I HAD CONTACT WITH some families directly affected by the Pentagon crash. It was on Saturday, September 15, at the U.S. Department of Defense Family Assistance Center in Crystal City, Va., less than a mile from the Pentagon. People had a variety of reactions, ranging from feeling numb over the sudden loss, to feeling angry and agitated, to feeling sad.

One person who lost his brother described being upset over statements about killing the people who engineered this crash. He said that he didn't want other families to have to go through the pain and loss that his family was suffering. I witnessed a lot of courage among these families. . . .

I was also impressed by the way the military and all of the volunteer organizations worked together to support these families. . . .The therapy dogs were a nice addition to the center, providing warmth and comfort to the people in distress.

    —Lisa McCurry, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md.