The morning began like any other. I awoke, dressed, ate breakfast, and was on my way out the door to go to school when my dad called to tell my mom to turn on the TV news. Always a television magnet, I hung back to see what was going on before leaving. The reporters were recapping the story of the first plane when their guy on scene said, "Wait- there's another plane! There's a second plane!" and the video immediately cut to a live feed of the Twin Towers in NY, NY, just in time to capture the second crash. I was transfixed. I could tell my mom and the reporters were stunned.
My mom stared at the screen for a minute, then remembered I was still in the house and turned to usher me out. I walked to my elementary school, which is right next to our house, not fully comprehending what I had seen or the scope of the tragedy that had just occurred. When I got to school, my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Evans asked how many children had heard the news. Quite a few had. We talked about it for a little bit. I don't remember specifics of what was said, but I recall that was the moment I realized these two crashes were more serious than I thought.
In the years that have passed since then, I keep realizing more and more what a shocking, terrible thing this was to happen, the incredible heroics of the emergency personnel that were called to the scene, and the phenomenal feelings of unity and patriotism as our nation rallied around the tragedy.
I'll send you a picture for your post. I'm glad you wrote down your memories.
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