story565.xml

story565.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-05-08

I almost feel as though I shouldn't be writing anything on this page for the simple fact that I wasn't there. I didn't see those people falling to the ground below. I didn't lose anyone in the tragedy, but in a sense we all lost brothers and sisters. The brothers and sisters that the good Lord above granted us. I've read a couple of the stories and have cried through all of them. It's a tragic thing. I can't imagine any one of God's creatures, whether you believe in him or not, having so much hate for another person or group of people that it would cause an event that shook up our great nation. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. I do, however, want to show all who read this that even though many of us weren't there, we ALL felt the horror of those who watched this tragic even first hand. Here is how I found out.
There was a really odd feeling going through the halls of the high school that morning. The light chatter that's always there when something major happens. I get into the classroom where about 5 or 6 other students have already come in and are talking about it. The T.V. gets turned on only minutes after it'd had happened. The smoke alone coming from the building was enough to make me sick. Everyone stood/sat there in complete horror as their eyes were glued to the black smoke billowing from the building, tarnishing the bright blue sky. With the hole that could be seen in the side of the building, it was pretty obvious that a plane had hit it. Couldn't tell what kind of plane, for sure, but you could tell it was a really good sized one. "A plane has hit the wtc???? What, what's going on?" I remember one girl asking in complete disbelief. "Did they mean to do it? Did they not see the towers??" It took a few minutes to realize the very question she'd asked. I looked at her and asked "How do you miss a building that is a hundred and some odd floors tall? How do you NOT SEE a building that tall???" A guy in the room then joined our conversation. "They were trying to hit it. They meant to hit the tower!" That alone made tears come from my eyes. I was sad, but couldn't completely comprehend as to why. I was sitting there staring at the T.V. seeing what was going on, but none of it was registering. How could it? It didn't make ANY SENSE! Then as if the whole room was coached on it, a gasp and then a large handful of "Oh MY GOD"'s filled the room. I looked up in time to see the second plane plummet into the second tower. My jaw dropped and all I could think was "Oh my god. What the hell is going on?" Seconds later came the explosion from that building. As if that wasn't enough. It was obvious that there were "things" falling from the building. Some you could tell were chunks of building the others you didn't want to come to the realization that those weren't chunks of building. Those were someone's sister, brother, father, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, neighbor, cousin. The point, they were someone to someone. That wasn't enough. The horror that had been blanketed throughout the room and surely through the high school. Someone brings in the fact that a plane hit the pentagon. That was even harder to believe. "Are they related? Is it the same people? Did they mean to do it? Who is behind all this?" The same questions that everyone else had. We sat there for 45 minutes and asked the questions that (for some of the questions) even today after almost 8 months, are still being asked. I still can remember as if it were yesterday the horror, sickness, nausiated, sad, angry, confused feeling that I had that day. The coverage of the attacks seemed to get more and more graphic. The class buzzed about it until we heard the beeping of the intercom. "As I'm sure you all now know, the wtc and the pentagon have been hit by planes. We aren't sure if they're terrorist attacks or what's going on, but I'm sure we'll know soon enough. I'm pretty sure that classes for today will not be the same, as I'm sure that after something like this nothing will ever be the same. As we learn more about this tragic and devistating hit on our country, our pride, and our confidence, we must be assured that WE are safe." That didn't seem very appropriate at that time. Safe. What did that really mean? It just didn't fit in this situation. I was watching the T.V. the entire time. I almost couldn't take the sights of watching the brave men and women of NYPD and FD of NY rush in to save the people that they pledged to protect. I had to turn away, but I couldn't. The sirens of the trucks and the cars, it made such an eerie feeling. I sat there and thought about what was happening. All those people who had lost their lives. And their loved ones. I carried pictures of mine. My mom and the boyfriend that I love as much as the day is long and the sun shines bright. In the minute chances that our high school out of a billion and a half places would be hit next, I was petrified with fear. I shed a few tears when I heard the voice of before come over the intercom. "This is Mr. Barnhill again. In light of this happening, I would like everyone to take a few minutes and bow their heads and take a moment to pay respects to those have been taken." This we did with great honor.
I remember going home that afternoon and waiting patiently for my mom to get home. She came through the door and all I could do was hug her and cry. She did about as much crying as I had. I couldn't believe it. I told her I love her and thus hugged her harder. I couldn't imagine losing her.


You know it's really funny. You don't realize how much something means to you until one day you see those who aren't as fortunate. You start to really think about things. You watch your words to other people. You say thank you and I love you to the ones that really count. In light of all this, I hope that we as americans realize that we aren't invisible. We are humans as are the other some odd billion people on this planet. I hope we remember those who have fallen to an untimely departure and keep them and their families in our hearts. That we as americans, when put to the test, unite as one, and fall as one.