September 11, 2001 media synced in real-time
9&#x2F;11 was my birthday, and I was just outside of NYC in school that day.<p>I was in math class. The phone in the classroom rang and my teacher turned on the radio (1010 WINS) immediately. After hearing what had happened she broke down in tears because her husband worked in WTC. My parents worked in NYC (as did most of my classmates&#x27; parents) and was very concerned.<p>The school district evacuated the elementary schools to the gym at the middle school because our town had a major dam and there were concerns that could be attacked too, which would&#x27;ve flooded the low-lying areas where the elementary schools are. Eventually, school was dismissed and I ended up at my neighbor&#x27;s house. Her husband was a FDNY Captain.<p>So many people I know died or were permanently harmed (physically or mentally) that day.<p>While nearly every second of that day is permanently etched into my brain, there&#x27;s one day that&#x27;s even more vivid. My FDNY Captain neighbor took me to ground zero in early November 2001. I&#x27;ll never, ever forget the smell of burning flesh and the hundreds of firefighters using rakes looking for human remains. He told me to never forget, and I never will.