Tuesday 11th September 2001, Maui HI

When Brigid logged into AOL for our e-mail, she was amazed to find what appeared to be stills from some new action movie.  A huge ball of flame billowed from what was clearly one of the World Trade Centre towers. Headlines beneath the picture read, “America under attack”, “Hijacked planes hit New York and Washington”.  John looked at the computer and concluded that this was a hoax and AOL must have been hacked.  Just to be sure, he switched on the television.

For most of the rest of the day we watched, aghast, as the news of the terrorist attacks unfurled: hoping that no-one we knew had been affected …