MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C -- For a private graduating today with Platoon 3045, India Co., 3rd Recruit Training Bn., the opportunity to get away from his home state of New York has provided him with a new prospective on life. Growing up in New York and working his way through high school in an area of the lower east side of Manhattan, Pabon took a job on the nightshift of a discount retail store. The store, located less than one mile from the site of the World Trade Center, is where Pabon spent 40-50 hours a week working from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Pabon left work on his way home. Before heading home, Pabon made a stop that ultimately may have saved his life."I stopped in a restaurant to grab some breakfast," said Pabon. The time was 8:30 a.m., and as Pabon ate his meal, American Airlines Flight 111 was on a direct path towards New York. Fifteen minutes later, Pabon and the rest of the country had their lives and sense of security ripped from them. At exactly 8:45 a.m., Flight 111 from Boston, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. As Pabon left the restaurant, he witnessed firsthand what most of the rest of the nation could only see on television. "As I stepped outside, people were running and you could see smoke and dust everywhere," described Pabon. "It looked like a scene straight out of the movies."What most people could only imagine, Pabon experienced as United Airlines Flight 175, also from Boston, crashed into the south tower of the WTC, solidifying in everyone's minds this was no accident. As the evacuation of the area surrounding the WTC began, Pabon and others were rushed to safety, the unthinkable occurred."I was about half a mile away from the site when it [the south tower] came down," said Pabon. "You could hear and feel it as it collapsed."The time was now 10:05 a.m., and while New York scurried about in horrified confusion, Pabon and others continued toward the evacuation area.Twenty-three minutes later, from about one mile away, Pabon turned to see the north tower join the other as it toppled to the ground. Pabon describes the rest of the day as terror, sadness, confusion and anger all rolled into one single emotion.Like the attack on Pearl Harbor, so many individuals answered the call to arms immediately across the nation. Although Pabon also chose to serve his country's armed forces, his situation was a bit different. He had already enlisted in the delayed entry program in September of 2000. Due to problems early in school, Pabon was held back and consequently spent five years in high school before graduating and receiving his diploma. Pabon remembers getting into fights and receiving poor grades even though he knew he could do better."I got low grades in school, but I'm not stupid," said Pabon. With no money for college and no chance at a scholarship due to grades, Pabon turned toward the Marine Corps for a second chance. "What I really wanted was the discipline," said Pabon. "I thought the Marine Corps would be able to clean me up."Arriving on the island March 11, 2002, Pabon found all of what he was looking for in recruit training.Pabon now describes himself as a person with a new way of looking at life and that fateful day that changed our lives forever back in September. "I feel like I did what I came here to do," Pabon said. "I definitely feel like a changed person with a new outlook on life."After graduation, Pabon plans on returning to New York to visit his family before reporting to Camp Geiger, N.C. for Marine Combat Training before proceeding to Marine Corps Base Twenty-Nine Palms, Calif., for training as a command and control electrician. When asked if he would visit the ground zero site of the WTC, Pabon shrugged his shoulders."I guess I am curious, but right about now, I'm more interested in seeing the rest of the world," Pabon said with a smile. "Hopefully, the Corps will allow me that opportunity."