10 years ago. It doesn't seem possible. It's still just as sad today. The events are still just as real, as if they happened only recently. The sadness and tragedy of that day still in my mind. Those of us who witnessed that event will never forget.
My memories of that day, can be summed up in one word: Confusion.
Confusion about what was happening and confusion, apparently, over what exactly happened that day for me.
Summed up in a diary entry from a 13-year-old me 1 month after the events trying to make sense of it all, remembering..
I'm still confused over my memories of this day. In general, I remember where I was when I heard the news and generally what happened. As my diary entry says, I remember first hearing about what happened over the radio around 7AM MST which would have been 9AM EST. Which meant I couldn't have seen the plane actually hit or been in school when it hit. It must have been shortly after the 2nd plane hit that I heard the news. Perhaps I really only did see the footage and think I had actually witnessed. I was still at home though and perhaps the news was on and I saw what happened. The day was just a day of confusion anyways.
In honor of the 10th anniversary, my new college asked for written stories about that day as part of a tribute. The following is what I submitted by with edits by me after studying the timeline of the days events and figuring out where I was when they actually happened:
"I remember this day quite vividly. It started out another normal school day for me except that it didn't turn out to be just another school day. I was in 8th grade and was getting ready to walk to school when my mom called. She worked on Holloman Air Force base and was already at work. My dad answered the phone since he was still home. My dad also worked on base as a Elementary PE teacher and was sitting at our computer desk working on some things before he left for work. My mom told us to turn on the TV because something had happened in New York City to the Twin Towers. She was calling because the base was on lock down. No one was allowed in and that meant my dad wasn't going to be able to get in to work that day. I remember turning on the TV and just watching in confusion and shock. I didn't understand what was going on at the time. I vaguely remember finishing getting ready and then just standing there by the couch with my eyes fixed on the TV screen. My dad and I were just transfixed. I just remember he kept saying "Wow. That's terrible." in shock and disbelief. I remember looking at the clock and saying that I needed to get going. My dad said he'd take me since he couldn't get into work. I remember him leaving the TV on while he drove me to school. Since we didn't live that far away from the school, it didn't take that long for me to get there. He dropped me off and I remember walking outside to the table area where my friends were waiting. Already they were talking about what was happening though none of us really knew what was going on. [I also remember that during this conversation that someone mentioned the Pentagon being hit too] I remember it was during this conversation that one of the names of a 6th grader came up. I remember of my friends saying something about his stepfather being in one of the planes. We were still discussing when the bell rang and we headed in to our classrooms. The teachers had the TVs on the classrooms (We had them for our daily annoucements) and were watching the news coverage when we walked in. During homeroom (first hour for us), we just sat watching in shock. By now we all knew something serious was going on. We didn't do anything that morning except watch the news coverage. We were all watching the TV when we saw the plane hit the second tower. [It was actually the 1st tower collapsing that we saw] I remember all of us crying out in shock. I remember my teacher, Mr. Nohe crying "Oh my!"; a cry that was echoed up and down the hallway.[A repeat reaction when we saw the second tower collapse only even more terrifying and tragic]. I remember the teachers gathering in the hallways just talking in shock ;teachers flitting in and out of the classrooms. The whole day was just more shock and confusion. Throughout the whole day, we listened to most of the news coverage in almost every classroom. Teachers tried to proceed with the normal planned lessons but I remember we didn't accomplish a whole lot. Throughout the day, many students were also signed out. I was an office aide during 3rd hour and remember taking many sign out slips to classrooms that day. At lunch that day, my friends and I discussed what was going on. That afternoon was pretty much the same as the morning. The teachers tried to go on with the days lessons as normally as they possibly could. It was almost like the rest of the day didn't matter. I remember sitting in 7th hour, my last class of the day, Communications,watching the news coverage when the towers collapsed [It was actually the 7 World Trade Center building that collapsed]. Again, gasps and shocked cries rang throughout the room and hallway. I don't remember much else of that day. I don't even remember if I walked home or not. I just remember going home and being with my family. I remember my mom calling her relatives and my brother to see how they were doing. No one we knew was personally in New York but because of what happened, people wanted their families. It was just a day where family became important. A day where our patriotism was tested and we fought back. I remember flags flying everywhere after that day. I remember writing a poem to express my feelings. I remember my middle school as a whole taking on a challenge to have the teachers doing something out of character for them (like a Bronco's fan wearing a Dallas Cowboys Jersey when he really didn't like them; teachers temprorily dying their hair, etc.) if we as a school raised enough money to donate to the relief fund (which we did). Life as we knew it was changed that day. Nothing would ever be the same. I will never forget that day."
And I haven't forgotten. It was a day that changed our lives forever. Things will never be the way they were before. The innocence we once had is gone.
September 11, 2001: We will never forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment