Where were you on 9/11?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

On 9/11 as I was leaving the hairdresser's a lady was walking in saying that a plane had hit the World Trade Center - I thought it was some kind of accident but when I turned on the radio I heard that we, America, was being attacked.  I felt like the air had disappeared - I could barely breath, my hands started to shake.  I had been heading into my real estate office but I turned around and drove a few miles away to the nearest T.V. - at my dad's house.  By the time I walked in the second plane had already crashed into the other tower.  The scenes on the TV were horrific - I was scared for our country and I was angry at those that could do such a thing.  Shocking to watch as they played the videos over and over.  People jumping from the towers was the worst part - I fell to my knees sobbing.  The Pentagon, the airplane over PA - it just kept getting worse.  As the first building collapsed - I could only pray to God.  All those people, their families - unimaginable.  As the days went by there were hero's emerging from the tragedy, some goodness in the face of all that evil.  10 years later the thing I mourn the most is the loss of innocence, the loss of trust in people, the lost of a sense of security that I will never have again in my lifetime.  I travel frequently and I'm reminded every time I go through the airport.   I stood last week at the World Trade Center site - along with machine gun toting police. 

[Lori]

I was at work...right across the street from McArthur Airport on Long Island, NY. I was working at an aircraft manufacturing plant and when the news hit it was incomprehensible that 45 minutes away the World Trade Center had been hit. And then the second tower was hit. All the employees went into the board room to watch the news - everyone was crying...I worked with mostly men, and there was not a dry eye to be found (of course). We didn't know what was going to happen next...and we were across the street from an airport so close to ground zero...and I was newly pregnant with my first son. Everyone told me I shouldn't be watching the news, that I would get too upset - how do you NOT watch the worst tragedy on American soil in our history? We were sent home to be with our families & I remember all the phone calls touching base to make sure everyone was Ok. Before we were married, my husband lived in Franklin Square in a basement apartment, there was another young man that lived in the apartment upstairs, Brooke was his name. He was at work in the WTC that morning. I can hardly believe it's been 10 years, it doesn't seem possible. I pray that my children NEVER experience something this horrific in their lives. God Bless all the families of those lost on that tragic day.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

It was traumatic to be around so many people from the East Coast - SMU gets a lot of NYorkers. 

 

I did NOT Feel safe. I was in Dallas and scared to death they were going to hit another big US city.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I was paying a visit to my Sister In Law, it was her birthday, she is an air traffic controller here in Ireland.  My Brother, a pilot was in the US and working for a US airline at that time.  The news was on the TV in the corner of the room as we chatted. I remember glancing at the TV as the pictures started to emerge.  We were transfixed and in shock, both of us worrying about John but saying nothing.  It was sometime later that we heard from him but those images of people jumping from windows to their certain death are etched in my brain forever.

  I will never forgive those who planned and perpetrated this act and all acts of cowardly terrorism born of hate and evil.  I refuse to live in fear,  I refuse to try to justify those acts of terror, I refuse to be weak. . The only thing I ask from others is respect, for with mutual respect we can all live in peace.

[Carol and Banjo]

I had recently started a new job and was doing my daily post office run to pick up the day's mail and had just turned on the car radio to hear Imus talking to a woman on her cell phone who was saying she thought it was a small plane that had hit the tower...I, like so many thought it was an accident.  I stopped for gas and then ran into the PO and upon returning to my car  heard that the second tower had been hit.  My immediate instinct was that I had to go home...but I knew I had to continue on with the day's work. My next stop was to the local town offices to gather some property information.   Upon entering the office I found nearly all of the employees gathered in the Town Meeting Room around a the only television set.....the room was completely silent.  Some of the women were holding hands, others watched silently, hands over their mouths, tears running silently down their faces.  I went to the public computer to collect the info I needed and in that office was one woman behind the desk....both of us listening to the radio, occasionally glancing at one another, shaking our heads.  Just before I finished my work we heard the news of the Pentagon - I knew then that nothing would ever be the same again.   I wanted to go home so badly - I had an incredible need to be with my husband and gather up our kids (his and mine) and just be together.   I didn't tho.....I returned to the office and my boss and I worked and listened to the radio - it all seemed so sureal....I couldn't believe I was sitting there doing normal everyday tasks while the world seemed to be falling down around us.   I left at noon that day and on the way home the station I was listening to stopped their reporting and played Sara McLauglin's "In The Arms of The Angels", I pulled over to the side of the road and wept.  I think of that moment almost everytime I pass that spot.  The song and those feelings still so fresh.

[Adina P]

I was in Romania with other students in my nutrition class doing a summer internship/project.  Some students ran into the cafeteria and declared "There's terror in America" which I found confusing and figured they meant something 'lighter' than what the reality was.  I watched in horror at a neighboring house that had television along with my professor and another student.  My professor kept telling me to translate and I could barely grasp it for myself (I understand the language, but the content was overwhelming to me).  I was scared for my family on the west coast worried the terrorists would strike there next.  I also worried over stupid things like "How would I get contact lenses stuck in Romania?"  We had plans to visit Turkey and Greece next for fun, but those plans got cancelled and we got an early flight home.

[Bonnie and Kona]

How terrifying to be so far from home!

[Kerri B. & Zoey]

I'm in CA so it was early.  I was getting ready for work listening to the radio.  I turned it off to go get in my car to drive to meet my carpool.  When the radio came on in the car they were talking about 1st plane hitting the WTC.  When the driver of our carpool pulled up I said "did you hear the news?".  He immediately turned on the radio and we listened in horror all the way into to San Francisco.  They dropped me off & I continued watching on tv with the rest of my office.  The rest of my carpool all worked in Civic Center Plaza/City Hall etc.  By that time, they had closed the plaza down & were diverting traffic as a precaution, so they could not even get into their buildings.  They turned around and went home.  It does not feel like 10 years have passed, it's all SO fresh in my memory, those horrific images.  Still to this day when I see the images and burst into tears.  It's going to be an emotional weekend for sure...not to mention I put my GR Baylee down on 9/11 last year :( .

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I was still working at the time and I will never forget that day or the weeks that were to follow.  I was working for a major insurance company that had an office there and insured a portion of the properties that were destroyed.  I still remember that I had about 5 minutes to try to process what was happening when we went into "overdrive" to implement a disaster recovery plan.  We needed to understand the potential financial impact to the company, and even more importantly we had employees and insureds who needed us desperately.  By the end of the day on 9/11 a command center was established and teams were formed, and everyone was clear on what we had to do.  We worked non-stop for weeks to be sure that we were there in every way possible for our customers.  It was interesting to watch a business that spent way too much time on petty decisions and bureaucracy truly step up and do what needed to be done at a time like this.  I know that our company was not unique, but I did feel a sense of pride that I was able to be part of this team.  I also felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude watching the police and firemen and women who gave everything without a second thought as they responded to the disaster.  I come from a family full of police and firefighters and had never really thought much about the sacrifices they made.  This experience totally changed my mindset about what they do and how brave they really are....and now I remember to thank them.  Oh, and I even stopped my "donut jokes".

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Wow.  How cool to watch what we Americans can really do when IT needs doing.  We may squabble, but when it counts the vast vast majority will pitch in, help a neighbor, get at and on the task at hand.  I wish Congress would go into this mode and just HELP AMERICA.  Get our spirits up again.

[Joyce & Wilson]

At the time of 9/11 I worked as a communication assistant for US Relay 711, a service for the deaf and speech impaired. Being in the midwest..we processed calls from the east coast. I was just walking into work when the 1st plane hit and saw it on the TV in the breakroom before getting on line to process calls. It was one of the most traumatic days of my life. To process calls of people trying to get ahold of parents..spouses and children; all searching and trying to make contact and then to have a disability on top of it. Some people at work went home..I stayed thinking this was where I could be most helpful at. On breaks I'd go into the bathroom and weep with others. Later on in the day..we were processing calls of people whose family cars were still at the train stations and no one getting into them. We had a confidentiality clause where we could not talk about the calls..it was hard to keep it all bottled inside. I remember racing home after work and rushing to just hug my family. I travel alot too.. and know things will never ever be the same. Everything changed that day. God bless America!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Oh Joyce, How brave and wonderful of you to remain available to help those with disabilities to try to reach their loved ones. Thank you! Keeping that trauma inside without being able to express it must have been terribly hard.

[DeeDee and Sheila]

OMG.  I have a deaf daughter.  She was in my "care and control" at the time.  But bless you and people like you.  I CANNOT imagine the terror of someone who can't hear, can't talk on the phone and CANT GET INFO in that situation.  I have always feared fire for Lauren.  Even though she has cochlear implants, when she sleeps, she doesn't have the radar we have to wake up in an emergency.  She would die of smoke inhalation.  I've always inspected her sleeping quarters at colleges, apts and now her apt in Mississippi.  She has a fire alarm, but bless her apartment managers.  They put her apartment next to one of theirs so they could get her in the event of fire, hurricane, etc.  I do thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping those individuals whose families were probably frantic also.