Finding Recovery in the Shadow of 9/11: Stories from a Child Survivor

It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 20 years since September 11, 2001. On that day, 12-year-old Helaina Hovitz — who lived only blocks from the Twin Towers — had just arrived at her local middle school in lower Manhattan. The images, footage, events, and experiences that are now common knowledge to everyone were a very real part of Helaina’s life, which unfolded in real time as she fled from the collapse and returned to her home in what was now a war zone.

There are people around the world, and even New York City, who aren’t aware of the way children and families were impacted that day. And in the months and years that followed, severe and long-term damage was inflicted on the hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the area that day. This is the story of one girl’s experience living in the shadow of the attacks, and her journey to recovery.

Join New York Adventure Club for an intimate discussion with one of the few child survivors of the September 11th attacks in New York City.

Led by journalist and author Helaina Hovitz, our first-hand account of her experience that fateful day — and the challenges she faced because of it — will include:

• An overview of her experience living in lower Manhattan before, during, and after the attacks of 9/11
• The explicit and subtle ways undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can have on someone’s life following a traumatic event, and its relevance to today’s world in the year 2020
• Details on how she found recovery, hope, and healing in the face of adversity

Afterward, Helaina will be answering the most commonly asked questions that students ask her about her experiences, then and now.

If you can’t make it live, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week. Free.

Stay safe. Be Well. Never forget.

*Recommended for ages 11 and up

**Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar

***For the best possible viewing experience, please ensure you’re using the latest version of your internet browser — Google Chrome is the most compatible. Exact technical requirements and a webinar user guide will be shared in the automated confirmation email upon registration.

****A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week

About Helaina

Helaina Hovitz has spoken with countless other members of the sober, PTSD, and other recovery communities, and, as a journalist, researcher and avid learner, she is also now considered a knowledgeable expert by clinicians in the field and is an impactful presenter to both professionals and youth and community audiences. Most importantly, she is able to share her experiences openly and honestly,and bring the message back to hope, with a strong focus on the positive and always an inspirational message.

In many ways, her memoir, After 9/11 is the story of an entire generation growing up in the aftermath of America’s darkest day.It is the story of a group of children who directly survived September 11th, 2001 and bore its invisible scars for the rest of their lives.And, for one young woman, it is the story of a survivor who, after witnessing the end, got to make a new beginning.

Learn more about Helaina’s work at www.HelainaHovitz.com, and on Facebook.com/HelainaNHovitz