A COMMUNITY TRANSFORMED
Words of Support From Family and Friends Throughout the World Trade Center crisis, NYU Law maintained up-to-the-minute information on its Web site (www.law.nyu.edu) regarding student safety, housing, and other measures the University was enacting to deal with the situation and to ensure the well-being of its students. Alumni and friends were encouraged to check in through the site and an outpouring of support was received. Following is a letter to John Sexton, then Dean of the Law School, from 1L Johnisha Matthews on September 11, 2001. Dean Sexton, I just wanted to tell you about how I experienced this day. I thought that I was managing to keep things in perspective pretty well these past couple of weeks, but today, of course, was life-altering. I was on the corner in front of the Law School shortly after the first plane hit the World Trade Center, and then saw the flames after the second plane hit. My roommate and I were horrified. We felt helpless as we hugged each other, trembling. Right before you came down the stairs, we had been sitting in Vanderbilt’s courtyard, on the bench dedicated to JFK, Jr., and I had said, “This is the time for a Dean Sexton hug.” And then there you were! So thank you for that. Things were a fog as I tried to get in contact with my family in D.C. I couldn’t believe that both my new and old home had been attacked, and that I was blessed enough to still be alive. And
for this, I am immensely thankful. It reminds me of a conversation that I had just last weekend. My friend and I were coming back from the West Indian festival and we began talking to this former magician in the subway. He gave us a lot of wisdom for free, but there was one thing he said that echoed in my head as I looked at the World Trade Center today: “Every night, there is someone who dies that may be nicer, more talented, or smarter than you. So when you wake up in the morning, you give thanks for seeing another day. You appreciate the second chance that you’ve been given and you live life instead of allowing it to live you.” And perhaps I will never see this person again, but he has given me a small bit of himself. And for this I am thankful. And today, despite the devastation and the ugliness, I saw something beautiful. I found the flip side in a group of my classmates who decided to go to St. Vincent’s and give blood.
Around 11:00 or so a member of my lawyering group had the idea that instead of sitting around crying, we should donate blood. So seven us went together and another classmate generously supplied us with turkey, chicken, bread, and juice so that we would not faint. But what was even more amazing was the turnout at St. Vincent’s. The line wrapped around the block. And everyone was feeding one another, passing out bagels and water, Gatorade, and bananas. How beautiful it was! Strangers talked and helped one another instead of shoving and shouting. It gives me hope to see how selflessly some of my classmates acted today. I have great respect for them as human beings, whereas last week, I merely had great respect for their intellect. When things calm down a bit, I’d like to come in and talk. Take care, Johnisha
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