09/11/2026
9/11 25th Anniversary
Twenty five years ago, I woke up and was not feeling well. I woke up with a fever. That is the only reason why I was not downtown that day. That fever kept me home and safe. I lived in Jersey City. NJ across from the financial district in Manhattan.
I was quite groggy and weak and slept a little longer than usual. My phone rang only once that day and it was my aunt calling to check on me and see if I had gone into the city. It was a strange question as I was usually in the city every day at some point. She told me to turn the tv on immediately and said that the world trade center tower had been hit by a plane.
Incredulous, I turned the television on and saw the smoking tower. I let my aunt know that I was not feeling well and at home. I knew she would let my parents know I was alright.
I tried to make a call shortly thereafter but got a constant busy signal. Little did I know that I would not be able to speak to my family for three days. As we soon learned over the course of the day, the cell towers were on the towers, and when they fell we lost connection.
So I summoned my strength and put on some clothes. Though dizzy, I went down to the street and searched for payphone, thinking something was wrong with just my phone. People were everywhere. They were looking up and so I did as well.
All I could see was a puff of smoke where the first tower had been just an hour before.
I made it home and was glued to the television for any and all updates. I had no idea if friends were alive or not. Sadly, I found out that my college classmate, her husband and unborn child were not so fortunate. They were on the first plane believing that were on their way to Los Angeles, but they never made it.
The days, weeks and months that followed were very surreal. Pictures of missing persons on buildings, on bus shelters, on fences were everywhere.
The one true thing that was consistent across the city and then the country was that we would not let the tragedy of lives lost and courage shown be in vain. New York and the country would rise strong....And we did. We will never forget.
