September 11th, 2001. Seriously who can really forget that day? I remember as a senior in high school heading to my computer class & before the bell had even rung, my teacher was frantically telling us that the Twin Towers were under attack. I was thinking, 'What is she talking about?!?!' Then she found an old school radio in class & turned on the news. I heard two guys just screaming, telling us that one of the buildings was just hit by a plane. Then minutes later the 2nd building was hit. The class didn't know what to do except look at each other & listen in on the radio.
When I was younger, I used to go with my family to the WTC buildings all the time. Any time an out-of-towner family member(s) came to visit, that was one of the first places we'd take them to our NYC day trip. I remember looking down at the tiny cars & people, taking tons of family photos, & going to the penny machines & thinking 'Wow how does this work?'. To think that I couldn't go back to visit & relive those moments again was just so unreal.
After class, I headed to the cafeteria for lunch. Everyone was talking about it, almost like it was the latest juiciest gossip to hit school. To be hoenst, the reality of what happened still didn't hit me. That was until I looked over to a lunch table & saw a classmate of mine crying. Her father worked in one of the buildings & she had no idea where he was & if he was ok. I just saw her bawling histerically & everyone around her trying to comfort her, telling her to have faith. It was then when I thought, 'Omg who could do this & why?!?'
I also remember heading to the auditorium later that day for Study Hall. My teacher Mr. Smith told all of us to leave our cell phones on, regardless of what school policies were being enforced. He told us many people who were trapped in the buildings are randoming dialing numbers, trying to find help. Then in Spanish class, I remember my teacher being so distraught & emotional. She said it was ridiculous to not inform us as to what was going on & eventually gave us all the details she knew at that point. That whole day was somber & confusing, I just wanted to go home & be with my family.
We weren't let out early from school but I do remember getting home & then seeing images of the planes & buildings for the first time on TV. I felt like I was watching one of those action flick disaster movies. To see so many people hurt & affected, I couldn't even describe my mixed feelings.
September 11th, 2011.. now ten years later, I'm reliving the moments I felt that tragic day. Unfortunately, we will never be able to change what had happened.. But we can definitely continue to pray & send positive thoughts to everyone who was affected.. to the people who lost their lives.. to the people who lost their loved ones.. to the people who fought for that day & to the people who are still fighting. We will never forget..
