Sep 11, 2008 6:55 pm US/Eastern
9/11 Tragedy A Lesson Of Love For One Family
One Mother's Unbelievable Story Serves As A Lesson Plan To Help Her Son Deal Wth That Dark Day
Reporting
Cindy Hsu
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A trumpeter performing "Taps" at the conclusion of the ceremony stands before the Ground Zero memorial site.
CBS
Many parents were at a loss when it came to explaining the horrors of 9/11 to their children.
But one mother created a family tradition out of that terrible day, shaping it into a lesson about love.
Outside St. Paul's chapel right across from ground zero, you'll find Elizabeth Vasquez teaching her son, Isaiah, about 9/11.
"A lot of people lost family members here, so you know we come here every year to pray for them and to give thanks to God that we're still alive, that we're still here," Vasquez said.
Vasquez tells her son how she first met his father on Sept. 10, the day before the attacks. She was supposed to be at Windows on the World the morning of 9/11, but, having just met her future husband the night before, she postponed that meeting.
"Because of daddy I didn't go to work that day," Vasquez said. "Because I didn't go he saved my life."
Vasquez and her new love ended up getting married and moving to Niagara Falls, Canada, to get away from the chaos in New York. Two years later they had Isaiah, but every year on the anniversary of 9/11 they drive 10 hours to ground zero to give thanks.
"Every time 9/11 comes around it's kind of touching because I look at him and it's kind of like a miracle baby," Vasquez said.
Every year, Isaiah hears his parents love story, and the story of those who died. Each time, he's able to understand a little more.
"I wish daddy was Spider-man to save all the people," Isaiah said.
Every year, they listen to the names of those who died and while Isaiah doesn't always last until the end it's a tradition his family plans to keep.
The Vasquez family recently moved to New Jersey, which has, of course, made their annual pilgrimage to lower Manhattan much easier.
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September 11, 2001: A Day Of Terror
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