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#2492 | Friday, September 13th 2002
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On September 11, 2001, just as the first plane hit the world trade center, i was sitting in my speech and debate classroom, hanging out with friends and watching the news. We saw it happen. Gasps and stifled cries ran through the room. A few 'oh my god's were said, as we ran out to find and tell friends.
I was late to my first class. Walking in, with tears streaming down my face, i was the one who told my class, my teacher, what had happened. We turned on the radio, and sat, and listened. We listened as the other plane hit. A man was interviewing a woman on the radio, right near the towers. Suddenly, a rumble was heard, the radio cut off, then back on, and we could hear her scream 'oh my god. we're going to die.'
That was when the first tower fell. The radio cut off again, leaving us stunned.
As my first class ended, and my second class was to start, i headed to the principal's office. I was one of two students to do the morning announcements every moring. Our principal took us aside, and asked us to sound cheerful, and to act as though nothing was wrong. Most of the student body didn't know anything was out of the ordinary, and they were getting students whose family members worked in the WTC out of class before anything was announced.
It was the hardest thing i ever had to do in my life.
You see, my father was flying home that morning. And we didn't know anything, except that planes were being flown into buildings.
I went to my second class, and called home sobbing. We didn't know anything.
Third class came and went, and our teacher demanded that we work on our classwork, but we'd seen students being taken through the halls, crying. One of my friends had a sister who was interning in the WTC, another, a father who worked there on the weekdays.
Every chance we got, we snagged computers throughout the day, sitting, staring in horror at what had happened. Though a plane had already hit the pentagon, and Flight 93 had gone down, rumours circulated the rest of the day. Were they going to hit the White House? Philadelphia? Baltimore?
Watching the TV, waiting, we all prayed. People would burst into tears in the middle of class at random moments.
And the TVs were on--every one the school had. They had taken the televisions into the cafeteria during lunch. Very few people ate that day. And the halls were dead silent, except for the sounds of people crying, and comforting, and the shuffling of feet and papers. Many people went home early that day, and all activities after school were called off.
My father is okay. His plane was diverted to Houston, and he was stuck for a few days. He drove back home to St. Louis with his boss.
As i drove home after school, i kept the radio on, in fear that something else would be hit.
That night, we went to a prayer service held by our local church.
I had nightmares that night.
The next day, i went early to pick up a paper, and started crying all over again. The number of dead, the senseless terror. I think the most horrible part..was the picture on front of the paper that showed the people leaping from the windows high above where the planes had hit.
Our principal wouldn't allow us to hang up "God Bless America" signs, because of the seperation of church and state. We did anyway, even though they kept getting torn down. I don't really think he cared.
The way that all of New York City changed, they way they cared, and came together, shocked the whole world. I think that in many ways, this attack was a blessing as much as a tragedy. People learned how to give again, how to care. I gave hundreds of dollars the next two weeks. For the Relief funds, Backstoppers, anything and everything. Being terrified of needles, i didn't want to give blood. Giving money, in some ways, was better, more useful.
We organized drives for medicine, clothing, food--anything that would help the efforts in NYC. We adopted a sister school, the NYC High School of Education and Finance. And in the spring, we flew out two of their students for our Academic Pep Assembly, to show them our love and support.
I never was really proud of being an American. Yes, i loved the politics of our country. I liked the opportunities given to me, but i was never really grateful to be an American citizen. I am now. I fly an American flag, and i mean the words when i sing the Star Spangled Banner. And by God, the Pledge of Allegiance should be left alone, the way it was.
I am an American.
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Emily | 18 | Missouri
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#2445 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
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were was i i was i was home with my family when we heard the sad news are hearts go out to the familys that lost their lives in a sad way i lost my cosion in the wrold trade center i cryed so much and still do the pain will leave my heart of my mind can't black it out no matter what a pice of me is gone to those who lost love and famly.
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tressa | 18 | Florida
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#2439 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
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i remember i woke up that morning, i was a senior in high school. i didn't feel well that day so i was home on the couch watching "good morning america". when all of a sudden they told us of the report of the plane hitting the first tower and cut out to show the footage. then while showing that, another plane hit. i remember starting to cry. and then becoming angry. then the reports began to talk about the pentagon and the other plane that was over pennsylvania which later crashed. i spent the whole day trying to get in touch with my father who worked in the north jersey. but cell phones were shut down in that area. it was a horrible day which i'll never forget.
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*nora* | 18 | Pennsylvania
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#2438 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
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It was my senior year in high school and I was in my physics class. My teacher's beeper went off and he looked at it for a really long time while his face kept getting paler. Then there was a knock on the door and he stepped into the hall. We could hear him talking with another teacher and someone else crying while the rest of us just looked around the room and asked each other what we thought was wrong. Then he came back into the room and said;” You probably will hear more about this later but a plane has crashed into the world trade center".
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Rishonda | 18 | Virginia
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#2417 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
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At the time of the First Plane hitting the world trade center i was boarding a plane headed for Spain. As the second plane hit we were ready for take off!!
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Victoria | 18 | United Kingdom
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