I was 15 years old in my 10th grade Math class in Chicago when 9/11/01 unfolded. Just a regular blue sky day, perfect weather, and everyone was waiting for lunch to get some fresh air outside. The class clown came running into my classroom and announced that a plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City. Everybody including myself did not believe him. He said, no really this is serious, come check it out. So a bunch of us went to the nearest teachers lounge and sure enough on tv we were watching the horror in NYC. It was unbelievable. It was something out of a hollywood action movie. It was unreal. Next thing we know and some people were yelling/crying, we saw the second plane hit live on tv. We knew this that this wasn’t an accident. A classmate and I turned to each other and said “We’re going to war”. War with who? Nobody had a clue then.

The rest of the day at school was a blur. I know some people left early. I think we got early. I remember racing home and watching the twin towers fall down. This I did not know that happened because the tv’s at school were turned off shortly after the 2nd tower had got hit. Again, just unbelievable and crazy. I was hooked to tv and the politics of news reporters debating what had happened.

One thing for sure, it was very quiet in Chicago that first night. I lived on 9th and Michigan ave. Right across the street was Grant Park. Nobody was outside. Hardly any cars/buses. The trains were not running and most of all clear skies because there were no planes. The only plane I saw was our guys in the sky. A pair of F-16 fighting falcons circling the city. I knew we were safe tonight and I went to bed. Peace.