My memories of 9/11 unfolded over several days.
We were in an Irish Bar in Roppongi, a nightspot in Tokyo, celebrating my 50th birthday with several teaching friends. As the day had been as a typhoon day, (like Minnesota’s snow days) we were relaxed and joyful.
With the time difference between Tokyo and New York being 15 hours, the evening of the 11th was early morning in NYC.
When we got home via train we received a message from family to “turn on your television.” We watched in horror as the scene just kept getting worse.
When my school, International School of the Sacred Heart, resumed classes there was another blow. One of the students from Class of 1993 was on Flight 11, the second plane, flying with her husband, Micky, to attend a wedding in Los Angeles, of another one of our students. Rahma Salie was seven months pregnant with their first child and the pain deepened.
International school students scatter upon graduation, returning to their home country to college or often going to the USA or Europe and we lose touch. But when the name Rahma was put on the white board for us to see, we all knew immediately who Rahma was. Think of the most wonderful Harmony or Preston graduate with the greatest smile and friendliest nature. Rahma would have been a shoo-in for Homecoming Queen, Student Council President and Gymnastics AAA scholar.
Rahma’s classmates have yearly gatherings on 9/11 to remember and celebrate her life. There is a large Facebook group that posts old photos, videos of ceremonies in Boston, and heartfelt remembrances. I am including a photo of Rahma’s name at Ground Zero.
Cindy Ofstedal
Harmony, Minn.