story10629.xml

story10629.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-06-02

I am a college student who in 2001, only had classes on Monday, Wednesday's and Friday's. So on Tuesday, the 11th, I was sleeping in. I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. When I answered, I remember looking at the clock and noting that it was 9:00am central time. I picked up the phone and it was a representative from the Army trying to get me to join. After I politely declined, I decided to turn on the TV to watch Regis and Kelly. What I saw instead when I turned on that TV was the terrifying imnages of the terrorist attacks. I had no clue what was going on until I read the captions under the pictures. They said that it was an attack on NY and DC. I immediatly picked up the phone to call my mom who was at work in St. Louis. The phone never rang on either end. She was on the line as I picked it up. She was trying to call me exactly when I called her. We talked about what had happened before hanging up. I settled in front of the TV in the living room to watch the coverage. I saw the people waving from the remaining tower (the first tower had already collapsed). I remember praying that they'd make it out as I went to get a drink of water. By the time I came back to the TV, the second tower had collapsed. The reporter then mentioned that there were as many as 11 planes still up in the air and unaccounted for. I was terrified as I lived very close to a large city. I was scared that St. Louis would be next. My mom came home soon there after and we watched more of the coverage. Finally, needing to get out for awhile, I went for a drive. As I drove down a busy street, I noticed that someone had parked their truck on the side of the road and had a large American Flag hanging out the back. That's when it first struck me that this day would be one that I would never forget.

I haven't forgotten it. I pray for the victims and the country all the time. I have a flag hanging on the wall of my room. I wear shirts with American Flag's on it at least once a week. I am so proud and so thankful to be an American.

God Bless this wonderful country.