I was working in Leeds, UK. Someone came to get me and said there was something on TV that I needed to see but did not give me any other details. Since I was in a hospital we went to the doctor's lounge where there was a television. I couldn't believe my eyes. All I wanted to do was call home and go home. Of course, I could do neither.
After I got back to my hotel I walked a couple of blocks to a wine shop and bought 2 bottles. I think I drank more than one of them that evening. Staff at the hotel and hospital could not have been more helpful and accommodating and I will always be grateful. I was scheduled to fly back home on 9/13 from Manchester. Of course, that was not going to happen.
I took a train to Manchester and camped out at a terrible little hotel so that I could trek to the airport every day to see if I could get on a flight. The hotel only really had 2 channels on the TV - BBC and CNN. By the 3rd day I was getting really depressed and I called for a taxi. I asked to be taken to a mall, any mall just so I could be with people who were doing something "normal."
While I was at the mall I bought a plain white t-shirt. Then I went into one of those accessory stores and bought a large patch of the US flag that I then sewed to the front of the shirt.
Finally, on 9/18 I was able to get on a flight back to the US wearing my shirt with the flag on it. I still have the shirt and have never worn it since.
RIP indeed.