On Sunday, Andrew turned 10 years old, and now he's famous. Our local paper did a news article on his birth for the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. He had a great time with the interview. We've been getting comments from everybody, especially at the school.
We think that the picture is really funny. I call it "We only let him inside on special occasions". The photographer was having a hard time getting us all in the shot with the good light coming in from the front window. So he told Ben to go outside, and stand right there. I was just sure that they would crop the picture in really tight so you couldn't notice, but no.
But we really loved the story, and we're so glad that Andrew was born that day. I think it makes him even more special than he already is. We knew he was born to be great. Many important spirits both came and left that day. I can't wait to see what he does in his life!
Here's a copy of the article:
Sept. 11 changed family's life
Birthday child: Andrew Kazmierski.
Parents: Ben and Kristi Kazmierski.
School: Meadowlark fourth-grader.
Born: 5:01 p.m., Sept. 11, 2001.
Interests: Art, football, wrestling, golf and drums.
Siblings: Haley, 15; Joey, 6; Grace, 5; and Matthew, 3.
Kristi Kazmierski went into labor with her second child early on Sept. 11, 2001. When she got to St. Vincent Healthcare, she called her mother who told her she should turn on the television.
“What channel?” Kristi asked.
“Any channel,” her mother told her.
Not long after she and her husband, Ben, began watching, they saw a second plane go into the World Trade Center’s south tower.
She wondered when it all would stop.
Even with a major moment in history happening around the Kazmierskis, the birth of their son took precedence.
“It was a very emotional day and it was exciting to welcome him into the world,” Kristi said.
Still, they knew the world they brought their son into had changed.
Kristi’s father, Jerry Manley, was an air traffic controller at the Billings airport, but was off that day. His job would never be the same.
When she was growing up, Kristi and her siblings used to go to the tower to watch air shows, but after the terrorist attacks, guests to the tower were tightly restricted.
Ben knew that the terrorist attacks would mean that his siblings, all in the U.S. Air Force at one time or another, would be deployed.
His sister, a physician, and her husband, a pilot, both have been deployed at the same time. Their son lived with the Kazmierskis last year for a few months while his parents were serving in the Air Force.
Ben, who was 25 in 2001, even seriously considered joining the military himself after Sept. 11. But with two young children, an established career and a new house, he didn’t feel like he could.
Another thing that’s changed is the loss of a sense of security they once had about their lives, the couple said.
At the same time, they feel lucky to have the freedoms they have in the United States.
Andrew, who has short, dark hair, was dressed in long jean shorts, striped polo shirt and was barefoot on a warm summer day.
He took an interest in a visitor’s questions and was eager to talk about his special day.
He can tell you that terrorists hijacked planes Sept. 11, 2001, and flew them into the World Trade Center twin towers and into the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. A fourth plane, which may have been headed toward the White House or the U.S. Capitol, was brought down by passengers in Pennsylvania.
Kristi and Ben have talked with Andrew a lot about what happened that day so he understands the reaction he gets when he tells people his birthday date.
“Usually it’s a gasp,” Kristi said.
“On his birthday, his teachers usually have asked him to talk about the day he was born as well as share treats with his classmates,” Kristi said.
While the day 10 years ago was horrific, “It’s good to remember that good things happened that day, too,” Kristi said looking at her son.
