Post on 07-Apr-2018
8/4/2019 9/11 Survivors Ten Years Later (Page 7)
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Looking back at
that day is sll dif-
ficult. I can sll
hear the silence,
smell the smoke,
see the sirens and
taste the aroma of
death. I thank God
that I didn’t have
to touch 9/11 formyself. God help
the families of the
thousands who did.
I was vising New
York on Septem-
ber 11, 2001. My schedule said that I was to be in
the North Tower at 8:30am that very morning. My
friends, Nathan and Gabriel, were to be in town for
the Michael Jackson concert at MSG. But at the last
minute, they changed their flights to mid-aernoon.
It was for that very reason that my plans werechanged. Normally, I’m a sckler for schedules, but
for some reason I was okay with the change. My
mother called me the morning of the 11th and woke
me up. I’m not a morning person so I pleaded with
her to let me sleep. She made me turn on the TV and
it was then that I began to wake up, not physically
but spiritually. I thanked God for all He had done in
my life and prayed that He would be with my family
for the rest of their days as I counted the minutes
on my day. The events on TV that were being shown
were happening right outside my window. Local TV
asked us to stay where we were due to uncertaintyof the subways, trains, etc. “The aacks may con-
nue,” they said. I was deathly afraid like never be-
fore. I walked that day in search of refuge or escape.
I found nothing. The oddest thing occurred during
this me. My pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes, was on the
front cover of TIME Magazine. As you know, in NYC
and many other cies, there are newspaper stands
all over. As I’m walking under the cloud of destruc-
on, I’m seeing my pastors’ face all over Manhaan.
For some reason I knew that God was in control. I
heard every sermon that my pastor had ever
preached, and I began to strengthen myself through
his words. September 11th is a landmark in my life,
one that I wish would have never happened. Ten
years later, the memories have not gone away. I
pray for the families everyday, God be with them as
You are with me.
John Nontez is a recording arst who went on to join
Kirk Franklin's mul-planum pop group God's
Property (the #1 smash hit single Stomp). Jontez is
now touring in support of his solo album, "And So
It Is" — available at iTunes. You can visit John’s
website at: www.facebook.com/jontezonline
John Jontez Montes
9/11INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
SERVICE