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