Remembering Debra M. Mannetta

Debra M. Mannetta was one of the many lost in the 9/11 attack on the world trade center 12 years ago.  She was the wife of Kenneth Mannetta and mother to their two children Jessica and Ashley. On this tragic day, Debra was actually not supposed to be working. She worked two days a week as an executive assistant for the company Carr Futures on the 92nd floor of the north tower. To be able to take her daughter to her first day of pre-school, she had switched the days she worked that week. She was one of 68 people on the 92nd floor that day, which was apparently busier than usual. When the plane crashed into the tower some were trapped in a conference room, but about 40 others were free to move into an unfinished section of the floor where a mobile phone was passed around for people to call their loved ones. Debra was able to call her husband to tell him they were trapped and waiting on rescue workers to reach them. Debra was 31 years old. The thing I find inspiring about this story is what happened after Debra passed away. Kenneth quit his job to be both the mom and dad of his family and raise his two girls. I think that it takes a lot to do that for your family and the fact he was able to do that for Debra probably would have meant a lot to her.

From Debra's story I feel I learned a little more about what going through this disaster might have felt like for these people. Debra was a mom who left her kids and her husband and that turned their lives completely around. What I learned from the story of Debra's life is that anything can happen at any time. Debra probably thought the biggest moment of the week would her daughter's first day of preschool. This shows me that a person can never know what is going to happen in the future. From this I know that I should enjoy every moment of my life while it's still here.