By Danette Gamble, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

Today, I wear an old Ed McCaffrey football jersey. Ed has been retired for a while, but he will always be a part of my life. Unfortunately, it isn’t a good memory. Sorry about that Ed. Not your fault.

On Monday night, September 10, 2001, the Denver Broncos played their first game of the season on Monday Night Football. I went to a neighbor’s house to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and cheese and to watch the game. It was, after all, the first game of the season!

I had on my favorite player’s jersey, McCaffrey, and was proudly wearing his #87. During the game, in a sort of freakish accident, McCaffrey broke his leg. Although he tried to make a comeback the next year, his broken leg was not only a season-ending injury, but a career-ending injury, as well.

Bummed out and disheartened by his injury, I wore the jersey to bed that night.

A little before 8:00am on Tuesday, September 11, my neighbor called. The first thing he asked was where my daughter was staying in New York City. She had been sent there by her company to give a seminar and I had mentioned it while watching the game the night before. Half awake, I mumbled “One Financial Plaza.” My neighbor told me I should turn on my television.

I did. And, a minute didn’t pass before I watched in horror as the second plane hit the other tower.

For over eight hours, I frantically kept pushing the redial button to try and contact my daughter. Finally, I tried the answer service for the umpteenth time and a tiny little voice could be heard through the loud crackling. “I’m okay, Mom! I’m okay.”

The people of New York City took care of my daughter for the next three days. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart with a letter that was published in the New York Times.

Back to today—I’m getting a bit of grief today because I’m wearing a Denver Broncos jersey here in Kansas City; however, I wear it today to honor those who perished by the hands of mad men. I wear it to be thankful that my daughter survived. I wear it to remember Ed McCaffrey—a good man, a good player, and a good role model, who will forever be connected in my mind to horror.

How sad and how tragic that bad people can destroy good memories in just a “New York minute.”