story3508.xml
Title
story3508.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
I was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world when I heard the startling ring of the telephone. I had a fever and hadn't been feeling well, so I had taken the day off from school. I figured I wasn't going to miss anything, and from what I had collected the previous day, my classes would be quite uneventful. I was none to pleased to be rudely awakened from my slumber. I remember cursing out the phone as I picked up the receiver, and grumbling out a "h'lo?"
It was the voice of my sister, but it had a wavering and shaky tone that concerned me.
"Are you alright?" I quickly replied. I thought she might have been in an accident or something, since she normally would be at classes that day. I remember what she said next quite clearly.
"I think we're under attack. Terrorists have attacked New York and Washington, turn on the news!"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but the rest of the conversation was brief. She just wanted to call to let my family know not to worry about her, and that Philadelphia hadn't been targeted. I ran into my room and turned on the radio. Every station was saying the same thing. I heard a brief conference from our President before I ran to turn on the T.V. It felt so strange watching the billowing smoke from a WTC. I couldn't take my eyes off the TV. I wondered what my classmates were doing a few miles away at school. I felt so alone. Nothing I saw seemed real???but it was real, and now I'm tired of it. The media has beaten the subject to death. Today as a school-wide event I was forced to watch CNN's coverage of September 11th - again. Over the past week the only thing I've seen all over the TV Guide is September 11th coverage. I do recall children experts claiming that we should be cautious about how much our youth is viewing regarding the tragedy. How can this be achieved when the horrors are aired twenty four seven all over the network? When is enough, enough? I feel for the victims of the families. I feel for the people of New York. But everyone needs to find closure and move on with their lives, never forgetting the mistakes we made and with the resolve to never let something of this magnitude happen again.
It was the voice of my sister, but it had a wavering and shaky tone that concerned me.
"Are you alright?" I quickly replied. I thought she might have been in an accident or something, since she normally would be at classes that day. I remember what she said next quite clearly.
"I think we're under attack. Terrorists have attacked New York and Washington, turn on the news!"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but the rest of the conversation was brief. She just wanted to call to let my family know not to worry about her, and that Philadelphia hadn't been targeted. I ran into my room and turned on the radio. Every station was saying the same thing. I heard a brief conference from our President before I ran to turn on the T.V. It felt so strange watching the billowing smoke from a WTC. I couldn't take my eyes off the TV. I wondered what my classmates were doing a few miles away at school. I felt so alone. Nothing I saw seemed real???but it was real, and now I'm tired of it. The media has beaten the subject to death. Today as a school-wide event I was forced to watch CNN's coverage of September 11th - again. Over the past week the only thing I've seen all over the TV Guide is September 11th coverage. I do recall children experts claiming that we should be cautious about how much our youth is viewing regarding the tragedy. How can this be achieved when the horrors are aired twenty four seven all over the network? When is enough, enough? I feel for the victims of the families. I feel for the people of New York. But everyone needs to find closure and move on with their lives, never forgetting the mistakes we made and with the resolve to never let something of this magnitude happen again.
Collection
Citation
“story3508.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 8, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/18938.