story6009.xml

story6009.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

My name is Maritza M. Moreno, and I'm a sophomore at Houston Baptist University. Last September, school had started about a week and a half before, and I was an excited freshman in hopes of a successful year. I didn't have any class on the 11th, so I decided to sleep in a bit later than usual. I remember I had planned to relax that day and spend some time with my mom. When I woke up, I turned on the television to see if there was anything worth watching. Little did I know I would be watching a life changing event. I remember seeing the Twin Towers spewing flames and smoke and thought, who would make such a horrible movie? Within a minute or two I realized it wasn't a movie and began to feel very ill. I tried to call my mom, but was paralyzed by the shock. Then I screamed as I heard the news reporter shriek with horror that Tower 2 was crumbling. Within a few seconds it had fallen down completely. Then Tower 1. Then I heard about the Pentagon. I began to just cry and cry while trying to pray for God's protection. I immediately felt that Houston could be in serious danger. All the energy and oil companies and refineries, and NASA's mission control - striking Houston would affect the whole nation's power. Who would do this? Why? I started calling my loved ones. My sister was at work near downtown which was being evacuated and didn't even know about it. My dad and boyfriend were also at work and decided to just stay put. So, my mom and I sat there together praying intensely as we cried and held each other. I couldn't get rid of the images of people jumping from the towers to their death. I tried to imagine what it must be like to have to decide which way you'd rather die. My parent's had lived in NYC for many years. It was where they met, where they married, where my sister was born. My parent's had seen the Twin Towers from the beginning of their construction. It was just a nightmare come true. It was so surreal at the same time. I remember crying for weeks, as I saw the stories of the victims, and the heroes, and the survivors who could not understand their fate, and struggled between feeling lucky and feeling guilty about having survived. Although the WTC victims touched my heart, as did the Pentagon victims, I have to admit that the passengers of flight 93 kept me up for days. They were the only ones who knew their fate that day. The only ones who were able to fight back. They are true heroes. Civilians who acted like soldiers, laying down thier lives in hopes of saving a national landmark and the people who would be affected by another attack. How could they find the strentgh to call their family, tell them what was happening, what they resolved to do and say good-bye, all in the face of death. I felt that they were more than just victims, they were martyrs, as were the firemen and the policemen in New York and Washington DC. Every person became a friend and a loved one to me, and I grieved them the same way I would have if I had known them. I still hurt and try to tear the anger and hate from my heart, so that I do not become like those who hit us where it hurt the most. I didn't really like President Bush when he first got elected, but I learned to respect him and admire him that day, and the days that followed. He was more than just a leader, he was one of us. He didn't show fear, but did express his sorrow openly. He wasn't ashamed to cry or pray in public as most people were. This tragedy not only brought us together, but it actually gave us a greater sense of the meaning of freedom. It set us free from political correctness. We all prayed in our own way without feeling that someone would object, although some did - it didn't matter. Our families became closer, and we made sure to express our feelings openly so that if our fragile lives ever came to a sudden halt, everyone would know the real us. I think our triumph was so much greater than our defeat, and hope that we can stay united and not forget this important lesson. Americans ARE vulnerable, we are not IMMORTAL, our FREEDOM is PRECIOUS.