REMEMBERING 9/11/01

REMEMBERING:

SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK



 

MY EXPIRENCE

 

On the day of September 11th, 2001, I was being dropped off to my 4th grade class in Rahway, North New Jersey. I was running a little late that morning, as the bell rings at 8:48 each day. My teacher, Ms. Valerie Wagenhoffer, had a close relationship with my family, and would never be mad that I was running a little late.

 

What a day to be late- around 8:49, I am about to hop out the car, when the programming on my favorite car radio station, Z-100 (100.3FM) announced that the world trade center just collapsed. My dad screams "what?" and I continue on to my class, not really worried about his last comment.

 

I get into class, and there is pandemonium everywhere I turn. Teachers, rushing students into seats, secretaries, stopping by each classroom and talking to teachers, and kids, just sitting there in quiet not really sure what is going on. Around 9:30, the Principal gets on the intercom and announced that our country is currently under attack. 13 years later, I can agree, that was all my fellow classmates needed to hear.

 

For the two hour, Ms. Wagenhoffer and the students sat in complete silence. No one asked her what was going on, and she probably didn't even know how to explain it. The principal notified us when a second plane crashed in the Pentagon. The Principal notified us that the second Twin Tower collapsed. The Principal even made sure to announce that the President of the United States, George H. Bush, was no where to be found (I learned at a young age that we lived in a very Democratic pro city.)

 

Secretaries were in their office calling parents. Parents were calling and taking their kids out of school. Around 12pm, I was finally picked up by my father.

 

My mother worked at a hospital in North New Jersey, a town overlooking the New York Skyline. We did not know much, but we know that we were about to go retrieve my mother. We hopped on the New Jersey parkway, where the smoke was in full vision. It looked like we were driving closer, and closer. We were able to retrieve my mother by 2pm and bring her home in safety.

 

There is one thing besides the smoke that I will never forget about that car ride. In a total of a 25 minute drive, 7 exits up the parkway, we saw, in total, three cars. Yes, three cars. In a state of 7 Million people. That's when I realize that we were seriously in trouble in America.

 

The rest of the day is pretty much a blur to me. I am happy I was old enough to remember even half of the day, with time frames.  I did watch the President's speech. I don't remember what he said, I just remember it was at 7pm.

 

Once school started up again, I found out we had three classmates that lost immediate family to the incident at the World Trade Center. Three students in a room of 30 felt like 100. Our hearts went out immediately to those students, one who is still a great friend of mine to date.

 

I will honestly never forget September 11th, 2001. There was honestly nothing like witnessing it in the forefront.