Never forget.

The smoke.

The planes.

The news.

The loss.

Never forget.

September 11^th is a date that will forever live in infamy to all Americans. Whilea new generation is growing up in a world where 9/11 is more a solemn day than a memory, the majority of people in the nation can still tell you exactly where they were when they heard the news.

The seniors at WS are probably the only students still able to remember, if even they can conjure up a long lost, stored away, vague idea of the event.

But the teachers? Many of them were here, at WS, during the day. They have their own recollections that could never be replaced by what students now know as “the day a few planes were hijacked.” They remember details of the school day, of their students at the time, that no high schooler here could ever understand.

Becky Brandt, now an assistant principal, was a tech advisor when she felt time stand still. She was not an administrator, but took it upon herself to help in whatever way she could.

“This was our own community, our own families, our own freedom,” said Brandt. While working, one parent in particular stood out to her.

Nancy Wood, an administrative assistant, was not working at WS when the planes hit. She was another parent, concerned for the well-being of her two children in high school. When the third plane collided with the Pentagon, she realized the gravity of the situation. Unfortunately for her, her son was in lunch, and she was at a loss to find him, especially with so many other parents trying to do the same thing. With this struggle, Wood was not in a crisis, but was in dire need of aid.

“When people need help,” Wood said, “[Brandt] is there.”

Their encounter is what first brought them together, validating the idea that even in times of crisis there is hope. Even in the wake of tragedy, there is a bond that exists between complete strangers to lessen the pain.

Brandt and Wood’s story is special, but it is not unique. There are countless tales from that day of students and parents under pressure, trying to make the most of a bad situation. Not everyone had as personal an experience as Wood, but they all felt something.

Girls Lacrosse coach Brian Puhlick still knows every detail from that day. He knows what period it was, what room he was in, and the time of day. He knows how his students looked during PE class that day, and he knows it is a day forever ingrained in the minds of all who were old enough to be conscious of what was happening.

“At the time it was so surreal,” said Puhlick. “I said [to my students], you will remember this day for the rest of your life. You will remember where you were when the planes hit.”