Always Remember

It was a normal day 11 years ago today. I got up, ate breakfast and went on the bus to my grade school. I was in the 6th grade. I talked with my friends Laura and Ashley before class and then the school bell rang and we headed in to our seats. I was in English class with Mrs. Wagner. She was a short women with violently curly hair that was salt and peppered over with age but was as spunky as ever. She helped make learning fun. She was teaching us some grammar and we were all practicing on our worksheets. Then we heard the news. Mrs. Wagner, a calm, helping person, freaked out. Her daughter was an flight attendant on American Airlines. As she, Mrs. Wagner's daughter flew a lot, Mrs. Wagner never kept track of what flights she was on. Two of the planes that were high jacked were American Airline planes. Quickly after the first tower, the North Tower, was struck, a TV was rolled into my class room. We all gathered round the TV and watched as smoke was billowing from the tower. Shortly after we watched in horror as another plane came into picture and struck the South Tower. Fire and smoke came out as lives were instantly lost. At this time Mrs. Wagner was at her desk frantically dialing her daughter's number. The line continued to ring. She called her son-in-law and he told her what flight she was on. Her flight wasn't one that hit the World Trade Centers, but there were two more flights that would soon be involved. As we were watching around the TV, the other 6th grade classes came into the room, sitting on desks and the floor, anywhere they could fit. We watched awestruck as people on the upper levels waved frantically for help out their windows, trying to get a breath of fresh air. We watched as people jumped out the window to their death. We watched as firefighters tried their best with the worst situation they've probably seen. We watched as horns and people were going crazy in the streets. We watched as the South Tower collapsed and people were screaming. The room was silent as we watched. We watched as more smoke and ashes came billowing up. We watched as the North Tower collapsed. We watched as by standers on the ground yelled and ran away, covering their mouths as not to breath in the soot. We watched. We witnessed. We watched Mrs. Wagner sigh in relief that her daughter was not on any of the flights high jacked. I will always remember this horrific event. I will always remember where I was. I will always remember Mrs. Wagner shed a silent tear as her daughter was safe, and another for all the lives that were lost. I will always remember.