I was 18yrs old, living with my parents and unemployed. It was still hot at my parent’s house so I slept on a mattress on the floor in the living room (the only room with an AC). My Dad was the only one home because my Mom was at work, my sister was living with her ex husband in Cambridge and my brother was at school.
I remember hearing the phone ring and my Dad picked it up. It was my sister. She told my Dad to turn on the news because there was a plane accident in NYC. My Dad turned on the news and Live coverage was showing one of the towers on fire. What a shame I thought. This is why I don’t like to fly.
As we were watching, the TV showed a low flying plane hitting the tower. I thought someone caught the plane accident on camera. What I didn’t realize was that I just witnessed the second plane hitting the second tower live on TV. When I finally did realize what I was watching I sat straight up. What was going on here? Then the news shifted to another plane crash at the Pentagon. When the 4th plane crashed in Pennsylvania, I was terrified.
My eyes were glued to the TV. Panic and fear went through my body thinking that Boston was the next target. Anger also went through me when it was said that it was terrorist attacks against the USA. I watched in horror as helpless people waved out the window of the twins tower and watched the people jump to their deaths. I was confident that the fire would be under control. But then the first tower fell.
My heart broke watching the icon of NYC fall. The first thing I though of when it fell was “I guess we can’t call it the Twin Towers anymore.” Its weird what goes on in your mind. But then the second tower fell to the ground. I swear to you there was 1 minute of pure silence. It seemed like everything stopped except for the falling of the tower.
When the silence ended, chaos began. It looked just like a set for a disaster movie. Everything was covered in ashes and dust. It didn't look real. This whole thing must be some kind of dream or some kind of sick joke. Sadly, it was real. What scared me the most was that those planes came from Logan airport. That's the airport that I would need to go to if I was to travel.
So many people lost their lives that day. Men and Women who were going to work, headed on vacation, pr looking to just go home. Also we lost many brave men and women who went in that building to save other peoples lives. I wanted nothing more then to go down to NYC and help out in any way I could. I kind of wish I did. During this time I felt so privileged and honored to be an America. Everyone seemed to just come together. It was such a bittersweet feeling. 
A collection of people who lost their lives in 9/11
Due to everything, there were no planes for the first couple of days after the attack. You may never notice planes overhead but when they are gone you do notice. Its a crazy, haunting silence. I was lying on the couch and it was late at night. Everyone was sleeping except my Mom and myself. It was very quiet and then I heard a the first plane in days overhead. For some reason this really bothered and frightened me. I told my Mom I was scared and she held my hand until I fell asleep. That was also the night I realized that life does go on. 
I can’t tell you where the rest of my family was that day or if I ever went to visit my boyfriend that day. I don’t even know if I called Johnny. I can’t remember if I cried or not. Certain pieces of that day tattooed themselves in my brain. I don’t ever want to forget this day. This day I realized that America is a great country and that we can not be taken down. Despite the terrorist attempts, they just made us stronger.
