Personal Remembrances of 9-11
By Judge Steve Walker
aka Walker Report Publisher/Editor
I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was a Special Education teacher in a 7th Grade English class at Kingsborough Middle School in Harlandale ISD with the mainstream teacher presenting the lesson at the time.
I was sitting in the back of the class monitoring the special needs students and looking up some test material on the computer when I noticed the photos of the two towers on the screen after they were hit by the planes.
Before I could say a word, another teacher opened the door and rushed in and informed the class that it was reported that there was a tragic accident in New York.
Throughout the day reports filtered in as everyone reacted in shock and dismay. One of my fellow teachers was visibly shaking because she informed us during our conference period that her dad was scheduled to visit the Pentagon that day as part of his work.
By the end of the day she learned that her father had gone to the Pentagon and the area he was to visit was the area that took a direct hit from an incoming plane hijacked by the terrorists.
By the grace of God, my fellow teacher’s father had miraculously left the area less than five minutes earlier to meet someone for coffee. He was OK!
Army Lt. Colonel Karen Wagner, a Judson ISD graduate whose office was in that same area did not survive. Wagner High School is named after her.
Another faculty member’s aunt was at the World Trade Center when a huge slab of concrete fell from the side of the building and landed some feet away from where she was standing. The impact was so great that the back blast threw her nearly one hundred feet away, dislocating her shoulder and breaking her arm. She was unconscious for 24 hours but woke up wondering what had happened to her.
My own brother, Kelly, I learned the next day, was scheduled for one of those flights from Boston but inexplicitly cancelled at the last moment and rebooked another flight for later that day. He too is alive to tell the tale by the grace of God! The terrorist attack that day still affects us, and our loved ones, be it a friend, family member or humanity in general.
We honor those who lost their lives. We salute you and will never forget!!!
By Judge Steve Walker
aka Walker Report Publisher/Editor
I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was a Special Education teacher in a 7th Grade English class at Kingsborough Middle School in Harlandale ISD with the mainstream teacher presenting the lesson at the time.
I was sitting in the back of the class monitoring the special needs students and looking up some test material on the computer when I noticed the photos of the two towers on the screen after they were hit by the planes.
Before I could say a word, another teacher opened the door and rushed in and informed the class that it was reported that there was a tragic accident in New York.
Throughout the day reports filtered in as everyone reacted in shock and dismay. One of my fellow teachers was visibly shaking because she informed us during our conference period that her dad was scheduled to visit the Pentagon that day as part of his work.
By the end of the day she learned that her father had gone to the Pentagon and the area he was to visit was the area that took a direct hit from an incoming plane hijacked by the terrorists.
By the grace of God, my fellow teacher’s father had miraculously left the area less than five minutes earlier to meet someone for coffee. He was OK!
Army Lt. Colonel Karen Wagner, a Judson ISD graduate whose office was in that same area did not survive. Wagner High School is named after her.
Another faculty member’s aunt was at the World Trade Center when a huge slab of concrete fell from the side of the building and landed some feet away from where she was standing. The impact was so great that the back blast threw her nearly one hundred feet away, dislocating her shoulder and breaking her arm. She was unconscious for 24 hours but woke up wondering what had happened to her.
My own brother, Kelly, I learned the next day, was scheduled for one of those flights from Boston but inexplicitly cancelled at the last moment and rebooked another flight for later that day. He too is alive to tell the tale by the grace of God! The terrorist attack that day still affects us, and our loved ones, be it a friend, family member or humanity in general.
We honor those who lost their lives. We salute you and will never forget!!!
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