Oddett-Marie Alexis recalls driving from her home in Richmond Hill to her job on Hilton Head Island the morning of September 11, 2001. Her younger brother, her only brother, was already at his job.

He was making deliveries at one of the World Trade Center towers. He was supposed to go to the 108th floor.

But he didn’t have his ID on him. A security guard, who knew him well, sent him back to get his ID. He went back to the basement and while he was down there, he got the word the tower had been hit.

Right where he was supposed to be making deliveries.

“While he’s searching for his ID, all he heard was, ‘Steve, there’s a hole in the building. We’ve got to get out,’” Alexis said.

When he made his way outside, Alexis said, he looked up and was brought to tears.

“He realized that’s where he was supposed to be,” she said.

Alexis, the parent, family and community engagement specialist at Bradwell Institute, spoke to Lewis Frasier Middle School students Wednesday morning at LFMS’ Freedom Field.

She told the students her brother’s walk home was the equivalent of walking from Lewis Frasier Middle to the Savannah Mall.

“That’s how far he walked that day to get home. Everything was at a standstill,” she said.

When he got home, he opened his bag. At the top was his ID.

Her mother called Alexis and told her that her brother was safe.

“But we didn’t realize how much of an impact this day would have on our family,” she said.

Alexis’ cousin, Karl Henry Joseph, was an EMT in New York City and was transitioning to the fire department. He was a probationary firefighter at Company 207, but this Tuesday morning was his day off.

His phone rang and he answered it, and immediately headed to the station.

“Uncle Joe handed him the phone, and that was the last time Uncle Joe saw him,” Alexis said.

He was one of 343 Fire Department of New York personnel who died as the two towers collapsed within minutes of each other. His remains have never been identified.

“When that second tower collapsed, at 10:28 a.m., Karl was still inside,” she said. “At his memorial service, all we could do was just have pictures up.”

Alexis brought with her a picture of a steel beam salvaged from the towers’ collapse and a picture of Joseph’s memorial stone. The mother of a Marine, Alexis has Marine mom friends who do a run at the Healing Fields every year.

“The first plaque they will look for is Karl’s plaque,” she said.

As part of LFMS’ observance, the school’s chorale performed the National Anthem and three scholars read “What is a patriot?”.

Alexis implored the LFMS students to make every day count.

“Every moment counts,” she said. “When you’re having a bad day, you matter. When you’re having a good day, you matter.

“You want to make sure you make your mark. You need to leave your mark. You want to leave a good mark. You have to treat each other as brothers and sisters and as the true patriots that you are.”