9/11 Used to be National 911 Day....

In 1987 President Ronald Reagan created a national holiday known as National 911 Day to recognize our countries 911 dispatchers. The reason the date was selected was also the reason that terrorists attacked the United States that same day 14 years later. They knew that the number 911 was a symbol of emergencies in our country and that it would be the most meaningful day to strike.

13 years ago today at around 09:00 I was sitting in my 7th grade science class. I do not remember much about middle school as I try to block it out, but I do remember being confused when the principal announced that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I was confused for multiple reasons. The first reason was that everyone thought it was a small plane and that the damage was minor. The second reason was that I had no idea was the World Trade Center was. At that moment we did not know the severity of what was happening.

On my way to the next class I always cut through the band room, but today was different, today the television was on and it was showing scenes that to this day remain freshly in my mind. This was now after the second plane had struck and even though I was still confused I now knew just how bad the situation was. I don't know how long I stood there watching the television.

Once I finally made it to my next class (art) we received another announcement that the Pentagon had been hit with a hijacked plane as well. At this point people started getting scared. How many planes were there and where would they hit? Minutes later Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvanian field.

Classes for the remainder of the day were cancelled and students began being picked up from school by their parents. I returned to the band room along with a few other classmates and watched as the first tower collapsed.

I rode the bus home that day wondering the whole time (my stop was the last on the route) whether or not more planes had crashed. They didn't.

The smoke lasted for days. I remember being angry at this unknown enemy. I remember people reeling for retribution, but what I remember the most was that for once, for the first time in a very long time we were not fighting with each other. We were united, not crippled.

Today we remember a day of terrible tragedy, but also a day of tremendous strength and unity. We remember to keep our family and friends close and to never take anything for granted. We remember the brave men and women of the NYPD and FDNY who ran  into those buildings that day when everyone else was running out. We will always remember 9/11 as the day the terrorists lost.

Thanks for reading.