Yahoo! is asking Americans how September 11 changed them. Below is an account from a reader.
Today, I often smile as I share stories about my eccentric father and I'm filled with pride as his legacy lives on through the Phil Guza Memorial Scholarship, which I founded in 2010 after putting it off for many years. My dad was a math guy, so the scholarship is for "the study of math, science, and engineering."
[Your story: How has September 11 changed you?]
Just as my father was 36 years earlier, I was a junior at Lehigh University on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. My first class wasn't until 10 a.m., so I was sleeping in at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, while most of the house was already starting their day.
A phone call from a friend in New York City woke me up, and he told me there was an accident at the Twin Towers, where he knew my father worked.
Half asleep, I questioned if he was joking around, but it didn't take long for me to realize that something serious was going on. I had a small TV in my room, but it was only on for a minute before someone came by and brought me to a bigger room where there were a half dozen people watching the news as things were beginning to unfold.
The hours and days that followed all seem to blend together. Friends from across campus came to support me. Phone lines were bogged down and it was tough to get a hold of family. A friend drove me home where I would meet with my mother, and soon after my brother, who lived in Boston at the time. We made missing person posters with the description: white dress shirt, dark slacks, suspenders (Phil's signature look). We submitted a toothbrush for DNA samples. Nothing was ever found.
Inspired by the birth of my son last year, my dream for a memorial math scholarship to honor my father came to fruition. In short, my dad was a gifted mathematician from inner-city Philly; a high school where very few students ever attain an education level of PhD. I wish to help inspire today's students to pursue their academic goals, especially those interested in the field of mathematics. After all, my dad was a math guy.
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