story11799.xml
Title
story11799.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2005-09-07
911DA Story: Story
On September 11, 2001 I was in Bethlehem, PA. I had just begun my first semester in Seminary. I remembered that day being a clear day...with Carolina Blue skies. It was cooler that morning and the air felt clean and unpolluted.
Later that morning, I was in Old Testament class. We had just completed our break when only 1/2 class returned. Suddenly several people rushed into the classroom and announced that a plane had hit one of the world trade center towers. We attempted to pull the news up online in the sattelite classroom...to no avail.
As we walked into the (SAAL) the news was being displayed on a huge screen that covered most of the wall. As we entered the room we saw the second plane hit. It looked like some Bruce Willis Hollywood movie. Even though there was a distinct sign that said "LIVE" it still didn't register with me that it was LIVE and not some horror movie.
We sat together as a community for the entire day. Most of us sitting on the floor. The person who sat beside me was from Canada. He was blind and his seeing-eye-dog sat with his head in lap...as if trying to console me. I attempted to describe what I saw on the screen. But my friend seemed to understand what was going on without me saying a word.
I will always remember the shock, the sadness, the tears, and the comfort of that community. I had never been that far away from home...and oddly enough...experiencing that day together bonded our community.
Just like the song..."Where were you when the World Stop Turning"...I will always remember where I was the day the world stop turning...on that September day.
Later that morning, I was in Old Testament class. We had just completed our break when only 1/2 class returned. Suddenly several people rushed into the classroom and announced that a plane had hit one of the world trade center towers. We attempted to pull the news up online in the sattelite classroom...to no avail.
As we walked into the (SAAL) the news was being displayed on a huge screen that covered most of the wall. As we entered the room we saw the second plane hit. It looked like some Bruce Willis Hollywood movie. Even though there was a distinct sign that said "LIVE" it still didn't register with me that it was LIVE and not some horror movie.
We sat together as a community for the entire day. Most of us sitting on the floor. The person who sat beside me was from Canada. He was blind and his seeing-eye-dog sat with his head in lap...as if trying to console me. I attempted to describe what I saw on the screen. But my friend seemed to understand what was going on without me saying a word.
I will always remember the shock, the sadness, the tears, and the comfort of that community. I had never been that far away from home...and oddly enough...experiencing that day together bonded our community.
Just like the song..."Where were you when the World Stop Turning"...I will always remember where I was the day the world stop turning...on that September day.
Collection
Citation
“story11799.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 9, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/15138.