Blog Prompt: Let's time some time today and remember those who were lost. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing? How did you react/feel?I remember I was in the middle of teaching my high school special ed class in SC when a colleague knocked on my door. She asked if I had family members who worked in Manhattan since she knew I was originally from New York. When I told her yes, she told me to turn on the TV because someone just attacked the World Trade Center. I didn’t believe her and immediately turned on the TV. My class got quiet as we watched the news and I called my sister in New York. She said she was unable to get through to her husband or her daughter and would call me as soon as she heard anything. We all were glued to the TV when the other plane hit. My down syndrome student got so upset because he thought someone was attacking the school and I had to ask another teacher to keep him after I calmed him down. I could not stop watching the news. When I called my husband he told me that he had just heard but they were asking people not to call NY on their cell phones because it was jamming the lines. I couldn’t help myself and called my sister every 30 minutes.
We didn’t hear until around 1pm that my niece was alright. In fact she was one of the people they showed on the news crossing a bridge with ash all over her. She had nightmares for many years after that. We didn’t hear from my brother in law until almost 7pm. He had been trying to call my sister but he couldn’t get through. He had spent the whole day trying to find a way to get home since he rode the train to work each day. As he was walking he saw a man on a cell phone talking to his wife and asked if the wife would call his wife and let her know that he was safe and would get home as soon as he could. I don’t think he got home until almost midnight.
It was the scariest thing I had ever gone through and I hope our country never goes through that again.
Original image: 'Golden WTC' http://www.flickr.com/photos/7578081@N07/532664668 by: Reto Fetz
4 comments:
I was just down the hall from you in the old science lab. One thing I liked about teaching high schoolers was that they could and would discuss what was going on. It truly meant soemthing to them. I have never seen an event impact 10th graders as intensely as watching those planes hit and those towers fall impacted my students.
I cannot even imagine what you had been going through. I am so gratified that your bil and niece were okay.
WOW! thank you for sharing. It really brings back to my mind what I felt that day and how I felt the days after.
OH my gosh Pat. I couldn't imagine trying to work at school and trying to pray and keep your wits all at the same time until you heard any news. Thank goodness everyone was all right.
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