Surviving the Attacks of September 11, 2001

Edward Crenshaw was just 13 when he took the subway into New York City on September 11, 2001. He took the subway with his father. Upon arriving at the trade towers, he looked up to get a glimpse of the beautiful towers, but, his excitement was cut short, as American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 AM. He yelled for his dad, who also was looking up in complete disbelief. His father said to get his videocamera. Ed had no idea where it was until his father found it in his duffel bag. He started videotaping until 9:03 AM, when United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. He stopped videotaping, and ran inside a building. When he got inside, he took a drink of water. He needed something to calm him down, but nothing would. He was so scared for the people that just died. He was walking to his dad when suddenly a loud boom came from outside. He ran outside alongside a little boy named Billy and witnessed two people jump to their deaths from the South Tower. He then turned on his radio, and listened to that for about a half an hour until he became shocked when the radio reporter said that there was just an unconfirmed explosion at the Pentagon. He knew another airplane just crashed into it. He turned it off, then put it back in his duffel bag. He walked over to his dad, and told him about the explosion at the Pentagon. His dad then suddenly snapped, and rushed outside. He followed, but, they then were caught up in a jam of people. They tried to head back to the restaurant, but were then suddenly rocked by another close-by boom. Ed's father then saw a person videotape another person jump out of the North Tower. Ed then walked over to the dead body. He wanted to cry, but was too frightened. His dad then pulled him along to walk away from the towers. However, just blocks away, his dad started videotaping the South Tower, and caught it collapse. Ed and his dad ran for cover and took refuge in the subway as the entrance became blocked with a huge dust cloud. Ed knew it was a terrorist attack. He knew that two planes don't crash into two buildings like that on accident on the same day in the same city. He pulled out his radio, and heard the new sudden report that a fourth plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. He hoped it didn't crash into Hersheypark. There were so many people there, as were at the World Trade Center. Later, his dad ran up the subway stairs and eventually got outside of New York City to the Bronx where they lived.