Naazi Husain '08 was sitting in a classroom at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan when word came that blocks away, the World Trade Center had been attacked.
Moments later, Husain and her classmates were quickly evacuated, led out from the comfort of their classroom to a city, and a country, in crisis.
The images and thoughts of that day still haunt her.
“It really affected me,'' said Husain, who was among dozens of members of the Union community who gathered around a small oak tree behind the Viniar Athletic Facility Monday to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“I can't believe it's been five years already,” said the biology and sociology major, who attended the service with Natali Torres '07.
The tree was planted at the site to mark the first anniversary of the attacks.
On Monday afternoon, 10 plain white Styrofoam cups, each filled with birdseed and two plastic spoons, were perched atop freshly laid mulch surrounding the tree.
remembrance – Ainlay speaks
College President Stephen Ainlay called the tree an appropriate symbol for the lessons that were learned that day.
“It affirms our resiliency as a community,” Ainlay told the small gathering.
Viki Brooks-McDonald, the College's interfaith chaplain, reminded the audience that while thousands died on 9/11, it's important to also remember the countless acts of heroism that emerged from the chaos.
“If you see fear and flames,” she urged those in attendance, “also see bravery and leadership.”
At the end of the simple, 15-minute ceremony, Affirmative Action and Community Outreach Gretchel Tyson asked people to scatter the seeds in the cups around the site as a tribute to those who died five years ago.
Losses to the Union family from the attacks included: Thomas Duffy '71; Andrew Fredericks '83; Peter Freund '77; Donald Kauth '74; Alexander Steinman '91; Christopher Quackenbush, husband of Traci S. Quackenbush '80; Timothy Haviland, brother of David Haviland '83; Arlene Fried, mother of Allison Fried '02; and James Patrick, brother of Kevin Patrick, former assistant hockey coach.
The service was sponsored by the Kenney Community Center, along with the interfaith chaplain.