I was in 8th grade when I found out about the attack on the Twin Towers. With the plethora of technology today and ways in which we as a society communicate, it is crazy to look back and remember just exactly how I found out. On September 11th, 2001, I did not own a cell phone, so there weren’t 50 messages in my inbox informing me of the terrible attacks. Instead, I found out when my principal came over the loud speaker in my Social Studies class. From what I can remember, it was a very strange message indeed. All she said was that a plane had hit the World Trade Center and I’m not sure if I remember anything else. I later found out that the kids in the high school were allowed to sit around and watch live coverage of the events unfolding, but as I was in middle school we were deemed “too young.” I didn’t really think much of the news that I had heard because as far as I was concerned it was just a plane crash. The full scale and impact of that day finally hit me when my mom came to school and pulled me out early. My dad was in the NYPD for over 20 years and on that day he was at work in the city. My oldest brother being a firefighter was working as well, and naturally they both were there to help in any way that they could. I remember how frightening it was sitting around my house with my family glued to the tv in just total and utter shock. It was especially frightening that night because neither my dad nor my brother came home. It’s definitely something I take for granted these days, the ability to just pick up my cell phone and send a quick text and immediately be satisfied to know that the ones I love are safe. It wasn’t until the next day that through all the chaos of what was going on, my brother and my father were able to reach us and let us know that they were ok. The events of that day and the subsequent media frenzy that soon followed after will always be with me. Looking back on that day, I am somewhat relieved that I did not have the internet because I probably would have gone crazy and had a breakdown with the immense of amount of information as the 24/7 coverage that bombarded the television was enough.
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Robert - I like your piece because it is very similar to my experience of the day. I was in ninth grade, biology class and a vague announcement informed us that we might be having a fire/escape plan drill. Of course I had to pretend that I was going to the bathroom to get the full story and the hallways were swamped with predictions and unsure accounts. I'm shocked that your high school got to watch the event unfolding, no matter what age the televised intensity shocked every viewer. I did have a cellphone and tried calling my mother who works in the city to no prevail. Interesting how even though we had 24/7 coverage, the downing of phone lines added more to ensuing chaos. I went to principal's office, like all the others, to try to make a landline phone call when I saw my father standing in the background waving me to our car. You expressed your fear very well and pulled me into the feeling with your clear articulation. I completely agree that limited internet use certainly yielded extreme panic, which of course is relative when considering the event. Contrived, but I'm glad to hear your father and brother made it out safely.
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