I was 8 when the Challenger exploded. I remember that it was supposed to be a life changing catastrophe, but the memory is blurred in my mind. I know that I was in school when I heard about it. But that is about all.

9/11 is the defining catastrophe in my life. It is one that will stay with me for as long as I live. I remember waking up to the radio that morning like I always did, but this time it wasn't music or pop culture jokes. The DJs were saying that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. I was awake and watching TV to find out what had happened almost immediately.
I still remember watching the news coverage and seeing the second plane, enter the screen then disapper behind the smoking tower. In a flash it turned into a fireball of its own. We watched in horror as people tried to leave the buildings. Watched in horror as we saw the first building start to sway and give then implode. It was almost too much to bear. It was almost too much to bear watching the second tower sway then give then implode, you could see it coming for the second tower. It was unbearable.

I was numb as I walked up to class that day. The air buzzing around me with the news. There we were, sitting in a classroom with no windows, no connection to what was happening. We sat and learned about writing press releases. I remember my professor asking us to take a minute of silence for the people of New York.

9/11. I will never forget.