My Experience on 9/11 & Volunteering w. Starbucks
I remember sitting at my desk looking at Miss. Donnelly get interrupted every 20 minutes to answer the phone. Another student was getting picked up and I sat there annoyed wondering why Ashley got to go home and I was stuck in class. It was a Tuesday afternoon and just like all the other fifth graders, we all wondered if one of us was next to go home.
At the time, I lived in the Bronx and attended P.S. 56. The school sat on top of a hill and was about 6 blocks from my building. My babysitter Ana, lived in the same building as I did and was only responsible of picking me up from school and watching me at her apartment until my mom came home from work. She had two kids and only watched me, my classmate Raymond, and his little brother.
The phone rang again.
“Nicole”, Miss Donnelly said, “go downstairs someone is here to pick you up.”
Not really understanding why yet excited to leave, I ran to my cubby, grabbed my backpack and rushed down the stairs. I get to the lobby and noticed it was my babysitter. She seemed to have been crying and rushed me over to the group of kids she watched over. I was confused. Why was she here to pick me up? Where’s my mom? My mom is the only person who would pick me up in the middle of the day. Why is Raymond crying? Before I can ask questions, she rushed us all to leave the school and hurry over to the apartment.
Ana sat us all down in the living room and turned on the television. She flipped the channel to the news and stood there staring into the screen. There was a building on fire. It was tall and gray with black smoke rushing out of the windows. I wasn’t really sure what we were looking at. I asked to change the channel but was easily ignored. Suddenly, another plane looped around and crashed into the second building causing a bright red explosion. It wasn’t processing into my brain what was happening, I thought we were watching a movie. Raymond started to cry again and with a childish reaction I stood up in front of him and pointed, “haha you’re crying like a little girl!”
Immediately, I felt my arm yanked off to the corner of the living room, it was Jenely, my baby sitter’s oldest daughter. She took a deep breath and explained what was happening on TV wasn’t just a movie, it was happening in real life right now. We were under a terrorist attack and two planes were taken and purposely crashed into those buildings. I suddenly asked, “Where? Not here?” I stared at the TV and looked back at Jenely, “Wait…is that in Manhattan? My dad works there and so does mommy….” my voice became faint. It was then I felt this haunting presence overcome my body. My throat felt tight, my face felt red, and my hands instantly felt cold. I quietly sat down on the floor watching the news reporters run into the grey smoke and against the traffic of people running away from the explosions. Every news channel had the same footage but with a different perspective of the falling towers. It was like watching a live horror film.
I kept thinking about my parents and if they were amongst the scared people. I stared at the TV trying to see if I could find my mom and dad running. I cried and trembled wanting oh, so badly to talk to my mom and dad but couldn’t because the lines were cut off. Luckily my dad worked in the Upper East Side of New York and my mom worked near Harlem so they weren’t near the attack. Although my experience wasn’t as tragic as those who lost loved ones, my heart still goes out to those who did.
Every year on September 11, I always think back on the day it all happened. Although I was a child, it still affected me and everyone in my life since it happened in the city I grew up in. Even now so, when the day comes around its hard for me to just post a picture of the twin towers on my Instagram and say a small summary of my condolences. It was more than a tragic event, it literally shaped history.
For a while I’ve considered volunteering and giving back to the community. I wanted to chase a self-rewarding experience while being involved in something bigger than me. One day, while waiting on a Starbucks order I found myself looking at the community board by the bathroom. There was a flyer for any interested volunteers that wanted to get involved in their community. A few hours later, and discovering the website filled with events available to sign up for, I found the perfect one.
The 343 Hero Challenge is an event that honors the 343 firefighters’ lives that were lost on 9/11. The challenge itself is an intensive CrossFit workout that parallels the same challenges our fallen firefighters faced when saving the lives of from this tragic event. My friend and I both got involved by volunteering with Starbucks to serve coffee to the firefighters, athletes, volunteers, and the community who came together to show their support.
A few times my friend and I made our way to the warehouse where the firefighters came to participate in the challenge. It was an emotional experience hearing the DJ play the Fire Departments’ dispatch tapes from 9/11. Hearing the audio brought me back from the day I experienced it all.
It was an honor being a part of such an empowering event cheering on the firefighters who wore their gear lifting weights, stepping onto blocks repeatedly, and teams of 3 running carrying stretchers with weights placed on them to imitate the weight of a body. It was inspiring seeing the firefighters and athletes yell and encourage everyone to “KEEP GOING!” and “YOU GOT THIS!” This cause wasn’t just to bring awareness, it was a way to feel connected to the brave men who saved all of our lives.
Although I was drained from the sun and the heat, I left feeling amazed and inspired. It’s an incredible feeling to give back and somehow feel as if you gained something more.
“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”
– Barrack Obama
If you are interested in getting involved in your community or teaming up with Starbucks, visit their website at:
https://starbucks.volunteermatch.org
