Ten years ago, I at 8:46am, I was in photography class at New Hanover High School. There wasn't a TV in that room, and the intercom didn't work down there. So that class didn't know what was going on. As I went to my next class, spanish, Mrs. Allison had the TV on. Everyone was quiet, some people were crying. I sat next to Jessica Hunter and Will Hogan and I held hands with both of them. No one knew what was going on. Or why or how this had all happened. But the day went on... I'm sure Mr. McAdams came on the intercom at some point and announced what had happened, but I don't remember it. I remember being scared and wanting to go home. I walked home from school with Will Hogan everyday, but that day, I couldn't find him. Everyone was spread out every where and so I just started walking home alone. 5 minutes later, I was being yelled at by Will for leaving without him. I came home, and sat on the couch and watched the TV with my Dad. He tried to make me understand what had happened, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I didn't understand what terrorism was, or why someone would hate America. It wouldn't be until much, much later that I would understand.
The days surrounding 9-11-01 were in a way surreal. No one knew what to do, or what to expect. America pulled together and became one as a nation. It didn't matter what your race or color was, whether you were a man or woman, child or part of the elderly. We were one.
In December of 2006, my Dad passed away. At 20 years old, I was forced to say goodbye to the man I loved more than life itself. My father would miss out on so much of my life, and it didn't seem fair... It isn't fair. Like I said before, I had learned from my Dad to respect the people that kept me safe. When the car pulled up in front of our church, the walkway and steps into our church were lined with Sheriff Deputies and fire department officers from all over the state, city and county. Seeing those firemen in their dress uniforms made me proud of what my Dad had done for thirty plus years of his life. And tonight, I'm proud again.
In March of 2009, I went to New York City for the first time in my life. I went with my friend Justine. We went to the mini-9-11 memorial museum and walked around. We wrote a letter to a fire fighter and thanked them for their service. I can't and will never be able to understand how the citizens of Manhattan felt that day. As I've watched footage from 9-11-01 tonight, I'm reminded of how amazing it is to be an American. To have been part of that day. I'm also remembered that we are never promised tomorrow. We have to be thankful for what we have today, and love everyone in our lives always. Justine and I were able to stand in front of the fire department that was closest to the twin towers... and I wore my NYC fire department shirt from my Dad with pride. Knowing that he had ridden on some of those same trucks when he was younger.
My Dad's best friends were fire fighter's. I know what it's like to attend one of their funerals. And I know what it's like to lose someone that you love more than anything. Although I can't fathom the loss of all of the innocent people in Pennsylvania, The Pentagon, Twin Towers, and countless rescue workers, I do know that America is proud of the work that those people did that day, and the days-weeks-and months after the attack on America.
New York City and America will forever be thankful for the job that those first responders did for our country. Not just the first responders from NYC, but the ones from all over the country to flocked to NYC to help, just because they felt like they needed, no, they had to be there.
So tonight, I thank God that I'm alive, and that I have what family that I do. I have amazing friends. I belong to a wonderful church. I live in a country that is free. Bin Laden is dead. And while no one will ever be able to look at the skyline of New York City the same way ever again, I hope that we can be thankful for what we've come through. And thankful to still be here. Alive, healthy, and loved.
September 11, 2001 for my generation, will be a day in history that my friends and I will remember forever. Just like my grandparents remember Peal Harbor, and D-day, and how my mom remembers JFK being killed, Martin Luther King Jr., etc. I will always remember 9-11-01.. where I was, what I was doing. And I will always remember where I was when President Obama announced the death of Bin Laden.
We, in America, will never forget those who died, or what we all went through on that September day in 2001.
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