When I was asked to participate in The Freedom Quilt Expereince I was honored and proud. Honored to know what 9/11 means to me. As I watched this horrific event happening, I could not believe my eyes. I went to work dazed as a wake of turmoil surrounded the nation. I went to sleep that night not knowing what would happen next. That was definitely a day when I deeply appreciated the work that first responders do. It was also a day when reality truly hit me.

Firefighters, as we know, ran into the building while everyone else was running out. As my heart went out to the families who lost their loved ones my thoughts turned much closer to home. My sister is a Denver Firefighter. She cried for three weeks straight, praying they would find pockets of survivors in the levels below ground. Quite sadly, that didn