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Messenger photo by Michaela Frerichs
Ronald Campbell, right, Lois Campbell, center, and a New York firefighter pose in front of a fire engine near the former Twin Towers site. This 2002 photo hangs in Amigos in Fort Dodge.
When Lois Campbell and her husband, Ronald, boarded a plane in Des Moines on the morning of September 11, 2001, they were on their way to New York.
They didn’t reach St. Louis until all the planes across America were grounded.
Between takeoff from Des Moines and landing in St. Louis, New York’s Twin Towers were attacked.
Campbell and her husband had planned with a local travel agency to visit New York, including reservations on the evening of September 11 at the Windows on the World restaurant on the 107th floor of the North Tower.
Campbell said her husband, who died in 2009, said he recalled seeing military personnel lined up on the tarmac before leaving Des Moines.
“He thought it was a little weird because he didn’t know that anything was going on. she said.
Their flight from Des Moines to Saint-Louis was faster than expected.
Campbell said, “As we landed in Saint-Louis, we were very close to the trees and I was like, ‘How come we are so low? I didn’t realize what was going on, neither of us did.
Once they landed, they were not allowed to exit the plane right away. The passengers were informed that they had arrived too early, but they were finally able to exit.
“When we got to the airport most of the televisions were covered and it wasn’t bright as usual,” Campbell said. People told us, “You don’t know what happened, do you? “
Campbell said they walked further down the hall and finally learned what had happened. She said, “They had this big TV screen showing it.”
The travel company quickly arranged a bus to bring the Campbells and others back to Fort Dodge.
She said, “On the way back, we only saw one plane in the sky and we understood it was the president. “
Campbell said the whole day is hard to remember.
“I don’t really remember that time too much,” she said. It was just a blur. You just didn’t think such things would happen.
About a year later, Lois and Ronald Campbell were finally able to make their trip to New York.
Lois Campbell’s son Mark Campbell, who is a Webster County Supervisor, also made the trip. He said they were able to get close to the Twin Towers site but couldn’t get very close.
“Just to see the number of families who were still there to put pictures, leave flowers, say a prayer, it was absolutely amazing and moving,” he added. he said.
Mark Campbell said it was hard to believe that if the attack had happened a few hours later his parents would have been there.
“We went down to where the towers were,” said Lois Campbell. “They were still cleaning the Trade Center. It was a strange feeling.
Mark Campbell said that while they were near Ground Zero, they saw New York firefighters and were able to talk to them and thank them for their service.
Lois Campbell said, “There’s a picture of Ron and I standing next to firefighters in New York City. They were just standing there and we wanted to have our picture taken. I think they are all amazing.
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