit her. I was a junior in college at the time, at College of Charleston in Charleston, SC, and I learned of Barbara's accident while watching the 11:00 news that night in the dorm with a few of my suitemates. I will never forget hearing the news anchor say "This just in from Nashville..." and seeing Barbara's picture flash on the screen as the reporter went on to give out the few facts that had been released to the public at that point. I then spent the next several days at the Charleston County Library (just a few blocks from campus at the time) devouring every issue of Nashville's newspapers that I could find, desperate for any little tidbit of info I could get on Barbara's condition. As we all know now, she had a long and difficult recovery but ultimately came back to entertain us all for many more years before finally calling a halt to her concert tours in 1997.

And 35 years ago, Charleston, SC, had it's own 9-11. On September 11, 1974, an Eastern Airlines flight that had originated in Charleston crashed while attempting to land in Charlotte, NC. Lots of high-profile people lost their lives in the crash, including Charleston TV news anchor Wayne Seal. The father and brothers of current celebrity Stephen Colbert were also killed in this crash, though I didn't know it for the longest time after I started hearing Colbert's name in the news in recent years. And the father of a classmate of mine, a member of my church, Mr. Gene McFall, was also killed. His daughter Judy was my age and was in school with me (fifth grade) at the time. Mr. McFall was to have been the teacher of a newly-formed Sunday school class at our church, Bethany UMC in Summerville, SC, and upon his death, the class was named after him. Shortly after Mr. McFall's death, his widow, whose name I can't recall, and her daughter Judy (can't recall if Judy had any siblings) moved away from Summerville, so I lost touch with her 35 years ago and have no idea what became of that family. I just remember, at all of 10 years old at the time, being heartbroken for them, unable to fathom what it would be like to lose a parent so suddenly and tragically. I believe the McFall family moved back to Columbia, South Carolina's capital city, where they had lived before moving to Summerville. But I have no idea what happened to them after that. I have never stopped thinking about them, however. Judy and I weren't close; she was just somebody I knew from school and church. But that didn't keep me from feeling deeply the heartbreak she and her family experienced when her father's life was taken so horribly.

On the occasions that I fly from my current home of Nashville, TN, to South Carolina, I usually fly USAirways (Eastern Airlines went out of business long ago), which takes me through Charlotte. And each and every time, I remember that 1974 crash that hit the city of Charleston so hard.

Today's Charleston newspaper has an article about the crash (Charleston Remembers), which brought back memories not only for me but most likely for everyone who lived in the area at the time. I was only 10 at the time and learned one of life's difficult lessons, that none of us are insulated from tragedy.

I haven't posted a "personal thought" blog in a long time, and didn't intend for my first one in months to have such a somber tone. But on a day like today, that carries so many memories for most of us, some for reasons other than the obvious, maybe the mood is appropriate.

Bless you, mate.

Lynn, I do remember that plane crash and of course, I remember Barbara Mandrell's car crash.. Almost makes you want to skip Sept.11 and 12, doesn't it??

I enjoy your writing..

Thanks so much for your kind words!

Yes, Patsy, now that I've put together four events from four different years, all of which happened on Sept. 11, I do wish I could skip it! And of course, I remember that we lost "The Man In Black" on Sept. 12, 2003! Actor John Ritter, too, as a matter of fact!

You really do remember the Eastern Airlines crash? So far I haven't found anybody outside of the Carolinas who does. I really wish I knew what became of the McFall family.

quote:

You really do remember the Eastern Airlines crash? So far I haven't found anybody outside of the Carolinas who does. I really wish I knew what became of the McFall family.

I do remember that crash. I lived in Mississippi at the time but I do remember it... SC is also part of the South...

My son lives in Columbia, SC if you think he might could help you with the McFalls.. Let me know... Tntarpon@comcast.net

Little humor here... In 2002 my son and I took a trip to NYC together and were to transfer in Charlotte to Newark.. But Charlotte was fogged in so we flew to DULLAS... One of my best friends is from NYC and was expecting my flight which was going to be late so I called and said, "Alice, it was too foggy in Charlotte so we had to fly into Dullas..." Her reply to my southern accent was, "PATSY, what in the world are you doing in DALLAS?"

Thanks for your offer, Patsy. Though I've been a Tennessee resident almost 23 years now, I still have a lot of family and friends in South Carolina, including the Columbia area, but honestly, since it's been 35 years, there's no telling where the McFalls are now! I guess in a way I was hoping that if I posted this blog in enough places one of them or somebody who knows them might see it. I did post part of it on Charleston's newspaper's website. The McFalls moved back to Columbia, I'm pretty sure, where they'd lived before moving to Summerville. And... there is a Henry Eugene McFall listed on several websites as an attorney in South Carolina - currently, that is - which is the same name as the Mr. McFall who died in the plane crash 35 years ago. I'm wondering, is he a son? Nephew? Grandson, maybe? If I could remember how many siblings Judy had and their names and ages at the time, as well as her mother's first name, I might have a chance of finding out whatever became of them. It's nothing more than curiosity; I'm not even sure that Judy would remember me. But I guess in a way I'd like them to know that I haven't stopped thinking about them for the last 35 years.

Funny, Patsy! I used to get "Dulles" and "Dallas" confused, too, when I'd hear them!