Ryan's story

9/11 Attacks

Pedro, a tourist from the Philippines, woke up at 8:15 A.M. in his hotel. He showered and wore his new shirt and pants. It was his first time to see New York. he wrote in his diary, "I love New York City, and wrote the date, September 11, 2001. He was happily thinking of the new places he was going to visit. He put his map in his backpack and went out.

Along the way, he put coins in a newspaper stand, picked up the New York Times, and tucked it under his arm. He walked across the World Trade Center. Then he stopped at a hot dog stand. He ordered a hot dog and coffee. He started reading the newspaper and was about to bite his hot dog when suddenly he heard a loud noise and looked up. It was an airplane flying too low! He thought, “It’s strange for a plane to do that.” Without warning, it crashed in the upper level of the World Trade Center. His friend Juan was working in one of the towers. Immediately, Pedro dialed his friend’s number and said, “A plane crashed into the tower, you better get out!” His friend and some of his co-workers got out and were just in time to see a second plane hitting the other tower. The noise was so loud. Everybody was horrified. People started to run out of the tower. Without warning, it started to collapse. Dust and fumes surrounded them. Pedro and Juan ran for cover.

It was a horrifying sight that would forever be imprinted in Pedro’s mind. When they got up, Pedro hardly recognized Juan. Everyone’s face was covered with ash and dust. He could hardly breathe. They tried to help other people and picked up wounded strangers until they could do no more. As the night fell, they walked away from the World Trade Center. Pedro was so shocked by the day’s events, that when his cell phone range he wasn’t able to answer right away. It was his mom in the Philippines. His family saw it on the CNN news as it happened, and they had been trying to get in touch with him the whole day. They were crying as he tried to reassure them that he was fine.