DoD photograph by Tech. Sgt. Cedric H. Rudisill

Capitol Height’s April Speight Was Working At The Pentagon On 9/11/01. It was a Day She Will Never Forget But She’s Found A Way To Move Forward

By Robert Bernstein

There is no one in the nation untouched by the morning of Sept 11, 2001. Prince George’s Suite interviewed a colonel, a veteran, a civilian, and we highlight an up-and-coming young sailor – all from the county or connected to Prince George’s via duty.

In this article, we talk with April Speight, a county resident, and a first-hand observer of the events of that terrible day.

For April, that day began just like mornings for the previous year and a half with a commute to The Pentagon. The journey from Capitol Heights, Maryland meant riding a bus from her neighborhood to the nearest Metro station; from there it was a ride on the rail system to The Pentagon – one of the most secure facilities in the world.

She couldn’t have imagined how different that day was going to be.

As a temporary library assistant/clerk in the building, the 23-year old’s morning routine started with a stop at the mailroom to retrieve the daily newspapers as well as the sorted library mail. After she completed the newspaper and mail tasks at the library, she began to shelve returned books, and select books that had been requested.

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The Pentagon library had several television sets that were always tuned to news channels - CNN and Fox News. A colleague, while glancing over at the television, noticed unusual activity in lower Manhattan. There was damage to the World Trade Center. Speight realized New York City was under attack. She vividly recalls calling out to her colleagues: “Come look at this; this can’t be real” upon seeing a woman in a red dress preparing to jump from the tower, followed by the second plane’s crash into the other tower.

9:37 AM: American Airlines flight 77 hit The Pentagon’s outer wall between the first and second floors and smashed through three of The Pentagon’s five concentric rings. A fire ensued, caused by the plane’s fuel – which led to an explosion. Shortly thereafter, a section of the building above where the plane hit collapsed. (Although most occupants of the building had been evacuated, 125 were killed along with everyone on the aircraft.)

When the aircraft crashed into The Pentagon, Speight experienced the effects of the explosion and could see the tail of the plane. The library had recently been renovated and she remembers all the destruction after the attack with everyone covered in dust and with smoke everywhere. She was shaken as well as dealing with the “before and after” of that event. In that moment, she was in a daze and unsure of what to do until Linda Malone, her supervisor, guided her to a courtyard to catch her breath and get her bearings. As the telephone system was inoperative and Metro to the area now shut down, the young researcher walked to the parking lot adjoining the building where she was able to get a ride into the District and board a Metro at L’Enfant Plaza. Little did she know that her relatively short commute of 45 minutes would stretch into a two-hour ordeal.

As she traveled back home aboard the Metro train, she remembers thinking, “I knew that I had to keep it together.” Clearly, she had experienced a traumatic event and she was still living through it. It wasn’t over just because she was on metro.

Upon arrival at home, the house was empty as everyone was going about their day. Without any one to comfort her, Speight became scared, emotionally spent and although she was able to call everyone in her circle and confirm their safety, ultimately sitting in her apartment alone brought feelings of depression.

The world April Speight occupies is filled with faith, fellowship, and prayer. She attends the Life Changing Faith Christian Church in Suitland. It was this faith that kept her on course even as she was working through the intense and severe trauma of September 11. April also credits her strong bonds with family - especially with her mother and grandmother - in helping readjust to life after the attack she survived. Her life is also occupied with guiding her two children, her youngest at William W. Hall Academy in Capitol Heights, and her oldest at Suitland High School.

As such, it was a full month before returning to work at The Pentagon. Two of her colleagues had minor physical injuries when the ceiling collapsed, but the psychological and emotional injuries were far deeper and longer lasting. Two of the individuals that perished in the attack were library visitors, but she only vaguely remembers them.

Part of April’s re-adjustment was to forego any participation or attendance at memorial services, and she indicated she has not visited The Pentagon or the memorial outside. She had a former coworker from that time with whom she communicates regularly.

As the events of September 11 sink deeper into the pages of calendars gone by, April has been moving ahead with her life, and finding success. After returning to The Pentagon, she ultimately transferred to positions at the U.S. Census Bureau followed by the Library of Congress.

Currently, April is employed as a general contractor to the federal government as an office manager with the Job Corps. She is also an administrative assistant for a nonprofit, “Youth on the Rise,” based in Charles County, an organization that provides guidance and life skills to teens.

As we have learned with many other survivors of that day, April’s readjustment wasn’t easy. The sound of airplanes and helicopters would too often bring back a flood of memories of that morning – as if she were there again. She avoids sitting in front of a TV, watching news constantly. April has learned that during a period of deep emotional and social trauma, being active is extremely important to stave off depression. The first six months were difficult; however, in June 2002, she began to re-enter what she considers a normal and regular life and travel once again by airplane.

The former Pentagon employee has strong memories of that day, particularly when seeing the structure in passing. The passage of twenty years has not clarified her understanding of the response to that day, particularly, as she observes the turmoil of current events; “I don’t fully understand or completely know what is happening.” Probably the most important lessons learned from that day – “Those that care will bring change. Those that don't will not change or bring change… There was good will at the beginning and then it ended as the ‘blame game’ began."

Despite this, while adversity will always be present, we cannot become overwhelmed by it., "Our leaders are human; so, errors will occur. We must acknowledge their mistakes, but beyond that we cannot do more.” Encouraging everyone to stay positive, be prepared and keep moving forward is her philosophy. As she reminds us, “There is hope in the midst of all that transpired.”