Friday, September 11, 2009

My memory of that fateful day


On September 11, 2001 I was sitting in the library of St. Ursula Academy, my second bell was coming to an end (we were on block schedules what you know bout that?). Our principle Frances Romweber came over the PA. Now you could almost always tell what kind of message we were about to get by the tone of her voice and the greet she began with.

"Ursula women listen up," she said.

She told us a plane had struck the first tower of the World Trade Center in NYC. It was about then I noted the librarian had her television on a few people were standing around it. I looked at the faces of my classmates, jaws were dropped, even my teacher was stopped. Everyone frantically went to CNN.com or their preferred news site and the image of the tower in flames popped on every screen.


I remember we only had about a 5 minute window between the announcement and the bell ringing so I had to tear myself away for 3rd bell. My teacher started class with a few tears and a prayer (I went to Catholic school so this was okay). By lunch, students were piled in the foryer of the school watching news converage and a few saw the second plane crash into the South tower . Some were crying, some were praying, the air was just thick with emotions.

And then I was hit with the realization that my sister lives in NYC. The tears came I just broke down. People that know me know I'm like obsessed with my sis I talk about her all the time. My Spanish teacher Mr. Fletcher walked over and said two words "your sister..."

That's all I really remember because I was a wreck the entire rest of the day worrying about her. Mind you she hardly ever goes down there except to hit up Century 21 an amazing discount store.

When I got home that night I discovered my sis was up for a temp job in the WTC that very day....she overslept and never made it. I praised and thanked God for his goodness and mercy that she never got up. But writing this blog made me think about all those who got up on time, went to work, and never made it home. I'm saying an extra prayer for them and their families tonight.

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