nmah3150.xml

nmah3150.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

On September 11, 2001 I was sitting in Spanish class, eagerly awaiting the bell to sound so I could go to my next class. Five minutes before the bell sounded, our principal, Mr. Healey, came on over the PA and told the entire school that he had an extremely important announcement The first thought that popped into my head was that someone had brought a gun or other weapon to school; the gravity in Mr. Healey's voice told me that something was not right. He then told us that an airplane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers (World Trade Center). I was in shock. The bell rang and I went to my next class- band. There, Mr. Carnohan let us listen to the radio, where we learned about the second Twin Tower and the Pentagon being hit. Towards the end of class we learned about the heroes who diverted one plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. I had to call my mom. She works at Coast Guard Headquarters, right next to the Pentagon. Was she hurt? I tried calling on my cell phone, but "all circuits were busy." I was so afraid. I left school that day, eager to get home as soon as possible. But when I got into the parking lot, I found that I had left my lights on, so my car was dead. September 11 was the only day I have ever left my lights on...

My life has definitely changed because of September 11, 2001. My parents now both work under the Department of Homeland Defense instead of the Department of Transportation. For the first few months after September 11, my parents wouldn't let me go out to crowded places such as King's Dominion or Washington DC. But as the year has come full circle, I realize, like President Bush, that we cannot let the events, however horrible, rule our lives. We are Americans. United we stand. We will continue to live our lives, with a dedicated remembrance, but with a passion to live each day to its fullest.

Each man
Each woman
Each child
...Each hero...

I, like so many other Americans, put a flag sticker on my car to show my pride for America. I flew a flag outside my house. That sticker is still on my car and that flag is still flying. Pre-September 11, the flag always had the connotation of independence for me- the Fourth of July, most prominantly. Now, I think of the flag in terms of unity. The image of people on the streets, with joined hands, candles lit, and flags flying is burned into my memory forever. Ironically, I believe that independence is stressed more now than ever. Our independence from letting terrorism rule our lives is extremely important. United We Stand. But our flag not only shows our unity- it shows our pride, our steadfastness, our hope that justice will prevail, and por supuesto- our independence.