I was teaching/coaching in Waco, TX at the time. I had just gotten into my classroom from morning football practice when the janitor came in my room and told me some idiot crashed a commuter plane into the WTC in New York. Later I was teaching a World Geography class full of freshmen. I saw my principal outside the door and she motioned for me to come outside. She was a wreck and told me that a second plane had hit the WTC and it was becoming obvious that it was a terrorist attack.
I walked into my classroom, erased the board, and wrote "December 7, 1941" on it. I asked if anyone knew the significance of that date. We got to talking and I explained that this day would likely be remembered just as Pearl Harbor Day was. I then calmly explained the situation as it had been relayed to me. One of the kids raised his hand and asked if we could all pray, and everyone agreed. I told them that due to a Supreme Court ruling, I could not lead them in prayer, but if they would lead me, I would follow. We prayed together on our knees in that classroom, and from that day I had a special bond with those kids. I got on the internet and began to see what was happening. All the time I was in knots because my brother had just moved to NYC, living only 12 blocks from the WTC. I left class several times that day to try to reach him, but all circuits were busy. It was tough to get through that day. I finally got a call from my parents that night, and they said he was ok, stuck in New Jersey. He had taken breakfast only a week before at the restaurant on the roof of the WTC.
Those days and weeks after showed me what we as Americans were capable of. Everyone was good so each other and polite no matter where I went. Our politicans have forgotten, but I'll never forget.
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