Where were you on that fateful day?

vim_n_vigor

I was in a technical writing class. The teacher had asked us a few minutes earlier to write a story. She left the room and came running back in yelling about the planes. We thought she was just giving us a new topic for our story.

rc630

I was in 5th grade. We started to hear whispers of something bad going on earlier in the day. I think the teachers wanted to stop all of the rumors, and finally called us all into the cafeteria, where we gathered around a small TV on a stand to watch the news. I don't think we, as children, understood exactly what was going on. Living in a big city on the East Coast (Atlanta), there was a lot of fear that we would be hit next. We were sent back to class, but nobody knew what to do. Parents who didn't work or had nannies (at a private school, there were a lot of them) started picking up their kids in the middle of the day, and those of us whose parents weren't coming until the regular dismissal time just sat around until the day was done. When my dad and I got home, we just watched the news the whole night.

I remember most vividly watching the nightvision telecast of the US bombing in Afghanistan, and not understanding why we were attacking a country when it was individuals who did the attacks. It's hard to believe it's been ten years. Sometimes it feels like it was so far in the past, like a part of some history textbook, but other times it feels like it was just yesterday.

Sometimes I wish the US had sirens like they have in Israel. They have sirens go off for one minute on certain days to commemorate fallen soldiers and victims of the Holocaust. It's just one minute, twice a year I believe (maybe 4 times?) but you can hear them all across the country and just about everyone stops what they're doing to stand in silence for one minute, regardless of religion, race, political beliefs, etc. Traffic stops and people get out of their cars and stand on the street. It's very beautiful and I wish we had something like that today, though obviously the country is too big to have that happen.

StaceyL76

Hi Carl,

I was getting my boy ready for his first day of preschool.. my husband called and told me to turn on the news. I was in shock. I then started to worry and my husband's aunt Janie because she worked at blue cross blue shield at the time. Well, turns out it ws the very week before that Jane had gotten a new job that wasn't in the Towers so she was not there.

At my boy's preschool - we all bent our heads and prayed together...
I then started a brand new job that very day.

Brooklyin NY is the root and love of my husband's family and they were all shook to their core.

arewethereyet

I was in the office where sat right next to an ex-marine who was on her last week before complete release from service.

We watched as the 2nd plane hit, and the look on her face scared the heck out of me. She knew something the rest of us did not.
She said "Jeannie, hold on, we are in for some real trouble. This looks like an act of war"

"War?", I said, "On the US??" (I almost fainted)

She just walked away. I was terrifed. My son had just been dropped off at college a month before, and he was a Marine. What did this mean for him? For me? For the Nation?

There is a lot more I could say, but let me just say this: Out of an act of hatred came many, many MANY more acts of Love and Kindness.

We came together as a Nation. Other nations helped us and cried with us.

Love came about that day. I refuse to give 'them' any more of my heart.

That is how I honor those fallen brothers and sisters.

With Love.

vaderandbill

I was in the jury duty waiting room in Worcester, MA. We watched CNN as the 2nd plane hit. They sent us home 45 minutes later.

mindy14456

I was on the phone with a friend, a sales rep that I worked with, discussing our plan for the day. He lives in the area of towers, and I remember our conversation stopping, and his gasp followed by Oh my God! He was watching what was happing from his living room windows. Giving me a play by play of what he was seeing. Sheer terror, for his safety, for the safety of my friends that were working in the towers for our country. Followed by absolute panic that we were under attack. I am so thankful that my friends made it out of the towers alive, when so many innocent lives were lost. I didn't sleep or turn off my television for days, I was afraid if I stopped watching for a moment, something else would happen. I praise all of the service people that were there, police, firefighters, military and so many volunteers, and all those that are still fighting for our safety and freedom. The words God Bless America never rang more true to me than they did on that day. XOXO

jpowell3976

I walked into the doctor's office (OB/GYN) I was a nurse at that morning at 7:50. When I said good morning to the only other person there (our office manager) she looked at me like I was an alien and said,"Not really." I had been in my car driving in for 30 mins and apparently walking from the parking garage when the first plane hit. She filled me in on what had happen. I dropped my purse and my jaw. I ran into the doctor's private office where there was a tv and turned it on. That tv didn't turn off until we all left at 5:00. In between seeing patients we would run to the tv and let our tears flow. I have never been more relived to leave a building in my life! I crumbled into my husband's arms and held my babies (2 yrs & 1 yr then) extra tight that night and said hours of prayers for all those in New York.

Karleyyy

I was in 5th grade, math class.... another teacher came in and took our teacher in the hall. She came back and acted off the whole class, and I just remember my parents sitting in front of my television for days. I was too young to get it, I was sad that people were sad and my birthday was in two days..

joolzsd

I lived on a military base as I was married to an active-duty Marine at the time. He was on a routine deployment in the Pacific. I had worked late the night before and was sleeping late. I woke up to my neighbors yelling for me outside my window. I could not comprehend what was happening. My neighbors and I spent the day watching tv and crying. None of us wanted to be alone - all the husbands were either deployed or called into work, not to be seen for days. One neighbor's father was on a plane from LA to NY and the airline was not giving any information. Thankfully he was fine. It was a horrible bad dream of a day. Another scary moment was when a detective knocked on the door. Turned out he was doing a background check on a former neighbor who had applied to the police department. Really? You had to do that on THAT day?

My ex's day was scary as well. His ship was in Australia and they had the day off. It was late there, and many of the Marines/sailors were at a nightclub. When news hit, they turned on all the lights and ordered everyone back to the ship. He ended up as part of the initial invasion of Afghanistan that November and I didn't see him again until March 2002.

Living on the base was scary after that. On one hand, we had the ultimate in security - guards with machine guns, helicopters constantly patrolling. On the other hand, we were a huge target, and were very near a nuclear power plant - another target. They actually gave us anti-radiation pills to keep on hand just in case.

brewingaz

That day was the day of the week that I had a late college class in the morning. My dad was knocking on my bedroom door and I thought he was trying to wake me thinking I overslept. rather, he told me through the door that America was under attack. I remember being glued to the TV, watching the two towers collapse live.

ktbug82

I was in the 5th grade, but I was actually at home sick. My mom called and woke me up and told me to turn on the tv because what I would be seeing would be a day in history in the USA. I remember exactly what I was wearing that morning. My favorite pink tanktop & joe boxer shorts. I think this was the first time in my life that I had even heard about what a terrorist was. Although I didn't fully understand what I was seeing then, I do now. God Bless America.

acciomuscles

I was 13 and in 7th grade -- the teachers and admin did not tell us anything except that there had been a terrorist attack. I live about 20 minutes south of the Pentagon, and my dad and plenty of other students' family members worked nearby. Rumors flew...all I heard for most of the day was that the Pentagon had "blown up." It wasn't until I got off the bus at the end of the day and ran home did I find out the full extent of the tragedy. I think my family all slept in the same room that night...we just needed to be near each other. I didn't personally know anyone who died, but my parents did (in both the Pentagon and WTC). Even though I was fairly young on 9/11/01, I still remember that day so vividly that the emotions come flooding back as if it were yesterday.

Whatnow50

I was at home getting ready for work (west coast) when the news said a small plane hit a building in NY. As I drove to work the radio reported another plane hit the other tower. I walked into our office and they had the TV on with poor reception. We could barely see what was happening but could hear ok. Several of us stood shocked and silent, confused, not familiar with NY. Most of us then had to go drive our school buses, I remember the kids asking if I knew what happened, talking to each other. I didn't know everything yet about what was happening so tried to talk to them calmly, told them to talk more with their teachers at school so they would have support. I was sad, scared about how far the attacks would go. We performed that day in anxiety, shock, saddness. Would there be other targets, are we in danger, are the kids in danger? Thinking at any moment we may have to go back and get the kids to take them home. Watched for hours, for days, whenever I wasn't driving a bus. I will never forget. R.I.P.

I printed iron-on designs at home off the internet, took them to work with my iron, co-workers each brought shirts... we made shirts together to show our support. It felt good to be with each other doing it.

P.S. I was fortunate to visit NY city in 2007 and visited ground zero. I was very moved to be there, remembering 9/11, those that we lost, those that survived but were changed forever. I plan to go again, to honor them all and to never forget.

danaclang

I had just gotten to work (a busy urban hospital) and was walking thru the ER, a normally very busy place. The was no activity, everyone was planted infront of the TV with the look of horror and disbelievement on their faces.
All I could think of was all the people that were being killed, everyday people that got up that morning to go to work, never to return.

fbmandy55

I was a freshman in high school and it was our second day of Indiana standardized tests. The cancelled testing for the rest of the day and we watched the coverage on tv in every other class the rest of the day. Even as young teens, it was an emotional and devastating day. I will never forget.

cckeimig

I was at work at the university when someone came out from the classroom right by my office and asked what I thought about the attacks on the WTC in NYC. I don't even remember teaching any classes that day--I think it was just coordination duties. Can't remember.

I was like, "What? That's no joking matter." I was so pissed off at them for joking about an attack on my home country. I just couldn't believe that might possibly be true.

They took me into the classroom and showed the TV screen with the crummy reception we had in there. I remember insisting in my mind it must be a video or something, so I rushed back to my desk, still furious at my coworker's lack of tact, and went straight to cnn.com. And then, of course, I was like, "DAMN! It's TRUE!"

I spent the rest of the day in shock and crying in turns, worrying about my half-brother who lived in NYC since I had absolutely no concept of the geography of that city. Turns out he lived like 11 blocks outside of the 20-block radius that was evacuated (if I'm remembering correctly), and was fine, but it took like a week to find out that info.

It was absolutely surreal watching things from here in Mexico, and I remember being grateful that all of the channels added newscasts from the US periodically through the next few days--some just stepped back and kept it on 9/11 news all day long out of courtesy for all of us 'ex-pats' and for those who wanted to stay informed from a US point of view.

I didn't get to come home for a visit for almost another full year, and I remember how strange it was to see a flag flying from each and every house that summer, and how strange all of the extra security precautions felt (I was travelling alone with a 2-year-old, in defense of my level of frustration). It was a totally different country. I remember thinking I might never be able to move home after all of the changes--it just didn't feel the sama anymore.

Now it still feels changed, but I'm GOING to move back to my real country soon. My kids need to learn first-hand what the US is really like and to live near MY family for a while.

I'm thankful for all of the sacrifices made by all of the police officers, fire fighters, and soldiers of every persuasion to help keep all of us safe. God Bless America!

Deadbeat13

i was only 8 years old. I was on holiday in Europe. I remember going across to the shops with my dad to hear some woman screaming "New York has been bombed!'. We ran back up to the room and turned the tv on to see what was happening.
Also that day we was on our way home, or meant to. My younger sister had food poisoning pretty badly and we delayed for around 12 hours.

Benji49

I was watching the morning news before going to the office and saw the plane hit. Immediately called my husband at his office and told him to turn on the news - he thought I was kidding. Then the 2nd plane.......I didn't make it to the office that day - I sat and watched and cried and got really angry. I'm not an American, I'm Canadian, but I felt like it was an attack on all of us.

And I remember the morning they re-opened the Calgary International after days of nothing in the air. I could hear that jet coming for a long time and I remember going outside and seeing the military jet - knowing it was one of ours but I just needed to see it.

God Bless America.

CindiBryce

I was a little second-grader at that time, and my knowledge of what was going on was negligible. It is hard to believe it has been a decade since the horrible event.

Whatareherthings711

I was in 5th grade. We heard announcements in the morning that there was a fire in the twin towers. I found it really odd and silly that they would need to tell us that. I didn't know anything til I got home at the end of the day.