I originally posted this in 2011.
My old mate Jock Veitch was a journalist, and at one time in his career had been a medical writer for The Star newspaper of New York. It was through this mutual role of medical correspondent that he had met, and became friends with, Kristen White (above).
I, myself, met Kristen several times at Jock's house here in France, spending wonderful evenings sitting beside her at dinner. She was a charming, attractive, and fascinating woman; the perfect guest at one of Jock's regular drawn-out gastronomic soirées. We became instant friends; she was the sort of person one warms to at once, and doesn't forget.
On the 11th of September 2001 Kristen was sitting in seat number 21C of United Airways flight No 93; her aim was to fly to San Francisco; in fact her life ended in a field in Shanksville Pennsylvania at 10.03 am, at the hands of al-Qaeda terrorists.
It is thought that the terrorists had intended to crash Flight 93 into either The Capitol or The White House. There was a scuffle on board between passengers and terrorists (I like to think that Kristin did her bit), and the terrorists decided to abandon their vile mission and simply crash.
17 years have now passed, and I continue to think of poor Kristin. Her life was not intended to end like that, nor were those of the other 3000 innocent victims who also died that day.
RIP Kristin. Our paths crossed only briefly but you left your mark, and I think of you often. Cro xx
Such a dreadful day. RIP Kristin and all those innocent people who lost their lives.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem 17 years ago.
DeleteSuch a lovely tribute.
ReplyDeleteShe was a lovely person.
DeleteA very sad day - but it is also your brother-in-law's birthday and, obviously, that of hundred's of others around the world.
ReplyDeleteIn which case, happy birthday to D. Not a date that one could forget!
DeleteIt seems a lot longer ago than 17 years to me. Probably because I have done a lot of things in the intervening years and a lot of things have happened in the world because of that day,things that should never have happened. RIP all the innocent people who died on that day and those who have died as a result of it since.
ReplyDeleteIt all seems very fresh in my memory, possibly because of Kristin.
DeleteI remember it very clearly. It still seens a long time ago.
DeleteTo me it does not seems 17 years ago, It was a very sad day.
ReplyDeleteTerrible day. I remember someone phoning me and saying "Look at your TV". Then watched the whole thing happening in front of us.
DeleteThe same here, I remember every minute.
DeleteIt's a date that is always spoken of as 9 11 and the 01 is 'left out a bit'. Of course in the UK and maybe other places we would have called it 11 9 , but I heard it on the car radio and saw the pictures a little later in a TV shop in York. Awful.
ReplyDeleteIf the USA had had our old currency, they would have called it shillings, pounds and pence. No logic.
DeleteYes, I remember that day so well. It was outrageous.
It was shattering, I remember the television repeating the planes going into the skyscrapers again and again, as if the news broadcasters could not believe it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think any of could believe it. It was such an audacious and cruel thing to do.
DeleteIt’s one of those events where everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing. I had been shopping with our son who was home from University and we watched the whole, terrible scenario play out on tv ..... to have someone that you knew involved must have made it twice as atrocious ..... we must always remember all those who lost their lives on that dreadful day & to also remember all of their friends and families. XXXX
ReplyDeleteI don't think we knew of the other flights until later, everything was concentrated on the Twin Towers. Of course I didn't know that Kirstin was amongst the victims until a few days later.
DeleteI don't think Shanksville would have been a place of her choosing to die. Seventeen years later, it still is so raw for many people. It is nice that you remember her so well and so clearly.
ReplyDeleteDifficult to forget her after what happened. She was such a nice person.
DeleteAnd what a beautiful lady too Cro.
ReplyDeleteI went to the site of the Twin Towers a few years after the event, when the whole place had been cleared but before anything was built there. It was still and peaceful but there was an aura which hung over the place which stayed in my memory.
I suppose it must have been one of the world's greatest disasters. So many dead in so short a time, and all in the name of terrorism.
DeleteIn some ways it seems a long time ago, but on the day of the anniversary it becomes raw. Families and friends of those murdered that day have to go through the pain every year.
ReplyDeleteHorrible. Kristin was just a friend, but even so it's painful to be reminded of her fate.
DeleteIt was a terrible day with terrible repercussions. Our country hasn't been the same since and I don't think it ever will be.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the whole world has been the same. Its legacy is huge.
DeleteNOTA BENE: I always delete unpleasant comments from Trolls. Today you might have witnessed some particularly evil comments from a well known troll. To besmirch the memory of such a lovely person as Kirstin is unforgivable. To die in such outrageous circumstances is bad enough; to have some pathetic little troll try to blacken her memorial is an absolute disgrace.
ReplyDeleteI've recently had a resurgence of troll comments too and they seem to get nastier if I start deleting them. Sigh.
DeleteShe's a vile woman, who has no respect for anything or anyone.
DeleteI posted on my blog about the Memorial for Flight 93.
ReplyDeleteIt is very touching and I cried all the way through it.
Your friend has a voice.
Thanks for pointing me your way. That's a beautiful monument.
Delete