Typette.com: My memories from 9/11

My memories from 9/11

September 11, 2009

It's been 8 years. Wow. It seems like yesterday.

This is my first post writing about my experiences on 9/11

At that time I was living in Newark, with my then boyfriend, on the 4th floor of a century-old apartment building in the East Ward. I was a student studying computers. I was 21.

I remember waking up early that morning for some reason. If I remember correctly, it was a Tuesday. I usually woke up at 11am since I didn't have classes until 1pm. I had time to waste so I sat myself down in front of the TV and turned it on.

The news was on. I wasn't ready for news that early in the morning. I changed the channel. It was the news, again. I changed the channel, and again -- the news. It eventually clicked in my mind that something important must be going on. So, I watched.

I saw a building with smoke coming out of it. Okay, so something was on fire. It sounds a bit weird, but I'm used to buildings being on fire. My then boyfriend was about to become a firefighter in Newark, NJ and I would hear too often about high-rises in flames and even travel to the locations to see them.

I wasn't really phased.

I got up and walked to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. As usual, I gazed out my kitchen window to take a peek at the NYC Skyline. I couldn't see it today, all I saw was smoke. Out in the distance. Must be a fire of some sort. My mind was still waking-up and it took a good minute or two for me to make the connection.

What I was seeing out my window was what was being covered on the news.

I ran back to the TV and watched more intently. Focused on hearing what was going on.

The reporter said something about a 2nd plane hitting. What?! What is going on?! -- why is there a 2nd plane hitting a building? This doesn't make any sense.

During the next hour - one of the longest in my life - I ran back and forth between the TV and my kitchen window.

I was in utter shock. My boyfriend wasn't home. Where was he? He's not in NY, okay, good. Where is mom, dad, my sisters, my friends? I hope no one is there. I wanted to call everyone, but couldn't call anyone. I couldn't pick up the phone. I was freaking out inside. I was home alone and my brain was freaking out and I was shaking.

Minutes passed like hours.
Hours past like days.

I watched the buildings collapse from my kitchen window and I cried.

After the towers fell, I still saw the smoke. I just watched it. There was nothing I could do. I turned off the TV and moved in slow motion as I got ready and dressed for school. I remember thinking -- maybe I should stay home -- but I couldn't stay home. Not alone. I had to get out. Talk to people.

When I got to class, I was shocked to see the classroom full. My instructor and classmates were all quiet. No one talking to anyone. Everyone looked emotionless.

My instructor asked the class to sit for a few minutes in silence out of respect for what had happened. What tragedy has fallen on us. All of us. I could hear people crying, sobbing, trying to hold back the tears. We all sat quietly and cried to ourselves.

I don't remember much more but eventually my teacher told us all to go home and be with our families.

I drove home. Slowly -- with the rest of the traffic. Everyone in shock.

Later that day, I spoke with my boyfriend who said he and his family were trying to get in touch with his cousin, who worked across the street from the World Trade Centers. No one could reach him.

We later found out that he had been there across the street, in a building taking shelter before the collapse. They instructed him and others to STAY IN THE BUILDING when the buildings collapsed, but he didn't. That was the smartest decision he made in his life. He ran...through the smoke and the falling rubble. Not being able to see 2 feet in front of him as he ran. He ran into a pole. He hurt his head. He survived with minimal injuries and somehow made it back to Hoboken NJ via the ferries that day.

No one else I knew was injured that day. Thankfully. Fate was on their side, they called out sick that day or were running late.

----

The days, weeks, months that followed hit me hard. To see the spirit of a country uniting. Flags flying out of car windows, American flag stickers. Patriotic songs. Remembering just weeks before sitting in Hoboken across the water at night, looking in awe at the beautiful NYC skyline. And then seeing lights where the towers once stood shining up into the sky. Days, weeks, months...spent accounting for the bodies of those found and those still missing. Hearing speculation of conspiracy within the country. How this could have been prevented. Watching videos of people jumping out of the towers and falling to their deaths. Hearing stories told by those who have lost people close to them. Visiting Ground Zero. Hearing disputes about what should be built in place of the towers if anything. Hearing and seeing first hand how volunteers who worked to help the day of and days after the attack on Ground Zero. And how those ~~volunteers~~ heroes are now suffering/dying from disease and other illnesses due to the pollution of that day and seeing how the government does not feel a need to help provide medical treatment to families who helped clean up the mess. A war... Hearing and watching how the government still fights their hardest NOT to help our heroes, fallen and still alive. Instead, they fight and win monies to support automobile company bailouts.

I find it harder and harder to watch the news each day. I feel that what we do here cannot make a difference, though I am more active in government than I've ever been. The feeling of the voice of The People NOT being heard.

There are days I drive down Route 3 towards Newark and look at the skyline. It's just not the same.

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame...

Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard.

To those who were lost, to those families who have lost, to those who fight and those who support our men & women who fight. To those who sacrifice and to Americans true at heart -- You are our heroes and will always be remembered.

posted by Typette @ 4:22 PM

1 Comments:

At September 11, 2009 at 8:28 PM, Lissy said…

I was in gym class when it happened. Didn't find out what was going on until the next period when I went to chorus. Someone said a plane hit one of the buildings and then someone said, no, two planes. Our teacher made us sing anyway.

Spent the rest of the day going from class to class watching the tvs or listening to the radios teachers had set up. they wouldn't let us go home unless our parents picked us up.

i was most concerned about my friend b/c it was her 16th birthday and her dad worked near the world trade center and she was worried about him. worst birthday ever.

i found out later that one of my second cousins worked in one of the twin towers and the ceiling collapsed right above his desk. luckily he wasn't there b/c he went to vote.