Where Were You On That Cloudy September Day in 2001?

"I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children." 

These were the words broadcast late last night, as Ryan and I watched President Obama explain what had just happened. He had given the order to kill Osama bin Laden after months of secret intelligence briefings kept under wraps from the American people and the world.  

"Last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden," Obama said. "It was far from certain. And it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we could locate bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside Pakistan." 

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan," the president continued. "A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight they killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body."

I moved to Houston from Corpus Christi on August 16, 2001, and in less than one month's time, one of the most memorable events in our nation's history took place.  I remember sitting down as a PBX operator at The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center when the news broke out, "the towers in New York have been hit by a missile!" someone yelled.  At that moment, everyone jumped and ran to the main lobby to see the real-time events on the big screen.

We knew that one of the Twin Towers in New York had been hit, but no one was sure what it was.   A few minutes later, the world watched unimaginably in shock, as another plane hit the second tower.  You couldn't hear a pin drop as everyone gasped and covered their mouths - our eyes open, and our hearts beating a mile a minute.  

Tears ran down our faces as we saw the images of people jumping for their lives and the anguish people were feeling while this was happening before our very eyes.  The last time I felt so heartbroken was back in 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger, with all it's crew on board, exploded.   

Never in a million years did I expect another horrific moment to happen before my very eyes.

"It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history," Obama said. "The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction."

"The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts," Obama said.

 "Tonight we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counter-terrorism professionals who have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome," Obama said. "The American people do not see their work nor know their names, but tonight they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice."

And I couldn't have said it better myself when Obama thanked our U.S. Military for Sunday's operation that they, "exemplify the professionalism, patriotism and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of burden since that September day."