**NWQOTD: Sept 11th**

There will be no question today. Instead, I'd rather reflect on what today means to you. You can share your reflections, your feelings, your prayers, whatever you would like. I will choose the next NWOTW later this evening.


For myself, I was not directly affected by the events on this day. I was in my first year of college and watched everything from my dorm room TV. When I state 'I wasn't directly affected', it's because I did not lose anyone in my family. I was lucky that my one aunt was running late and missed her train (she works in midtown but came in from Brooklyn), my other aunt was pregnant and not feeling well so she stayed home, and my father who works as a lab tech in the tri-state area was told to work from the main office in Hicksville that day. I was fortunate that day. However, one of my best friends (who I met when I was in my second year, her first), almost lost her mother, who used to work in WTC 1 or 2. My outlook changed because I actually knew someone who survived. I send my prayers to her family because it is a constant reminder of what if she went back into the building???

I send my prayers to the families dealing with their losses, my love to the family and friends to are helping to heal others, my thanks to all the men and women who risk their lives for my freedom, and strength to each and every one of us, whether affected or not, to keep moving forward.

Re: **NWQOTD: Sept 11th**

I was a senior in High School when this happened. I remembered the first class I had was concert band, and that time of year, we spent the morning outside doing marching band basics (home coming parade was coming up, so you had to march in it). Second period rolls around, which was chamber singers for me, and another teacher came into the room, points to my director to stop because an announcement was being made. Principle says 2 planes hit the world trade center.

My heart dropped. My father worked on the 59th floor of tower 2. I stood up frantic and said I need to call home. A teacher walked me down to the counselor's office and I called my mom, and it was the best news I heard in what seemed like the longest 5 minutes of my life. She told me my father flew out earlier that morning to handle the chicago location of his job, and that he was safe, and all my uncles (1 in the FDNY and 2 in the NYPD) were off duty. I felt so relieved. (My day flew out 3 out of 4 weeks to chicago for a few days, and that week he was supposed to be in New York).

While I was on the phone, they called the nurse to come down to the office because there was a line of people behind me that needed to use the phones to call home, and when she saw me, I had told her everyone was OK, dad was in Chicago and every else we knew was off duty. She hugged me and asked if I can stay at the nurses office and help those who may not be able to find out anything.

I remember very clearly all the other kids coming into the office crying saying they couldn't get in touch with there parents, and listening to the radio, and hearing about the towers falling. I was thinking about my dad's secretary, hoping she was OK.

Later that day, my dad called from Chicago to talk to me and sister. He had told us only 4 people were missing, but his secretary was not among them. He said that they were on a conference call with the NYC office, when the phone cut out for a minute. Another person ran into the room and informed them a plane hit tower 1, and they turned on the news. Someone from NYC phoned my dad, and him and his manager ordered them to pick up and leave, even though it wasn't there building. Later that day, they learned from a few of the people that got out that they were in the staircase near the 30th floor when the second plane hit, and they never ran so fast in there life.

We learned later that week that my uncle in the FDNY was supposed to be on shift that morning, but traded spots with the other chief to take my cousin to a college fair. That chief died. My uncles all called my mom asking about my dad, because if he was there, they were going in to get him. it's frightening to feel like my grandmother could have lost all 4 sons that day, maybe even my Grandpa if he wasn't retired from the FDNY. We lost a neighbor, and my dad lost a few colleagues and fellow commuters he knew worked for Cantor Fitzgerald.

I cannot express how lucky my family was, because I feel for those who weren't as fortunate. My stomach still churns when I think about it. Today, I had turned on the TV because I wanted to see some footage (not all of it because I didn't really feel like being all teary-eyed while pregnant), and it was just really eerie to me that I was at the part where they were reading off the names where the last name begins with 'HI'.

I remember each year, my dad used to take me and my sister to the christmas parties and take your daughter to work day at his office, and we always would have so much fun. My dad's office was full of pictures we drew, and it's so sad to think they're all ash now. :(

Such a terrible day.