Pieces Falling

At the end of January, I received a phone call from a Tribute staff member asking if I was available to travel to Brussels in March to speak at a hearing on terrorism at the European Parliament. Lee Ielpi wasn’t available, and they wanted me to go instead.

I looked at my calendar. “I am speaking at the Asia Society event on March 8.”

“Don’t worry, you will be back in time.”

Being back in time was the least of my worries.

My good friends, Doug and Rene, have joked that the phrase “speaking at the European Parliament” and my name don’t belong in the same sentence. I totally agree. But that is what happened.

The European Peoples Party (EPP) Group held a public hearing on Victims of Terrorism hosted by Teresa Jimenez-Becerril Barrio, a Spanish politician, and I was a panelist. Talk about surprises!

This was definitely a time I said, “Who am I to be invited to speak at the European Parliament?”

God said, “I will be with you.”

And He was.

Since I was traveling to Brussels alone, I did my research. How much should a taxi from the airport cost? How do I get from the airport to the hotel?

Ms. Barrio’s office was helpful in answering questions and reserving a hotel.

On the day of the hearing, a staff member met me at the hotel, and we walked over to the European Parliament Building. The hearings focused on the need for the European Parliament to have a plan for supporting victims in the event of a terrorist attack.

I was the only American at the hearing. I felt like I was representing not only the Tribute Museum and 9/11 families, but the whole of the United States.

No pressure.

In March 2016, American politics was a hot topic for discussion. President Trump was then candidate Trump, and the people I met found American politics to be “so entertaining.”

At the hearing, I told my September 11 story with emphasis on my support systems—the FDNY, my church, my friends, and my daughters’ school community.

I mentioned I had chosen to not participate in the Victim Compensation Fund available through the US government as that required giving up the right to sue the airlines. Giving up  my rights even though I would probably never sue the airline wasn’t something I was willing to do.

I ended my speech by saying, “The FDNY had a plan for line–of–duty deaths. That plan was tested to the limits after September 11 due to the large number of firefighters killed. I encourage you to have a plan that hopefully will never have to be used, although in today’s world that is probably not the case.”

Unfortunately, three weeks later there was a terrorist attack in Brussels, right where I had been. It was all too real. I had walked those streets.

I reached out to those I had met and let them know I was praying for them. Thankfully, the people I had met and their families were safe.