Chris Waters '05 recently served as a guest speaker in Ms. Vicari's English classes. Chris has been visiting Ms. Vicari's classes for several years to help supplement her course unit on 9/11. The students' assignment is to analyze different witness accounts of the events of 9/11.
One witness account that students studied is written by Chris, a Senior Federal Air Marshal. Chris's essay is featured in the book We Will Never Forget: The Stories of Children of 9/11 First Responders. His essay tells the story of his second day of freshman year of high school, and the day that his father, Capt. Patrick Waters '74, FDNY, bravely entered the World Trade Center to help save lives. That day, Capt. Waters did not evacuate the north tower even when faced with the greatest danger. Instead, he stayed and continued to do all he could to help others. Chris reflected on losing his dad, and the grieving and struggles that followed him for many years. In time, Chris came to accept his father's actions, recognizing that he made a brave and selfless choice because that is who he was. The events of 9/11 set Chris on a path that saw him make similar choices as his father in his own life, including pursuing a career that allows him to "step in and help others." After reading his essay aloud, Chris answered questions from numerous students, who were eager to learn more about his story.
Thank you, Chris, for visiting Molloy and sharing your experiences with our students.