Where were you and what were you doing?

[giantfan121262]

I don't have to mention that today is the anniversary of one of the biggest tragedies that we know or ever will know where thousands of lives were lost in one of the most inconcievable acts of destruction.

I put this in a category with the assasination of Presedent Kennedy and Pearl Harbor hence everyone talks about how they knew exactly where they were or what they were doing when these events (for lack of a better word) took place.

Where were you and what were you doing when you found out about the WTC and Pentagon getting hit by the suicide bombers?

I for one was dropping my son off at preschool. I was waiting for the classroom to open when one of the other kids mothers walked up to me and asked me if I was all right (I guess I appeard to be kind of pensive). I looked at her a little incredulously and just said "yes". She then told me the twin towers just got hit be an airplane. I was like "huh???". After I dropped off my son, I got back into my car and turned on the radio and the news was on every station. I then pulled into a deli for breakfast and the TV showed the other tower getting hit. That day, I just couldn't do anything at work. My boss sent us all home to be with our families about an hour later.

 

[Mimi]

I had just gotten my daughter on the bus for school and went to sit and watch a little TV before going back to sleep for an hour or two as I usually did around that time. The moment I turned on the TV, they were there live, covering it. That was after only the first tower had been hit. I sat there watching it as the second plane hit the second tower, and my heart nearly lept clear out of my throat. It only got worse, of course, as I sat there and watched it live while first one, then both towers came tumbling to the ground.

I don't think I had ever been so emotionally wrecked before. The whole day I could not eat, I could not sleep....I could not peel my eyes away from the TV for even a moment. And I cried. All damn day I cried like every single person caught in that tragedy was a member of my own family.

To this day I cry when I watch footage from that day. It still leaves that same sickening, empty, dreadful pain in my chest and belly. I'd say may none of us ever live to see another horrific event of such unbelievable devastation again, but I think we just did 2 weeks ago with hurricane Katrina.

I don't think many of us will ever forget where we were and how we found out about 9/11. And I don't know if I'll ever be able to say it doesn't hurt anymore.

 

[Red Jester]

I was only 14 years old in my Math class when the announcement came on that the trade centers had been hit. We spent the rest of the day watching TV and a few kids went home for fear that our school would be next. I thought they were morons.

 

[goddess_nemesis]

I was a freshman in high school when the towers were hit. I know it was a school day, because I faked illness to get out of going to school. I was home alone, my brothers at school and my parents at work. I came downstairs to watch TV, but couldn't because of the news coverage of what had happened. I couldn't think of anything but of the question why.

But the shock of it wasn't as great for me as it was for the people of NYC since I didn't live there and didn't see it firsthand like so many New Yorkers. But the terrorists were stupid that day and they failed miserably. They attacked our money source thinking it'll weaken us, but it only made us stronger because money isn't important. And they didn't get to hit the White House because the passengers on the plane fought back. We didn't crumble, we didn't fall apart. The only thing bin Laden succeeded in that day was to unite us and made us stronger. Kinda like that Britney Spears' song 'Stronger'. "I'm stronger than yesterday." 🙂

GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[MrMacphisto]

I was a senior in college. My roommate had woken me up after getting back from class, and he started talking about how the WTC and the Pentagon had been attacked. I was like, "Shut up, man. I need some sleep." After convincing me that he wasn't joking, we went over to our suitemate's room and watched the second tower get hit live on TV. Only a short time later, we watched the towers collapse live on TV. That was pretty surreal. Around this same time, we heard about the crash of the 4th plane in Pennsylvania. As expected, classes were cancelled for the rest of the day, and my friends and I began discussing what all this meant for the future of the country....

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

I was on my way to work, I had the Howard Stern show on and they were talking about the first plane hitting the towers. I called Ann to see if there was any news coverage cause this almost sounded like a bit Howard was doing. Sure enough, when the second plane hit, I turned around and came home. After hearing about the Pentagon being attacked, I just remember going numb all over.


Drew

 

[venray]

That morning Tracy took the car and I was on my way to a manager's meeting with a co-worker.

She called me to tell me she had a flat tire on the highway so my friend and I turned around to assist and get my son from her and bring him to mom's.

We called the boss to tell him we would be late and he said they would start when we got there.

As we left mom's we saw a plane flying very low in the sky and wondered about it but didnt give it too much thought.

We got to the meeting just in time to hear about the first plane and went out to the main floor to watch the news on CNN just in time to see the second plane hit.

Several of us had friends and family in that area of NY and immediately began to call to see what was really going on. Obviously that was to no avail.

About an hour later we all went our separate ways......

We will never forget where we were or who we were with or the friends that we lost that day......never.....

 

[stdave]

I had just turned my clock radio (itwas six a.m.o'clock pst) when I heard that the first plane had hit the towers. I was still a bit groggy having just woken up but half an hour later I turned on the news and it became more clear. My place at work had a tv so when I got there they had it on the news too.

 

[evilwomanhehe]

I was answering the switchboard at my old dealership in Toms River, NJ. Someone from our sister dealership next door told me that a plane hit one of the Towers. At first I thought it was one of those planes that took off from Teterboro Airport (there were a couple of crashes that happened around that time). I will never forget how empty I felt all day long. It was such a beautiful day--never would you think something that tragic was going to happen.

I still cry whenever I see something on TV from 9/11 to this day.

"We Shall Never Forget"

Victoria

 

[steph]

I was driving to work, listening to my fave morning talk show. At first, I thought it was a gag (they joke a lot) As the drive went on, I realized it was real. I had no response whatever, was in total shock and I remember walking into the building really dazed like "what the hell is happening???" After awhile I begin worrying about my friend, Annie, a flight attendant for United~I remember I kept calling her cell. I thought my boss would be pissed but she wasn't. Her brother lives in NY and she understood...
XOXO

 

[Haltickling]

We're six hours ahead of EST, so it was in the middle of the afternoon. I had just returned from a visit to my health insurance company and turned on the radio for some music, but before the song was finished, a special announcement interrupted the program: One of the WTC towers was hit by a plane!

Immediately I switched on TV to CNN (which is available here), then a few moments later, I watched the second plane hit the other tower. From that moment on, it was clear that it was no accident but a terrorist attack. I stayed glued to the TV for the rest of the day and half the night, although most of the time, I hardly could see anything through my tears. All German TV stations had changed their programs as well and brought special reports. I must have watched more than 100 re-runs of the second attack on that day alone.

I had been at "Windows of the World" just a few months before; everytime I visited NY, I spent my last evening there. Much later, I learned that one of my former classmates was among the victims. He used to work for Merryll Lynch and was at the WTC on business.

 

[suprticklishgrl]

i was a senior in high school, and has just gotten to the music/band room for my first class when some classmates were discussing what some had seen on the news already. as soon as class began, the principle came on the loudspeaker and described the tragic events as best as she knew. we had one of those "moments of silence" like the same one when columbine happened.

i was also in a patriotic mood a little earlier and posted in another thread with awesome lyrics. God bless the U.S.A.

 

[lite]

We will never forget...

At 8:45 a.m. my mother, my sister, and I were lining up to board a plane at Dulles Airport. We were going on vacation, headed to Hawaii, and the first leg of the trip would land us in San Francisco.

My mom, who has been on many flights, was very nervous that morning. I kept asking her what was wrong, and she kept telling me, "I don't know; I just don't feel right."

The plane taxied...and taxied...and taxied...then I pointed out that we were heading back to the terminal. When the plane stopped at the gate, they told us that there was a problem, and that our flight would be delayed, but we were to stay on board. About 15 or 20 minutes later, we were told that we would have to exit the plane; there was no explanation.

It wasn't until we were inside the terminal that we even began to understand what was happening. It's difficult for me to even think about the fact that our plane was headed to California. And it's impossible for my mother to explain why she felt the way she did that day.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was affected by this tragedy; that is, basically, everyone in the world.

 

[giantfan121262]

When I first heard this, I thought in my mind that someone was joking with me. When I got in my car, I realized it was no joke. I was just so numb and after seeing the second tower get hit, it was just so surreal. I'll never forget, a couple of days later, I saw a line of kids on the news to the song "Amazing Grace". The only thing I could think of was that those were the kids who lost loved ones from the attacks. I had to run out of the room because I lost it.

I know someone from my childhood who parished in the fire. He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. My neightbor works for the same company but he took the day off to go fishing with his friends. One of my best friends worked for Merrill Lynch, and I was calling his house nonstop until I found out he was all right. I was told his office was moved about a month before the attacks.

This is an anniversary of a day I will never forget for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Mitchell]

I was home, reading through material for a new company I was supposed to have signed onto as a rep the next night. (The company I worked for during my first 1 1-2 years on TMF) Suddenly, my mom came in my room, and told me about a plane hitting the first tower of the WTC. I turned on the TV, and moments later, the 2nd plane hit. She was hysterical, thinking the whole country was going to die. I, unlike my usual reaction, tried to stay calm, telling her we needed to wait until the government came on TV, and made an announcement. Minutes later, I received a call from my father, who lived in NY, and still does. We were talking at the time. He told me he was in a cab on his way to a Dr's appt in midtown, when he heard about the planes hitting the WTC, and that he loved me, and would call back later, if the phone service allowed.
At the time, we were very worried about my aunt and cousin, who lived six blocks from the WTC at the time. My aunt was in her apartment painting, she's an artist, when she heard the first plane hit the first tower. She immediately went downstairs, and saw the 2nd plane hit tower 2 from the street, and everyone on the st started running in the opposite direction.
From that point on, it was too dangerous for my aunt and cousin to remain in their apt, due to the debris from the WTC. They had to come here for six days until things settled down, and a few mos later left the neighborhood they lived in. I had to delay my signup to my company, which was supposed to happen the next night, for two weeks to comfort and shelter my stricken relatives. The weird part was that after watching the coverage all morning, and feeling I wasnt any less safe than anyone, I went with my mom for chinese food, trying to do something, but yet knowing life would never be the same for us, or 270 million others on that horrible day. On this day, I remember and reflect on those who lost their lives, on the planes, and in the WTC, and I know that neither I, nor any of us, have ever been the same. It was the most horrible moment in our country's history, in my opinion. I have little doubt any of us will ever forget where we were, or what we were doing on that horrible day that changed all of our lives forever.

Mitch

 

[toyou444]

I was at work. I am the only person in the office part of our plant that listens the radio all the time. That day, for some unknown reason I did not turn my radio on. Our secretary said her sister called and said a plane had hit the world trade center tower. I said planes have hit the empire state building so its probably no big deal. I walked back to my office and tried to get CNN online and couldn't. For those of you who do not know me I am a media nut and a newshound. I KNEW something was going on. I flipped on the radio and it was set to the local oldies station...they were carrying an ABC news feed. I worked in radio for almost 10 years, this wasn't good. Eventually I was able to get a CNN/Japan site complete with pictures. That, combined with the radio, got me up to speed pretty quick. I remember it was such a beautiful day here in PA (very similar to how it was yesterday here, except slightly cooler) and we were loding trucks for deliveries I kept walking outside and looking up for planes. Then rumors started. Someone said one of the planes was headed for out small, local airport. In reality the plane that crashed in Somerset, PA had crossed our airspace and the commisioners paniced and sent out a state of emergency address. When the plane went down in PA I called a buddy who is a physician there. He had passed the area just before the accident but had not seen anything. After failing to convince the boss that maybe we should head home I stayed glued to the internet and radio the rest of the day. Finally heading home at 5p I noticed something very strange. I knew all flights had been grounded. But as you make the turn on to the road I live on you are the top of a hill and facing the southern sky with a fantastic view...there was not one plane...no jet clouds...nothing. It was so weird. Of course, like everyone else, I scanned all the news channels the rest of the night. On a personal level my wife and I had been back together for about 4 months after a brief seperation (in fact we had planned a trip to NYC for the previous spring, but did not go due to marital problems) and we had found out a couple weeks before that she was pregnant with our second child. As we went to bed that night all I could think about was what the heck are we doing bringing another child into this dangerous world. I have never felt so unsafe as I did that evening. We went to NYC the summer of 2004 and went to the tower site. It was simply amazing that such a thing could happen.

~ toyou

 

[kis123]

I was experiencing the less than pleasant issue of going to traffic court on the building's 15th floor. I was about two people away from being called on my case when the judge announced that there was an attack at the WTC and all remaining cases were suspended for the day.

I had to walk down 15 flights of stairs then walk about 1.5 miles to the parking lot. When I got home I looked at the news for the rest of the day. Later on I wondered how people walked down 80+ floors to get out of there. If I were there, I don't think I would've made it on that fact alone.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

I was out collecting from businesses that morning for a friend of mine who had a paper route delivering to other businesses. I was driving in the car and I was in Washingtonville, New York heading towards Blooming Grove, New York. I was listening to Imus in the morning on Sportsradio 66 WFAN in new York when Charles McCord informed us that a airplane hit the twin towers. Then they were actually give play by play ( best term I could use ) as the 2nd plane hit the building. But it was Warner Wolfe and hour and a half (who lived right near the towers ) later saying " it's gone" that will always live with me. My father who did the crane operater work on Shea Stadium in the early 60's did the same on the World Trade Center in the late 60's and early 70's. I was horrified by that day and still am. We never got revenge for what they did and we probably never will.

 

[naveltkltr1350]

I was a senior in High School, one of my friends from the football team came up frantic, cause of what had happened. I told him it was probably small planes, till they walked me into the classroom and showed me the horror. I remember just sittin there, blank stare into the tv..and saw him about to cry, cause his parents were on a plane in New York, heading home. Luckly, they had already made it into Ohio airspace by the time this all had happened. I remember sittin there all day, watching the tv in the classroom since we werent allowed to go home. Football practice was really tough on all of us, not knowing much more, a plane flew over head, which all flights were grounded, then several smaller planes appeared, it was President Bush on his way back to DC..or wherever he was going to. I still remember seeing it high up in the sky with about 2-3 smaller planes, likely fighters escorting it and knowing more fighters had to be around. Two Army Guard Choppers flew over us along with f-16's on their way to Cleveland most likely. I remember that friday nite, we played on in football, We had our moment of silence, both teams lined up on together at the fifty...bands, both of which played star spangled banner and the chills that ran through me. We had a pretty cool fly over by a couple f-18s on their way to cleveland doing patrol over Lake Erie, I never was so ready for a game in my life. I was running high on adrenaline. We dedicated that game to the U.S. Even though we were just two small towns in ohio. We left everything out there on the field, cause we knew nothing should be brought back home with us..cause thats how the rescuers in NYC did their jobs..left everything there, to save and rebuild one small area of NYC, one large area of the world. It made me wanna become a firefighter too, but alas, shoulder problems have kept me from being one.

 

[the_Baron]

i was working in a building right near grand central station. i walked over the 59th street bridge to stay at a friend in queens. eventually i took the subway back into NYC, and then the train to NJ.