Day Momo (Des Moments) August 1st-15th
September 11th, 2001. I was 17 years old. Senior year of high school just started in New Jersey. I was just 7 miles away from New York City.
I was in the guidance counselor’s room. It was 9am. The footage of the first crash was already on TV. Shocked, I went back into my history class, and told my teacher what had happened. He walked to the main office to see for himself.
I then remember running through the halls with my buddy, Mike Rose, there was a stairwell near the gym with a window that had a direct view of the towers. Black smoke everywhere in the distance.
We came back to our classrooms, and watched the TV all day. We watched the 2nd tower get hit, and then both towers collapsed. I remember my seeing my friends and classmates. 15, 16 and 17 years old kids crying, and asking why.
Sadness and confusion were the emotions I felt as I questioned reality.
After September 11th, 2001, for the next 14 years of my life, I never spent another September in the New York/New Jersey. I moved to Connecticut for the next 7 Septembers, and then another 7 years in Florida.
15 years later, as I’m in the middle of backpacking journey, I am humbled to now being living in New York this September.
I got on the J subway line today from Lower East Side and took the J train. There were 10 or so firefighters. I shook all of their hands, looked them in the eye and thanked them for their service.
We started walking together towards ground zero. 8:46am. The time of the first plane hitting the first tower. I tried to imagine what is was like for everyone involved in the city on that day at 8:46am.
And I couldn’t imagine. I could only take a deep breath, and express my condolences whole heartedly.
I walked around ground zero for 3 hours. I shook hands with as many first responders as I could. I felt gratitude for all those heroes who ran into the flames, risking their own lives, to save another human being’s.
I felt sad for all those we lost on September 11th, 2001. But I also felt a deep peace, knowing that all those we lost are still with us.
Their spirit lives on, and so does their legacy.
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