I’m from Northern New Jersey. Most of the working parents in my town did so in Manhattan, my father included. At the time, my father worked in Four World Financial Center, in an office that looked across the street at the World Trade Center. In addition, he also had an office in Princeton, NJ.
The morning of September 11th started like any other day, with my mom walking to the bus stop with my sister and I. My dad was already at work, having left before I came downstairs for breakfast. I didn’t think anything of that, it was completely normal.
As the day went by, kids in my classes started being picked up from school. We didn’t know why, our school made the decision not to inform us of the events that were taking place, despite the fact that they knew that so many of us would be affected by them. We knew, however, that something was up, as many of the teachers looked very sad, in addition to our missing schoolmates.
Upon finally arriving home from the bus, I was met at the door by my mother.
Sobbing.
I asked her “what’s wrong?” And she responded, “New York’s been attacked, the Twin Towers are gone.” My immediate thought was, “is dad okay?”
Thankfully, my dad had a meeting in Princeton that day, and was nowhere near the city. As soon as I found that out, I asked about my uncle, who was a bond trader for Morgan Stanley. I knew that he had worked in the World Trade Center, and fortunately, a couple months earlier, Morgan Stanley moved their trading floor to Midtown. He ended up spending that night asleep under his desk because they stopped running the trains.
Most of us returned to school the following day, with whispered conversations on the bus and in between classes about what we saw on the news the day before. It didn’t register for most of us as seventh graders what it really meant. But for some of my classmates it did, they weren’t in school that day. They were at home with mothers or fathers; praying that their parents would call them to say that they’re okay. Many of them never got that call.
Now, living 4 blocks from the Pentagon, I am reminded every day of how lucky I am that my father had to attend a meeting in Princeton, and that Morgan Stanley moved their offices uptown. Driving home today I passed Arlington National Cemetery and in between the Pentagon and the Potomac River, and saw the two American flags out front being flown at half staff.
It made me think about the people who weren’t so lucky. Who don’t get to hear their parent’s voices on the phone. Who sent their loved ones overseas to protect America.
And it makes me believe in the power of the American spirit, that those less fortunate than I am are able to get up in the morning and go about their business like they would have beforehand. Never forgetting those lost, but not letting those losses defeat them.
(Photo Credit: @johndeguzman)
3 Comments
It was really enlightening to read this. I would love to sit down and talk about this with you one day. I’ve been thinking a lot about my experience that day and realized that I still have you and Michael among my close friends from childhood who had the same experience I did. I think the administration chose not to tell us what happened precisely because so many of us could have been so closely affected by it. Can you imagine the panic you would have felt had you not heard it from your mother knowing your father could be there? I remember feeling angry when I got off the school bus, very aware that a huge secret was kept from me. Looking back as an adult, remembering so vividly that one little pay phone outside the auditorium, I can only imagine the scene if they had chosen to gather us and tell us what happened. What if a student’s parent was there? I am so thankful that we didn’t have to face that alone. That we had our families around us when we learned that our world changed. I am so glad your father had a meeting in Princeton that day, Chase.
Yeah, I think my whole family is. To this day I’m still upset with MTMS for not telling us. I know why they didn’t, but I don’t agree that it was the best course of action.
It must have been a very difficult decision for the administration. I wish I could ask our teachers about their perspective…