story3114.xml

story3114.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was up all night studying for a chemistry test, and I hadn't been asleep yet. I decided to turn on the news (b/c that's the only channel I got in my room) to get a break from Vascal's Principle and atomic theories. In the middle of the newscast, they cut to a shot of my hometown...New York City. It took me a minute to realize what was going on, but there it was. Someone had the nerve to destruct our nation with our own planes. I couldn't tell if I was more angry or upset. That whole day, all I did was try and get a hold of my family up north, and we all know how impossible that was. I was thinking of all the worst, but hoping for the best. 3 days later, I finally got a phone call through, and it turned out that everyone in my family was alright. One of my Uncles, who worked in the trade center was overseas on a business trip. Another uncle who is a firefighter for Lower Manhattan was fine, but most of his ladder company was not that lucky. And my cousin, who is a cop for the NYPD, was able to make it out with only minor injuries...his partner was not that lucky.
That day is definitely a day that will live in infamy with all of us...especially my genereation. For my grandparents, they will always remember where they were and what they were doing at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For my parents, they will always remember exactly where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. But there is no doubt in my mind that I will always remember that moment when every emotion possible rushed through my body.
I've come to believe that one of the only things that got me through that day were my friends. I was unable to get in touch with my family, and that is the scariest feeling in the world.
September 11, 2001 was a horrific and tragic day for our nation. And no matter how much hatred we feel towards opposing nations, and although it greatly upsets me that it took something like this to bring our nation together, all I hope for is a stand of unity and a sense of peace...at least today.
My heart bleeds for everyone out there that lost a loved one. Just know that they, in their own way, served their country well and died an incredible heroic death. It was completely unfair, but they will forever be heroes in my mind. Love and peace to all.