nmah5699.xml

nmah5699.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-10

I live in South Carolina, but will never forget that day as long as i live. I was at the University of SC at the time and was in my dorm taking my usual break in between my classes. I turned on the tv, which is something i never do at that time of morning, just in time to see the second plane crash into the towers. My roommate and I just stood there in horror as we watched it unfold before us and i remember thinking this has to be a bad dream and i will wake up at any second. We stayed glued to the tv until it was time for class again, where we watched some more because quite a few of my classmates were from NYC. One even had a family member who worked in the school that was not far from the towers. I remember them trying every cell phone that they could get their hands on and not being able to get through. Just the terrified looks on their faces made you feel so helpless. Classes were not cancelled that day though you could miss if need be, but it seemed like everyone was trying to get away from the endless news coverage. The state house is not far from the college and i remember everyone was very nervous about walking to classes. They still even held football practice that day, but everytime a plane flew over, everyone would look up at it, then look at each other as if they didn't know what to say. I will never, ever forget sept. 11th, the horrors we witnessed, the anguish we felt, and the utter sense of hopeless we had to face being thousands of miles away.

My life has changed since sept. 11. For a while there, I was afraid to go into elevators or tall buildings, my mind flashing back to the falling towers, or the planes crashing into them. People were alot more cautious around school, work, even the grocery store as if we expected the United States to fall apart at any moment. I think we came together more as a country and i feel a certain amount of pride everytime i see a firefighter or policeman, or see the red, white, and blue fluttering in the breeze.

I think that the heroes of that fateful day should be the ones to be remembered as well as the innocent victims that lives were cut short. We should not focus so much on the fact that this was a terroist attack, but reflect on the people's lives that were changed by this tragedy and the ones that were able to survive thanks to brave men and women who risked their lives doing the very thing that they loved. It takes alot of courage to go into a building that you know could possibly be that last one with the intent to save someone's life, even if it means that you have to give up yours.

I personally did not fly one after sept. 11th. I watched everyone else pull out the flag, or go run out and buy one, but to me, the flag has always flown in my heart. I still watch it proudly whenever i see one, fluttering in the breeze, and think of the one that was hoisted high above ground zero. It is a symbol of freedom, of people willing to sacrifice their lives to help a total stranger. It is a symbol of hope for all americans.