9/11 Remembrance Thread
- Thread starter HARMCYN
- Start date
Got up that morning and dog was sick. Called into work and took him to vet. They wanted to keep him for a while, so headed back home to enjoy my unexpected day off. I remember exactly what street I was on when I heard on the radio that the first plane had hit. At that point, they still thought it might have been an accident. I got home and turned on the TV just after second plane hit. Was glued to Peter Jennings coverage the rest of the day. I started taping and still have 8 hours of ABC's coverage somewhere in my basement.
Later that day, our friends' infant child died. She was a preemie and died on the day she was supposed to go home from the hospital.
That night I remember waiting in a long line at the gas pump. No one knew if more attacks were coming or if we were going to war or what.
Later that day, our friends' infant child died. She was a preemie and died on the day she was supposed to go home from the hospital.
That night I remember waiting in a long line at the gas pump. No one knew if more attacks were coming or if we were going to war or what.
The thing that I’ll remember the most is watching the people falling on live TV. One after another. The hell they must have been going through being trapped for that long. In years since many TV programs have replayed phone calls from those near and above the impact floors asking authorities for help or what they should do, with dispatchers only able to tell them to wait. Horrifying.
I was in my office on campus, and wasn't aware of anything going on. My husband called from his job in Des Moines and told me about the first plane. He has a habit of pranking me because I'm somewhat gullible, so I didn't believe him. He said, find a radio or a tv, NOW. So I went down the hall to another office where I knew there was a radio. Went in, there were a half dozen people already in her office looking stunned. The second plane hit just as I got there.
I listened to it for a little bit, then went back to my office and just sat there. Finally told my boss I couldn't stay. Left, went to my church and sat in the sanctuary for about an hour, just trying to come to terms with what I had heard. People wandered in and out while I was there; some of them I recognized as members of the congregation, some were total strangers.
I then went home and just watched coverage...over and over and over. And cried. A lot. When PapaLew got home, he joined me on the couch.
For those of us who were already adults when this happened, there is one major impact that younger folks don't recognize, and will never quite "get". Travel changed. Immediately. And flying has only become more stressful in the intervening years. The days of arriving 1/2 hour before the flight, checking in, and going directly to your gate are long gone. The days of taking your kids to the gate to meet grandma & grandpa getting off the plane are gone. And I doubt we will ever go back to those carefree days. For that reason in particular, I will never forget 9/11. I'm reminded of it every time we go to the airport.
I listened to it for a little bit, then went back to my office and just sat there. Finally told my boss I couldn't stay. Left, went to my church and sat in the sanctuary for about an hour, just trying to come to terms with what I had heard. People wandered in and out while I was there; some of them I recognized as members of the congregation, some were total strangers.
I then went home and just watched coverage...over and over and over. And cried. A lot. When PapaLew got home, he joined me on the couch.
For those of us who were already adults when this happened, there is one major impact that younger folks don't recognize, and will never quite "get". Travel changed. Immediately. And flying has only become more stressful in the intervening years. The days of arriving 1/2 hour before the flight, checking in, and going directly to your gate are long gone. The days of taking your kids to the gate to meet grandma & grandpa getting off the plane are gone. And I doubt we will ever go back to those carefree days. For that reason in particular, I will never forget 9/11. I'm reminded of it every time we go to the airport.
I was a senior in college. Had a 9:25 class, so I rolled out of bed around 9 and walked out of my room to find my roommates all gathered around the tv. The gravity of the situation didn't hit me right away. I walked to class and there were maybe three of us that showed up, so the prof sent us home with the instructions to watch the news coverage on different stations and compare the agendas of each (it was a media class).
Anyway, I remember waiting in line for gas that evening too and getting absolutely gouged for something like three or four bucks a gallon. But I paid it because like you said, nobody knew anything at that point.
Sophomore in college, in psych class when the first plane hit, and since there were no smart phones or even texting at the time, didn't know until I got back to the dorm and my dorm mates were watching it unfold.
Was scary and fascinating all at the same time.
Was scary and fascinating all at the same time.
Yeah, the people jumping was horrible. Just to imagine how bad it must have been up there that your only options were to burn alive or jump 1000 feet to your death.
The phone calls from the Towers and Planes were some of the most heart breaking things you could listen to.
This one is terrifying, talking to the dispatcher at the moment the tower collapses.
I was just a couple of months into my first post college job, doing some CAD training with a group at our company's training center. We were just starting a break, and someone from the corporate office called to tell me that my mom was trying to get a hold of me. I was in the national guard and she was terrified I was going to be going off to war. After we all found out what was going on we turned the TV on during breaks to see what was developing. I remember fearing all day that we were about to go to war. A couple months later, my unit was activated. We spent two of the next three years on activation.
We are still living with the direct results of this day. Our rights have been eroded in the name of protection, we have thousands and thousands of physically and mentally disabled veterans, there is a profound fear of muslums, and a resurgence of racism in America. Political discourse is at an all time high and I think we can trace the roots of it to differences of opinion with regards to the Iraq war. You could argue that this was the birth of Trump having somewhat of a political voice..... It was also the birth of the 24 hour news cycle. IMHO the terrorist accomplished far more that day then toppling two buildings and murdering almost 3000 people. They forever wounded the psyche of a prideful, strong, and up until then, safe place. It was the beginning of our nations decline, and only time will tell if we fully rebound from this. If we survive the next couple of years, I am hopeful.
We are still living with the direct results of this day. Our rights have been eroded in the name of protection, we have thousands and thousands of physically and mentally disabled veterans, there is a profound fear of muslums, and a resurgence of racism in America. Political discourse is at an all time high and I think we can trace the roots of it to differences of opinion with regards to the Iraq war. You could argue that this was the birth of Trump having somewhat of a political voice..... It was also the birth of the 24 hour news cycle. IMHO the terrorist accomplished far more that day then toppling two buildings and murdering almost 3000 people. They forever wounded the psyche of a prideful, strong, and up until then, safe place. It was the beginning of our nations decline, and only time will tell if we fully rebound from this. If we survive the next couple of years, I am hopeful.
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I was living in Brooklyn at the time. Our neighborhood was basically straight across from lower manhattan and inland a little ways. Woke up to my phone ringing. It was my mom and I remember thinking why is she calling me so early, I am trying to sleep. I ignored the call the first time but answered the second because I figured something was up.
She told about the plan hitting and just as I got off the phone and woke my roommate up, the second plane had hit. We lived on the third story of a three story brownstone and could get to the roof using the fire escape. We climbed up to the roof and just stared at awe and in shock of what we were seeing. The smoke just pouring out of the towers.
There were fighter jets that started to fly over the city and I remember asking each other, "how do we know those are ours?" We talked about what the hell we should do. Is the city under attack? Talking about it now still makes my heart race. I had friends that lived near the world trade center. I remember trying all day to get through to them but you couldn't get through. Luckily i heard from them later that day and they were ok.
We saw the first tower come down and I can't even describe what it was like seeing that. We went back inside thinking we better watch the news to see if we need to try and get out of the city and figure out what to do.
I remember later walking outside and all these people in the streets and the look of disbelief and sadness. I remember seeing all these people on the front steps of a church crying. They shut down everything in the city. Banks, ATMs, transportation etc. I remember the ATM thing because I was trying to take money out to buy some food because all we had in our apartment was a can of corn.
There was military stationed in the city. Guys stationed near the subway and trains and any attractions. Two days later we took an amtrack to my roommates aunt's in New Jersey. I remember the flood of calls I got from friends and family relieved to finally get through to me and know I was ok.
I remember the candle light vigils in the parks and I remember going into manhattan before we left and Times Square was a ghost town. It was one of the most eerie sights I have ever seen. A space with millions of people walking daily was now empty.
I also remember the sense of community and kindness that was in the city afterward. People wanting to connect with strangers.
I also remember the overwhelming grief of going down to ground zero and seeing the pictures of all the missing on the fences.
She told about the plan hitting and just as I got off the phone and woke my roommate up, the second plane had hit. We lived on the third story of a three story brownstone and could get to the roof using the fire escape. We climbed up to the roof and just stared at awe and in shock of what we were seeing. The smoke just pouring out of the towers.
There were fighter jets that started to fly over the city and I remember asking each other, "how do we know those are ours?" We talked about what the hell we should do. Is the city under attack? Talking about it now still makes my heart race. I had friends that lived near the world trade center. I remember trying all day to get through to them but you couldn't get through. Luckily i heard from them later that day and they were ok.
We saw the first tower come down and I can't even describe what it was like seeing that. We went back inside thinking we better watch the news to see if we need to try and get out of the city and figure out what to do.
I remember later walking outside and all these people in the streets and the look of disbelief and sadness. I remember seeing all these people on the front steps of a church crying. They shut down everything in the city. Banks, ATMs, transportation etc. I remember the ATM thing because I was trying to take money out to buy some food because all we had in our apartment was a can of corn.
There was military stationed in the city. Guys stationed near the subway and trains and any attractions. Two days later we took an amtrack to my roommates aunt's in New Jersey. I remember the flood of calls I got from friends and family relieved to finally get through to me and know I was ok.
I remember the candle light vigils in the parks and I remember going into manhattan before we left and Times Square was a ghost town. It was one of the most eerie sights I have ever seen. A space with millions of people walking daily was now empty.
I also remember the sense of community and kindness that was in the city afterward. People wanting to connect with strangers.
I also remember the overwhelming grief of going down to ground zero and seeing the pictures of all the missing on the fences.
one of my friends lived a couple blocks away and fled her apartment when the first tower came down. She ran down her street in the haze of the smoke and ash and crap that filled the air. He apartment was covered inside with that stuff and had to be cleaned by the city.
Also new a photographer that lived just a little uptown from the towers and he had pictures of everything that happened, including the people dropping out of the building.
Also new a photographer that lived just a little uptown from the towers and he had pictures of everything that happened, including the people dropping out of the building.
I don't think I got gouged but I waited a long time. At the time I recall thinking everyone must know something I don't. Maybe if war broke out, this would be the last chance I'd have to get gas for a long time. I consider myself a logical and rational person (except on sports message boards) but it's pretty scary how quickly that mob mentality can take over your brain.
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I was 10 years old, and in 5th grade. I wasn't aware while it was happening - I think the school made the decision not to show footage to the elementary kids, and we obviously didn't have cell phones. I just remember my mom picking me up from school that day looking visibly upset, and trying to explain to me what happened. Didn't sink in until we got home and turned on the news.
What followed was witnessing Iraq/Afghanistan and the rest of the associated turmoil in middle school and high school, and wondering how things might have been different had that not happened.
What followed was witnessing Iraq/Afghanistan and the rest of the associated turmoil in middle school and high school, and wondering how things might have been different had that not happened.
I remember being more shocked than sad at the time. I was 17. I watched this yesterday, and sobbed at three separate points:
I know exactly the stoplight I was parked at on my way to work when they interrupted the radio morning show with breaking news. I'm 40 years old. I remember it like yesterday. I actually got interviewed by my child yesterday as he was doing a report for class on how all of "parent age" people know exactly what we were doing at that given moment.
Sitting at that stoplight, I like many thought the 1st plane was a horrible accident, until the 2nd one came and immediately the reality of the situation became clear.
Sitting at that stoplight, I like many thought the 1st plane was a horrible accident, until the 2nd one came and immediately the reality of the situation became clear.
I was in 3rd grade. Teacher left, came back in with a TV on a rolling cart. We all got excited cuz we thought we were watching a movie. Watched coverage the rest of the day.
We started worrying if they would attack our school. (Quite ridiculous looking back.)
Also remember riding my bike after school and the line at the gas station was halfway down main street.
We started worrying if they would attack our school. (Quite ridiculous looking back.)
Also remember riding my bike after school and the line at the gas station was halfway down main street.
I was in 7th grade and walked in the Library to start 2nd period and high schoolers were gathered around a TV. I thought they were watching a movie and was confused. And then we saw the 1st tower fall.
We still played a football game that afternoon and I remember seeing Air Force One and the F-16s headed east back to DC. As others are saying, it feels just like yesterday.
We still played a football game that afternoon and I remember seeing Air Force One and the F-16s headed east back to DC. As others are saying, it feels just like yesterday.