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My Father

Matthew Guevara

16 Oct, 2010 12:11 AM

was recently asked a sentimental question for a class assignment. My teacher asked ?If you could travel to anytime in your life, when/where would it be. And why?? After about a day?s work of pondering that question, I have finally come up with an answer. If I could travel to anytime it would have to be September 11th 2001. My name is Matthew Guevara and I would like to tell you the story behind my answer to this question. When I was ten years old my life seemed simple, it was fantastic. I had a mother who loved me, a father who was always there for me, an older brother who taught me the meaning of brotherly love, and a little sister on the way. It started on September 5th 2001. The day was a warm day down in Texas and my dad made plans for the whole family to go to New York. We were to leave on the 10th and seven in the morning. As the days went by I couldn?t stop talking about it to my friends. My parents promised me that we would go see the Statue of Liberty! I was as excited as a ten year old boy could get. Finally the day came and we set off to New York. We got to our hotel and all took a nap. When I woke up I couldn?t contain my joy and immediately woke up my whole family! I begged to go to the Statue of Liberty but disappointingly found out that we couldn?t go today due to my mother?s stomach pains of pregnancy. So instead we all ?chilled? at the hotel for the day, later that night for some reason I got into a fight with my dad and didn?t speak to him for the rest of the night. Before I fell asleep my dad said in a sweet voice, ?Hey I?m sorry for what happened. If you don?t wanna come to the Twin Towers with me in the morning I?ll understand. But if you do, just ask your brother to take you. I?ll be waiting for you guys.?

Still angry I acted as if I didn?t hear him. The next morning at 8:00 I woke up and saw my father standing at the door and walking out. I didn?t stop him and ask him to stay, I didn?t tell him I?d meet him there, I didn?t say I was sorry and I loved him. I just watched him walk out the door. I went back to sleep because I had not gotten good enough sleep the night before. At 8:50 I awoke to my mother?s screams. The TV was on and my brother was crying. I didn?t know what was wrong until I saw what my family was watching. A plane had crashed into the building? ?No, that can?t be real?, I thought to myself. ?Hey what movie is that?? I asked my mom and brother. But they didn?t answer. I couldn?t believe my eyes. Was this really happening? Was I still dreaming? No, it was as real as the last ten years of my life. My mom ran out the door with my brother after her. In shock I just stood there with a teary eye watching the television. Not knowing if my dad was okay. He probably got out of there before the airplane hit, was my first thought. ?He was probably at a Starbucks or something?, I continued with a sort of smile on my face trying to fight the tears. That was the day my father died. That was the day I ignored him completely. The day I didn?t say, ?I love you.? That day my family was ripped apart because of my doing. I should have asked him to stay with us. But I didn?t.

I would go back that day and save the life of my father and the lives of many people that were there that same day.

Tags: 9/11, Death, Cried, Family, Dad, Love
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Manoj says:
25 Oct, 2010 03:12 PM

I am sorry about your loss brother but don't blame yourself for it.

God Bless You!

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Sharlene says:
26 Oct, 2010 02:02 AM

Aww, I am very sorry as well. That day must have been so sad and unbelievable for you. I hope you are doing well now and making your family and dad proud of you! :)

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abdo says:
26 Oct, 2010 05:56 AM

sorry about your loss...pleas dont blame yourself...u r not reason...its the life ..only..in the end all we will death..whatever we live..one day coming to death...its just turne..

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Holly says:
26 Oct, 2010 08:27 AM

I am so sorry. Your story was very sad.. Just don't blame yourself! (:

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sami says:
26 Oct, 2010 10:15 AM

sorry bout ur loss, ur dad knows you love him, no matter what, please don't blame yourself, he wouldn't want you to. Xx

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nazir says:
26 Oct, 2010 04:58 PM

as a practising muslim i still to this day can not understand the mentality of the people who carried out this crime, your loss is heart felt,however you should never blame yourself,your dad will always love you from a distance,and dont forget you have your mum,shower her with all the love in your heart and i am sure that would make your dad proud of a brave son as you clearly are.

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meme says:
27 Oct, 2010 03:39 AM

awww..im so sorry for your lose..dont blame yourself,your father wouldnt want you to do that..i hope your family doing ok

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emily says:
27 Oct, 2010 08:53 AM

this is so sad and ))))):)))) awesome

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Morgan says:
28 Oct, 2010 10:19 PM

Hi Matthew, I can't even begin to think how you must have felt that day. My father died a few weeks ago and I feel that same guilt weighing me down. But you've got to remember that even though we didn't tell them as often as we should have, our father's knew how much we loved them. Don't punish yourself too much. It's natural to act like you did, occasionally. Especially for a ten year old. It's just a tragedy that you weren't able to resolve the arguement, but rest assured. He knew you loved him :)

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
xx

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yumiko says:
01 Nov, 2010 02:53 AM

dnt blme urslf...just be strong and pray always...God bless you and ur family...

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Linda says:
02 Nov, 2010 06:51 PM

hey :) you know we losse the one we love because of our own mistake..but thats not going to stop youur father from loving youu dear , your father was a good father hell understand wat your going thru , but he wants you to be happy for him..thats all , dont blame yourself beacuse he left your family..just trust yourself ok

LOve youu bro
God Blessed

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rose says:
03 Nov, 2010 04:50 PM

hi sorry to hear about ur loss i just came across this website my dad passed away 2008
he never told us he loved us and i did tell him i loved him no matter how things were with us i wish i had stayed with him longer when i visited him but i didnt we would argue and now i feel so bad and hurt hope all is ok now for you and ur family wasnt ur fault dont feel bad hugs

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yessenia says:
07 May, 2011 04:23 PM

Your story made me tear up! wow, but again you had no idea what was going to happen!

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monica says:
03 Sep, 2011 02:02 PM

that's so sad i feel sorry for you Matthew i can really feel the pain u're passing through but don't blame yourself he's in a better place praying for u now !! :)

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neay says:
20 Feb, 2012 06:31 PM

Same as me... i wanted also to get back my father and to show my love and say how much i love him...:( my father died to years ago...many things had change for not having him specially into my family,,,:(

but we need to accept the reality..everything is under control..Plan by God..!just continue moving and believing in Him.. God Bless You!

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Suluveyi Rhakho says:
27 Feb, 2012 04:07 AM

Dear Brother,

It was sad and I am so sorry for your loss. Yet, I would honestly tell you things thing, you can never re-do your past. But now you have an awsome testimony to tell the world about 'the necesity of forgiveness and love' not only outside but within the family life. Your testimony is really challenging.

God be with you.

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Sarah says:
23 Jul, 2012 07:37 PM

Im sorry,that was so sad... But that wasnt ur fault,dont blame urself... All of us maybe sometime do what will make us penitent... everything isnt always right as we like! GOD BLESS U, BROTHER! Hope to see ur sublime days! :)

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victoria says:
28 Oct, 2012 12:43 AM

this is to sad to be true...

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mansi says:
24 Jan, 2013 08:01 PM

i am very sorry for you and don't blame yourself but just remember everything happens for a reason and Matthew.... keep smiling and carry on :D

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Sue Muehlman says:
23 Mar, 2013 06:27 PM

Oh honey, kids always have disagreements with their parents, but as a parent myself of a teen age boy, we know that deep down under the anger is LOVE, I'm SURE your Father knew you loved him as he loved you.kids are kids and no human is perfect. He is probably watching over you and your Mom and Brother right now and acting as your guardian angel. Remmber all the good times you shared with him and know that you are loved and God bless you.

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Alaysia says:
30 Oct, 2013 02:08 AM

Aww i know how you feel my brother was a waiter at the top of one of the buildings. God bless you.

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Fauzan HR says:
04 Jul, 2014 03:41 PM

Don't blame yourself because what you did wasn't your fault you see it was nature.
Nature has its beauty but also its cruelness
Death is already planned by gos before we were born

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George Krauch says:
22 Aug, 2014 04:15 AM

God bless you man

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James says:
09 Jan, 2015 09:26 AM

so sad my mom and died there i remember how wee were at daycare and they switched on the tv

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james says:
09 Jan, 2015 09:29 AM

my mom and dad died in the 9/11 attack i still remember walking home from school because they let us out early and my brother screamed when we saw the plane flying so low and we ran towards the buildings and we go to therapy now because the bodies hitting the ground cause us nightmares

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Rhea says:
13 Mar, 2015 08:06 PM

I know very well that a common console like " I am so sorry fr your loss" will never fill that empty space which was created on account of your father's unfortunate demise . It was a touching story there . I wish you good luck ahead in life my friend . :)

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Margaret Chinzah says:
02 Apr, 2016 01:23 PM

So sad:(

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