Where Were You on 9/11?

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1,439 responses...

Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Virginia In my mothers office building because I had a dentist appointment her building is directly across from the Pentagon I watched the plane hit the Pentagon
Erin: 3 years, 12 months ago

Leechburg, PA I was in my junior year of high school at an appointment with my guidance counselor. I had no idea anything was going on but my guidance counselor wz all shook up, almost crying and shaking. Finally he told me what was going on and that we would have to meet another time. Then I went to the library and informed my friends, and we started watching it on tv and watched it the rest of the school day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

On the way into Manhattan along the LIE, I saw the smoke from the buildings. As I got to Queens Boul. The Police were turning us off of the LIE so the hundreds of emergency vehicles from Long Island could get to the City. The Expressway did not open for hours that Sad Day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting at my desk when one of my co workers came in and said that he had heard a plane had just crashed into the Twin Towers. We all ran for the TV. We watched in horror as the second plane hit – then the Pentagon and then the plane in PA. Being from NYC I called all my family to see if they were OK, but it was hard to get through. My sister in law had just changed jobs a few weeks before. She used to work at the Towers. I heard many stories from my family about some of the close calls their friends had. One person had woken up late and just missed his train to the city, one had stopped to buy coffee, and one had a very slow bus ride: Thank God
The tears were hard to stop. The towers were built when I was young in NY and they were always the most recognisible land mark and they were gone…
B. Cooper: 3 years, 12 months ago

California I was in the gym of the 24 Hour Fitness in Torrance, California.

I had just started my warmup on the treadmill. As I viewed the tv monitors in front of me ( I didn’t have a headset, so I had no sound, just a visual), I saw the smoke bellowing from the first tower and witnessed the second plane crashing into the second building.

At first I thought it was a commercial for the movie
” Die Hard 3″ or another spoof for the movie “Airplane”. But realized I was looking at live coverage of a very horrific event…my heart just dropped!

I didn’t finish my workout that morning.

My prayers go out to all of America.
Bill Bartlett: 3 years, 12 months ago

Crete, Nebraska I was sitting in hospital bed in Lincoln, Nebraska, watching the news and waiting for time for physical therapy to begin. I has just come out of a come caused by viral encephalytis five days before. On the 12th, I would be able to go home.
I was watching the news and suddenly, the story changed. I thought I had accidentally changed the channel. But the same thing had appeared on every channel. One of the nurses came in and I told her what had happened to the first tower. Soon, there were three nurses watching the TV in my room. They thought it was a terrible accident. I thought to myself that accidents like that just don’t happen.
Then, I had to go out for breakfast and therapy. It was during that time that the second plane hit. I didn’t find out about that until I got back to my room. By that time, everybody knew it had to be terrorists.
The pain and death and destruction were terrible, but my main concern was my family. My wife and youngest daughter were thirty miles away. I was stuck in a hospital in a different town with no way to go to be with them. Who know how many more attacks there would be, or if travel would be restricted on roads as well as in the air. As it turned out, those worries were unfounded.
As adults, we are expected to be able to deal with things like terrorism and the awful results. But it’s too bad the kids have to endure the fear and worry. They should be allowed to grow up happy and carefree. It’s a hell of a world they will inherit from us. I hope they can handle it.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

When I walked into my office at work one of my cowokers hung up the phone and said “turn on the TV the world trade center has been hit by a small plane”. Just as the television came on we saw the second tower being hit. We watched together in horor as the events unfolded. Our country was under attack. I remember saying silent prayers for those in distress. Then the utter suprise when the towers began colapse. Lets all pray this does not happen again.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…in my car going to work and couldn’t believe what had just happened. I thought I had heard it wrong couldn’t believe it…….
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At home in a small city in California. I got an e-mail message that simply said a plane had hit a building in new york. I thought some little private plane had gone off course and accidentally hit a tall building. When I turned on the TV, it was much different. I sat in shock watching the events unfold.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…in a donut shop when I heard the breaking news. I hurried back to the house and watched all week for the news coverage (day and night). What an evil act.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Sacramento, California I was on a school bus my freshman year of highschool. We had almost arrived when the emergency systems cut through to notify everyone the tower, and later the second, had been hit. Everyone in that bus was in complete shock.
Kuma: 3 years, 12 months ago

Wingdale, Ny I was working in my carpentry shop with my son. I had just entered when he told me a plane had just struck the WTC. As we were mulling that over, the second plane struck. We looked at each other and simultaniously said “Thats no coincidence!”. We rushed to the nearest Deli which always had a tv on, and everyone was in shock. I said, “Hang on, it’s not over yet. More planes have been hi-jacked!” When I finally got in touch with my daughter in Queens,(her fiance worked at one of the WTC buildings), I discovered he had not gone to work that morning. I told them to NOT drink or use any tape water from the public supply, and to go immediately to the store and stock up on bottled water. It would have been so simple to do so much more damage if the terrorists had not been so focused on the big show of explosives. Thank GOD they areso primative in thier thinking.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at the dentist’s office.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

NY NY- I was at school in history class in 8th grade…we thought that it was some sort of “what if” war hypothetical…then our headmaster came in and told us all to call our parents as many of them worked on wall street. Those who could not get in touch with their parents were desrought. classes were cancelled but we werent allowed to go home because many parents werent there. The lower school didnt know because the teachers wanted to shield them from worry. The next day is something ill never forgot, my school was across the sound from the city, and after we all arrived at school and got to class, they informed us we could only leave the building and go outside for lunch. It was very windy, eerily so, and there was ash and smoke hovering over our school. The smell and the fog that was blowing around us still sends chills up my spine. It was if the spirits were escaping from the ruble up to heaven. Damn terrorists.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

New York waking up in my new apartment in San Francisco, having left NYC a year before. With no cable TV, and only dial-up internet, it was hard to figure out what was going on from the radio reports, especially since it was all a mixture of past and present tense by the time I woke up. My wife and I methodically started calling all of our friends in New York to make sure they were okay. As it turned out, one friend was (probably) already dead by the time we woke up. We moved back to NYC two years later.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was on my job nj.08873
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a senior in highschool and in my cosmotology class. Our principal came over the intercom and said America was under seige. No one knew what he was talking about.
SCOTT: 3 years, 12 months ago

BURRILLVILLE RHODE ISLAND i was at work and it was the craziest day i have ever lived through. Co workers were walking around in a hypnotic state
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Here in St. Louis I turned on the tv for my little grandosn to watch Sesame Street and there it was-the first strike. I went to the steps and called to my husband, the St. Louis Post Dispatch night photo editor, “Get dressed and go to work Bob, something very terrible is happening.” He didn’t come home for 24 hours.” He saw ALL the photos which came across the wire–falling, burning bodies, things which couldn’t appear in the paper. He would never speak of it to any of us. He became very very quiet.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was working in the Magic Kingdom when we found out. After a few hours, it was decided that the park would be closed and evacuated. They made the general announcement over the PA which is never done. We had to stand at the exit and assist guests with their questions. Most of the people had no idea as news doesn’t travel inside the park very quickly.
Jason Yim: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at junior high school 56 at first period spanish class, on the borough of manhattan, lower east side when everyone heard a loud crash and what felt like an earthquake.
PVC: 3 years, 12 months ago

Ohio I was coming home from the grocery store and heard it on my radio.. I didn’t think to much of it, because I had heard of another plane at on time hitting a building, but when I got home and turned on the TV, I knew it was true..
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in math class, Junior year of high school. They made an announcement over the P.A. system stating that a plane had hit one of the towers. No one knew what was going on. I went to gym, and as we were getting changed in the locker room, they announced that the 2nd tower was hit. I went to English class after, and we all just sat there and watched…then the first tower collapsed. Every class the rest of the day had TV’s on.
IK: 3 years, 12 months ago

Currently in NY In Japan, got back from work, turned on TV and saw WTC burning, moments later plane hit the second tower as I was watching CNN.
Jon: 3 years, 12 months ago

Staten Island I was a senior at Wagner College withg apretty heave class load. In fact I had a Midterm the following week in my research methods class. I was putting my tape in my VCR to record Passions and Crossing Over with John Edward which aired when I was in class. I had Good Morning America on the TV. It was a light News Day. Dianne Sawyer was interviewing Lara Spencer about her family and the upcoming trip to the Emmy’s. Steve Bartelstien broke into Good Morning America (which does not happen accept at the bottom of every half hour) and it was then that I saw it. I dropped the VHS tape and screamed OH MY GOD! I have Epilepsy so my mom ran up the stairs because she thought I was having a seizure. She said are you ok. I froze. She ran into my room it was then that we both saw the second plane fly into the towers. In my insanity I had to go up to the college after all it was my senior year. I went to work in the computer lab and then heard about the Pentagon. I walked into my boss’ office and said John we are under attack. Classes were still going on. After the afternoon classes were cancelled it was a frantic search to find my friends and my brother. Once I knew my brother was with his friends and ok my friends and I did a prayer circle. I got home and no one was home and I was cery worried. When my family came home we were glued to Peter Jennings all week. It was a mornign I will never forget. I was lucky because I could have been in the city for a deposition but a clerical error made us have to reschedule. My mentor was one of the unsunfg heros. She was a civilian who helped others in the area below wall street get to safety. My mom’s friend at my sisters high school had a feeling her husband was gone. He was one of the FDNY first to respond. That is my story a day I will never forget.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was… In math class watching the news.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in driving in Freiburg, Germany when I heard a special news bulletin on German radio at 2:58PM (6hr time difference) – 2mins before the 3:00pm news – that the WTC had been struck by an airplane. I immediately called my brother on my cell and asked if he knew what was happening. He was about to leave the house to go to work, but he stopped,turned on the TV, and confirmed that there was indeed smoke pouring out of one of the towers. We started to come up with theories on what could possibly have occured. We were both relatively sure that some wacko had crashed a plane into the tower on purpose. Little did we know how right we were – but we were both thinking Cessna. Suddenly, my brother started shouting that the other tower had just been hit also and that it was no small plane more like a 737 or even bigger. The gut wrenching feeling that overcame me at that moment is something I’ll never forget…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I just got to work when my co workers were watching it on tv, I did not want to work the rest of the day. I wanted to go home and be with my family.It was a day full of sadness,I could not imagine what it was like for the ones that were there.It is a day that I will never forget..
E.C: 3 years, 12 months ago

New York I Was entering the brooklyn battery tunnel when i see the first explosion, when i got to the other side i was watching the fire in the north tower when the second plane hit, unfortunately i was there and i see it happen
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Windsor, Ontario Canada I was…just getting home from a midnight shift and turned on the news, just like any other day. I was a little confused at first and than thought, ” Oh my God, they have been attacked”! And than just before my fiance came home, I saw the second plane hit. Just than he comes through the door, and I yelled at him, ” They finally did it”! I just couldn’t believe it! America was being attacked.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

MIAMI, FL I WAS DRIVING TO MY BANK, AND HEARD THE NEWS ON THE RADIO
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I had just departed from JFK on a direct flight to San Diego. My best guess puts my plane flying over Midtown Manhattan as the first plane hit. About an hour into the flight the pilot announced that we were making an emergency landing in Indianapolis and more information would follow. As we taxied toward the terminal, people on the plane began to call friends and families and began to scream out about planes hitting the WTC and the Pentagon. I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing until we exited the aircraft and entered the terminal and saw the people huddled around the bar watching the news. I began to shake and feel sick to my stomach as I made my way to the telephones to call everyone I knew to tell them I was OK. I will never forget.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I had waken up around 4:30-4:45 am. Arizona time, to get ready for work. I turned on my TV to watch the news. The news started at 5:00am. Then a special report came on saying a plane hit the twin towers then it showed the second plane hit the other tower. I was so shocked. when I got to work we had it on the news.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Garland Texas I remember distinctly the events of that day. I was at home, sleeping late because I had worked late the night before. Then, for a reason unknown to me I got up and went to the TV and turned it on, which is not my normal morning ritual. Then there I stood stunned the rest of the day.
As soon as I turned on the TV I saw the reports of the first plane collision, then witnessed the live second attack. As well as the reports of the Pentagon, and flight 93.
I immediatley contacted my wife and others close to me and warned them to be careful, and come home if possible. I knew we as a nation were under fire, and had to prepare for the worst.
That day, we witnessed the worst attack on America ever. Immediatley following that day, there was an amazing swell in American patriotism. We stood as One Nation Under God. Does your flag still fly today? I will NEVER forget!!!
Scott Brooks: 3 years, 12 months ago

Roanoke, VA I was sitting at home watching it on TV. Me and my Grandpa had plans to go to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA that day and decided to go anyway. When we got there they had already closed it. So we went back on 9/12 and all the flags were at half staff.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was driving from home to my university listening to talk radio when I heard about it. After I got to class, it was playing on the projector. We all watched that for a while, then they canceled classes for that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Omaha, NE In my cubicle just starting my morning routine. I was elated because I just found out I was pregnant with my first child four days earlier and was trying to decide when and how to tell my boss. My good friend and co-worker shouted over the wall, “A plane just flew into the World Trade Center.” At first I just thought it was some kind of a freak accident.

It’s all a blur now, but I think I told my boss about the pregnancy that day and spent most of the day trying not to break down and cry. I was in a daze watching the footage on the tv in the breakroom. How was I supposed to feel? I should have been overjoyed, but I was terrified and emotional about bringing a new life into this world.

I now have 2 children and not a day goes by that I don’t worry at least a little about their safety and future.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

in history class
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

in outpatient waiting on my daughter to come out of oral surgery. there was a tv in the waiting room and the nurses and doctors kept coming out and watching what was going on….
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Meredith Wenham Mass, I’ll never forget that Day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a senior in high school, in math class, when a girl came in and said the Pentagon had been attacked. Our math teacher turned on the projector and hooked it up to the computer, and that’s when we saw images of the World Trade Center buildings burning. Our teacher made us stay in class, but after that period we gathered in our senior break room where we watched the events unfold on tv. It was a scary time, and since we were in Houston there was the possibility that we would also be attacked. Everyone called home to check on family and friends; the rest of the day and those following are now a blur.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I am a lawyer and I was in Federal Court in Jacksonville, Florida. After I finished with Court at about 9:15 a.m., I went to the Clerk’s Office to file a document and that is where I learned of the attacks. I then came back to my office and watched news coverage at the office of another attorney in my building. Needless to say, we did not do much work that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a senior in high school in a town about 5 mins away from NYC in jersey.I was in my first period class which was sociology and the department head came into the classroom and spoke with the teacher. She then relayed the message that a plane struck the wtc. We turned on the news and horrifically saw the next plane hit. My teacher broke down crying and stated ” This is not good” Everyone from my school just left because so many people had parents that worked in the city. Its still sad to see the empty skyline. And i realize it more now that im working in jersey city!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…watching the morning news as I did every morning. My son had just woken up and came in my room and was sitting at the foot of the bed. Our local TV station broke away to New York where everyone thought it was some idiot who had navigated his plane the wrong direction and tragically crashed into the WTC. It wasn’t until we watched live on TV the second plane hit that I realized that it was no accident. My son whipped his head around and yelled, “Mom did you see that? What’s happening? I don’t know why but I knew right away that it was a terrorist attack. I just started to cry and watch in disbelief. As many people did, I picked up the phone right away and called my mom. She had already left for the work and did not have her cell phone on. I called her work and they said that she had not made it in yet. I was in California but couldn’t help but think what was next. Finally my mom called me back and I remember just frantically yelling into the phone “all those people, they’re dead, they’re dead. What do I do? What do I do?”. My mom tried her best to calm me down. It was the looks from my kids that made me come to my senses and forced me to gain my composure. I took them on to school. I remember driving on to work. It was a little overcast that day and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Like a weird movie or something. When I got to work I stayed glued to the radio and talking to coworkers. Our manager gave us the option of leaving early that day. I remember going home and turning on the TV. I had a headache that was out of this world from crying all day. I cried myself to sleep that night. I could only think about those families that waited to hear something, that held pictures crying on TV. It was horrible. That day forever changed my life. My son is 15 years old now and has expressed his wishes to join the marines when he graduates. Oh how I now realize what impact that day would have on my life forever.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home watching it on TV in Wenham Mass.
Kevin: 3 years, 12 months ago

Tracy, Ca. I lived in Long Beach, Ca. I was 21 when the attacks took place, and I remember that I was running late for work that day. I had woken up a split second after the first plane hit. I was quickly getting ready, when my mom had called me into her room to watch it on the TV. At this point, no one had even suspected it was an attack on the United States. I even remember thinking to myself “stupid pilot- how do you NOT see the largest building in New York, and manage to fly right into it?!” I had left the house right after that. I was in my car listening to the story on the radio, the dj’s were watching the TV and reporting back what they saw over the air. Mid-sentence, one of the DJ’s screamed “OH MY GOD!- a 2nd plane has just struck the World Trade Center- we are under attack, I repeat- America is under attack!”. It was almost an involuntary physical reaction, but I slammed on my breaks so hard, that I caused an accident behind me. The gentleman behind me who was rear-ended due to my impromptu halt ran screaming towards my car, asking me what the hell I slammed on my breaks for. I just rolled down my window, and told him that a 2nd plane had just hit the WTC- the man went silent, and just walked back to his car. A few moments later, I began driving to work again, this time the radio was off. I just couldn’t hear anymore. Even though I wasn’t there, and did not lose anyone in the attacks, I still felt personally attacked as an American. By the time I had arrived at work, all of my co-workers were huddled around this old black and white TV, each with this look of fear on their faces- that’s when I learned about the plane hitting the pentagon. I was working for a government agency at the time, and I don’t think I had ever seen that office shut down so quickly. I just sort of glanced at the TV in passing, and did everything I could to just stay busy. I figured “if I don’t watch, I can’t be bothered by it. Every single call that came to my desk, was someone commenting on the attacks. A short while later, I had learned of Flight 93. When I heard, I hung up my phone, thus hanging up on the caller. I grabbed my things, and left. I didn’t say a word to anyone. America had never been attacked in my short time on this planet, and even learning of previous attacks in High School history class, it still never sank in that we were every bit as vulnerable as any other country. Just because it hadn’t happened in a very long time, did not mean that it never would. This was a reality that came rushing over me in the span of about 3 seconds. I remember driving home that day at about 20 miles an hour on the freeway. It didn’t matter what speed I was traveling, as there weren’t very many people on the road anyway. I just drove home, and went to sleep. Again, I just couldn’t handle what had happened. Though I knew an attack on Southern California wasn’t likely, I still feared the worst- as most Americans did that day. I felt so insecure, like there wasn’t a thing anyone in the world could do to protect us from this, but at the same time, knew it was going to start something that would not end for at least 5 years (war in Iraq).

That following Friday, I witnessed something I never imagined possible amongst the citizens of the United States: on every street corner, on every car, everywhere you looked- people were waving American Flags, burning candles on street corners, dragging balloons of red,white, and blue from their cars. You could hear horns blaring, and people screaming : GO USA!!!, as if something tremendous had just been enacted on our part. I think we were just celebrating the fact that, while devastating, the attacks did not break the spirit of the American population. We were still standing strong as a nation, and were screaming out “You still haven’t beat us!- you cannot destroy us!!” Almost announcing the terrorists failure with this resounding voice. I have never been so glad to be part of anything, let alone the country I called home. While it took a tragedy to unite the nation, we still united. If not for a long time, we were still able to put aside our differences as people, to come together to say “you will not break me”. It was at that point that I started realizing just how great this country is- and that I could not possibly ever live anywhere else. No matter where I go in this world, my home will always be the United States of America!!!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a junior in high school. I was in health class when I first heard, it must have been shortly after both towers were hit. The teachers did the Kennedy thing — one teacher summoned mine out into the hall to tell her and then she came back in and told us. Things must have been sketchy still, because my health teacher told us that “something” had happened to the WTC, that they had been “hit.” I remember thinking “Okay, whatever.” I couldn’t even bring the image of the WTC to mind at the time, I couldn’t recall them for some reason.
I was in the senior cafeteria, eating lunch with my friends when we found out that the towers fell (my lunch period was early, around 10:30-11). We found out because Kara’s mom had called her cell phone to tell her. Then, Dana called her parents to confirm it. All of us were sitting around the table, like “What do you mean … fell?? I don’t get it.” Even then, I still couldn’t conjure the image of the WTC in my head. I just couldn’t remember what they looked like, it had been so long since I had seen NYC. After lunch, I remember going to band class. But, instead of practicing, our band teacher just tried to get the reception right on the old tv we had in the room. I went over to the chorus room, where they had the radio on. From there, I went to English class, where our teacher had the tv on MSNBC and CNN. We just sat there watching it.
The next class, history, was the only class in which the tv wasn’t on and our teacher tried to provide some sense of normalcy by presenting the quiz we were scheduled to have.
From there, I can’t recall much. I know that marching band practice (and all other school activities) were cancelled for the evening, much to my dismay. That was where I wanted to be – on the field in the safety of my friends. So I went home and sat online the whole night, watching the news and sharing thoughts amongst friends.I remember that my mom remarked about what a beautiful day it had been. It was one on which you got the sense that today was going to be a good day — it was unseasonably warm and school had just started. After everyone else logged off AIM and went to bed, I just stayed up watching the news stations until about 1:00 am. I just wanted to make sure the sun was going to come up, I told my friends. I remember that the Weather Channel was the only one that had nothing to say about 9/11. Absolutely nothing. So when we got tired of the media beating on about the attacks, we just turned on the Weather Channel.
We live near a naval/air base, so the lack of planes was very strange. They usually buzz our neighborhood. I recall that, shortly after 9/11, we were at marching band practice one evening and a small prop plane from a local airport flew over. The staff and the students just stopped what they were doing and looked up at it.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At home sick on the couch watching TV and thinking that it was a movie or something at first until I realized that the footage was on every channel. Shocked and scared.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Milwaukee, WI Having coffe and watching the news, in my kitchen as I have done every morning for the past ten years. Thinking how could an airliner crash into a building on such a beautiful blue, clear sky day.

Watching live, as the second tower was struck. Realizing at that monent the first was no accident.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

fixing breakfast for my children. The son of the man I was dating called me and told me to turn on the TV. His Dad was on a plane headed back to the US when this started. His plane was diverted back to France, and he was safe..but things were never the same again.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was just coming into work when I heard the first report over the radio. At first we thought it was an accident much like the one in 1945 when the Empire State Building was hit hit by a U.S. Bomber in fog.

I turned on my computer and got a live picture of the tower and seeing how beautiful the sky was over New York, I knew that the smoke and flames billowing from the tower was not an accident. At that moment the second plane struck and I and my secretary just sat there in amazement.

I then had to leave for the Court house as I am an attorney and had several cases on the docket that day.
Driving back to my office in the afternoon I heard the tape that the first tower had fallen.

When I reached the office I again went to the computer. Several of the services allowed you to make comments if you wished.

While most of the comments were relevant to the horrors of the day– many of them were angry diatribes not only against Muslims but people of all religions . There were statements attacking Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and nearly every religion. It was plain to see that the religious prejudice that caused the attacks on the WTC was not something solely the product of Bin Laden and his fanatics. There is a sizeable amount of it here and it disgusted me so that I wrote a rather caustic response telling these people that they were no better than the men responsible for this tragedy.

I told them that I had been fortunate to travel all over the world and have friends of all religious denominations and there is not one friend whom I judge by their beliefs.

Suddenly a very strange thing happened. I was taken out of the general discussion at the invitation of a person who wanted to speak with me on a private E- mail. So I did and the person thanked me for being objective and rational at a time when everyone seemed to be venting their hatred. The person really wanted to establish a writing relationship but was afraid that I would not . When asked why, the person replied ” I know you must be an American, and I am Muslim- you cannot possibly want to speak with me.”

My correspondent was a young college girl from the Mideast and yes I did want to speak with her. And we did and have been. Though I am over twice her age, it is nice to be able to bridge the culture, religion, and generation gap to hear and help her with her hopes and fears and let her know that not every American is an enemy of her religion or her people as the Mullahs who side with Bin Laden would have her beleive. She in turn has taught me much about her life and culture and how we as Americans are seen.

All in all it has been a positive experience that has come from a horrible tragedy.But there is one thing we have learned from each other.

God made this world big enough so that everyone could share in it and small enough so that we would not be lonely. He made us alike enough so that we could share each others triumphs and tragedies, but different enough so we could LEARN from each other…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

nyc
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in the air enroute from El Paso, TX to Wisconsin via Houston International. (Who understands airline routing?) We were supposed to land at about 8:45 a.m. As we were taxiing the runway, we were told we had to debark at a different gate because all gates were already full. When we finally pulled in to our berth, the pilot asked for everyone’s attention. He said, I have something to tell you that is probably going to change the rest of your lives. Then he told us about the towers being hit by the aircraft. He also told us that all planes were grounded indefinitely, and we’d best try to find hotel rooms as quickly as possible. When he finished speaking, there was a stunned silence as what he’d said sank in. I was traveling alone, and spent the day queing up for hour-long waits for the pay phone because I’d left my cell phone at home. We all had to claim all our luggage and haul it around with us; we were not permitted to stay on the top level where we could see tv and the news, but relied on other passengers with cell phones to relay news to us. Some were able to get cabs and hotel rooms, but many of us were stranded at the airport all day. Airline hostesses passed out blankets, drinks, and food; but who felt like eating? Eventually all passengers were told to go to the very lowest level of the building where busses would take us to emergency shelters. I made it out on the very last bus by about 7:30 p.m… nearly eleven hours since we landed. When we arrived at the hotel ballroom that had been set up as an emergency shelter, many of us were able to see the news for the first time, as the hotel opened its large theater with the live news feed. We had HEARD what happened, but now we were able to SEE what happened. It was like being assaulted all over again. Rumors began to circulate that the city of Houston was going to be evacuated because it was considered a target. I (and I’m sure many others) had no idea what we would do, which way we would go, or how we would get there. It was a very lonely, frightening time for many, many people. Those rumors were finally laid to rest, and people began trying to make plans of what to do next as we weren’t even sure if there was going to be any public transportation available. On learning that the buses would be running, I caught a bus back home the next afternoon. The 14-hour ride home was a gut-twisting time. It almost felt as if we had been taken hostage. No one seemed to feel like talking. We just wanted to get back to the relative safety of our homes. My family was grateful to hear from me when I finally arrived home, mentally and physically exhausted.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

ABILENE, TEXAS I was driving back to Abilene from one of my hunting ranches in West Texas when I heard the news on the radio in the truck. My first thought was “those Islamic bastards” finally did it. Anyone paying attention in America should have known that these Islamic fundamentalist terrorists would not stop at trying to bring down the World Trade Center. They tried once in 1993 and failed. This time they did it. A friend of mine in the intellegence community told me about 6 months prior to 911 that there were evil Islamic fundamentalist groups quietly living in America and that we should expect them to attack somewhere in America in the near future. Man, was he right on the mark. When I got home, I turned on the TV and watched in horror as the twin towers fell to the ground. I was in total shock at that point. Seeing the towers fall made me fighting mad. To say I was ready for action would be an understatement. As I watched TV, I loaded all my guns and waited for instructions from government officials. Of course, I knew that nothing would happen on the streets in Abilene in regards to some Islamic uprising. We don’t have a mosque ( don’t want one ) in Abilene. I was ready to drive to Dallas or Houston or anywhere in America that needed my help defending the streets from the Islamic fundamentalist warriors that live here in America. I will never forget 911. I am still angry about how this event changed America forever. Our American culture teaches us to respect other religions. The Islamic religion does not teach repsect of other religions. The Islamic religion is now demanding subservience from America. I hope everyone in America does not forget who and what we are fighting in this religious war. You can sugar coat the Islamic religion all you want, but Islam preaches a doctrine that states that Islam is the only true religion and that everyone else is infidels. We are at war with the Islamic fundamentalist religion that has declared that Islam is the only religion that will be allowed on Earth. Think about it. Do not think for a moment that this Islamic religious movement is going to go away. Wake up America !
Kathy: 3 years, 12 months ago

Barnesville, Ga I was home from work with kidney stones. I was watching Bryant Gumble on TV when the news came in. I saw the second plane hit and said, “Our world just changed forever.” I was right in ways I didn’t expect then.
jimmy: 3 years, 12 months ago

iqaluit I was boating at frobisher bay didn,t see any jets fly by was strange was wondering why. didn,t found out till late at evening
when we got back to iqaluit nunavut
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was walking to work by the Sears Towers and I remember looking up at the sky thinking how blue and beautiful it looked. I got on the elevator and it had one of those little TV monitors and they reported that a plane flew into the WTC. Many people my not remember but a couple of weeks before 9/11 some idiot flew into the Statue of Liberty. So, I thought it was another incident like that. When I got to my desk our CEO came on the overhead speaker and told everyone to come to the conference room. When I got there about a minute later we saw live coverage of the second plane hitting the tower. Its an image I still have in my mind as if I were right there in NYC.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I remembered that we where in Mrs. Frick’s class having snack watching the new’s.
David Aviles: 3 years, 12 months ago

Phildelphia, pa (NY, NY) I was sleeping when my phone rang and my mother was ranting about the plane hitting, I thought it was a small lost plane like the one that hit the empire state building and ignored the call, however, a few minutes later a friend called me, being we both worked for the port authority and she was a victim of the original bombing, I heard her yelling to the machine the incindent. I knew it was bad, I jumped out of bed, turned the tube on and saw the towers burning.
I was living in NYC on 22st and 8 Ave and decided to ride my bike down there to see. As I reached a small park at the end of 14st and the west side hghway, I saw the towers in flames, the smoke rising higher then the towers. The scene was surreal, it was a beautiful cloudless morning low humidity and temp. in the 70’s making it more out of place. As I crossed the highway and rode down south towards the towers, I saw buisness men walking up north, talking on thier phones, I saw our people dressed for work that day, walking calmly up north. First I saw a few however, as I reached christopher street the crowds was thick and the terror was more evident in their faces. I saw a high school girl leaning on a bench, crying into a cell phone, a group of little pre-school kids holding hands while the teachers were surrounding them and making them sing a song out of distraction, a man with his shirt bloodied. Now I mangaged to reach Chamber Street, the roads were closed, only EMS vehicles and tv crews, still I managed to get to across the street of the towers, I believe I was on Vesey Street and I froze looking up. I saw people tumbling down, I saw the flames, I saw the horror on everyone then I heard the first tower collapse. From the position I was it sounded more like a tree falling, though when I looked at the standing tower from the base I saw a 15 story section of the first tower protrude from it’s side and then the huge cloud came up on me. I was in my bike so I peddled, as fast as I could and right at my back was this huge cloud of dust chasing me, just as it fell on my back, the wind blew it away towards brooklyn and I was able to escape it. I rode to BMCC and looked back and from a distance I saw what appeared to have been a lady dressed in red falling. I closed my eyes turned back home and finally realized somethings are not to be seen, so as I am riding my bike back and am in the village, I heard the screams of people as the second tower collapsed and the life we created in our society changed forever…Life is strange, that day my entire companies human resoursces as well as my ex boss, co-workers, my life’s history with the port authority was erased. Hundreds of my collegues perished in the towers and though life has gotten better since then, I moved on, not one day will pass and I will not think about the incident, this is something that has lingered in me for so long and I don’t think I will ever forget.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a 2L sitting in ConLaw II, discussing the 14th Amendment when a student interrupted our professor by knocking on his door (big deal in law school) and saying “We’re under attack.” Then politely closing the door. Took a few beats for that message to sink in before we all dismissed and headed to the student lounge to whatch the television.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…Mastic Beach, NY – i had gotten to the psych ward about 4 in the morning after a drug relapse. at approx 9am i was sitting in a chair and looked up and saw the news show an airplane hitting the towers. in could not believe what my eyes saw, but today i am 5 yrs clean, i have tried all my adult life (48 yrs old) to beat this addiction, and i believe that this is my own 9/11. i pray for all the families that were affected by this tragedy. god bless.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Minneapolis, MN At home, getting ready for work. The TV was my alarm clock, and it turned on to the first plane hitting. The rest of the day I was a zombie along with the rest of my co-workers as we watched in silence. I hate that day…and I hate the people who celebrate that day…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

On 9/11 I was in first grade.I was in math when a plane struch the
World Trait Center.I didn’t know about it till I got home.Five years later it is finally getting repaird.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was just getting up for school and coming down stairs and I remember asking my dad what movie he was watching and he told me it was the news and thats when I watched that second plane hit the other tower. I will never forget that tragic day.
Jerry S. Elkins: 3 years, 12 months ago

Atmore, AL I was at my parents home getting ready to go to the hospital to see my mom. Who had just had surgery to repair a broken leg which she broke two days before.

This day was also my 44th birthday, the day 4 buildings collapsed and 4 planes crashed.

A day I will never forget.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home with my wife and young son. It was a beautiful day much like today, i turned on the news to see a tall building on fire. I asked my wife, wonder where that is, Asia maybe. I then turned up the volume to learn it was the world trade tower. Moments later the second plane hit the south tower then the Pentagon. I was glued to the TV for the next three days. I will never forget when and where i was on that dredfull day September 11, 2001.

Kevin. Bedford, NH
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was having lunch in a restaurant when the chef came out to tell us what had happened, I then had to pick my son up from school and explained to him what had happened (we had visited the twin towers the year before) He told me (age 7) that if they ever made it into a movie it would be certificate 18!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in the first grade in mrs. fricks class when I
heard about 9/11.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Indiana/Kentucky I was a freshman in college, and I had a 1:00 class that afternoon. The school had given the professors the choice of whether or not to cancel their classes. Mine decided that his class was more important than the things affecting our lives at that very moment. I had gotten up early that morning and turned on the tv and I remember watching just as the second tower was hit. I left my house early and stopped to visit my mom, we both stood in the lobby at her office just hugging and crying. When I got to school I joined a group of about 200 students standing in the middle of the entrance watching a small tv, everyone was crying. I also worked at an IGA store as a cashier then, we had the radio on and it was one of the busiest days I can ever remember, there was so much uncertainity and people were so scared. The store was across the street from a gas station and I can remember seeing cars lined up for miles to get in to the station, people waited for hours just to fill gas tanks.
Michael Griffin: 3 years, 12 months ago

Poughkeepsie, New York I was in my 9th grade Global History class when the first plane hit…I was walking to homeroom 20 minutes later when I found out, but I couldn’t believe it happened. It wasn’t until around 12:45 that I found out it really had happened. My school decided it was best not to inform the students because many of us had parents who worked near the towers.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I remember it like it was yesterday…It was my senior year of college @ GMU (a DC suburb Univesity), after a late out night the house was silent that morning. A made way way down the stairs to a smoke filled living room where my roomate was sitting a J in one had and a cup of coffee in the other. As usual our morning greeting consisted of a series grunts and a head nod and I headed to the kitchen for a bowl of cookie crisp. Focused, I carefully tried to navigate my full cup of cereal through an obstacle course of beer cans, books, clothes, and art supplies littered on the floor of our typical college residence unaware of the drama unfolding as my rommoate watched Bill Oreily of all people commentate. Whats going on I said as I lowered my ass on the couch, able to now hear the TV but still focused on getting seated without losing a bite of my prized beakfast, while also scooting my roomates ex-girlfriend’s demon cat from my spot. Before he could respond I glanced up and could see one of the World Trade Towers with smoke rising from it. When flash an explosion bang the other tower was in flames…..We both just looked at each other in puzzlement. “Holy Shit that was a plane” my roomate screamed as we saw the replay and soom realized none of our lives would ever be the same…..
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I worked across the street at 130 Liberty, but on 9/11 I was at home waiting to get my home appraised. The appraiser called me a week before and asked me if I was available on the 11th and gave me no alternate dates. I almost asked her for a later date but something told me to accept it and I’d ask to go into work later that morning.

When the appraiser arrived at my home, the first plane had already hit. I told her I worked across the street and she said,”Well, it doesn’t look like you’ll be going to work today.” That was before the second plane hit and we realized it wasn’t an accident.

I worked in the Deutsche Bank building which is condemed now. Who knows what would have happened to me if I went to work at my usually time. I always think of that appraiser and secretly thank her for not be more flexible in her schedule.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Omond Beach, FL at work in Washington, DC about 5 miles from the Pentagon. You could see the smoke coming across the Potomac River. People were running out of our building and the ones surrounding it afraid another attact would be coming since we were only about 5 blocks from the Capital and White House. Very unnerving experience.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was just waking up preparing breakfast for my fiance and watching good morning america when they first heard the news and then went directly to their contacts and i watched the second plane hit and the the third and so on. and from that point on i woke my fiance (now wife) to show her in great shock of the destruction and hugged her like never before, that moment brought me to the conclusion that nothing in life is worth anything, money, houses, cars etc if you don’t have someone that loves you at the end of the day!!!! From that day on i tell people like myself to leave you friends and family as if you’ll never see them again because you just don’t know!!
Dean: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting and holding my brother’s hand while he slowed passed away in Hospice, he surrendered to his death the following morning. His condition, close as he was to death, was in a comatose state. We watched the entire day on T.V. The T.V. in his Hospice room had already been tuned to the news channel before 6 AM and I talked with him about the events of the day, all day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In Cedar Rapids, IA, at work. RFK Transportation.
Amy Burroughs
aburroughs@providetrans.com
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my first grade classroom when the 9/11 had happen and I was scared.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I WAS IN 1ST GRADE DURING 9/11. WE WERE DOING MATH. AFTER THAT WE WATCHED IT ON TV.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Tokyo I was in Tokyo checking my email in the evening Japan time and watching T.V. after work. I saw it live and called a colleague, also American to ask if he was watching it. We moved from shock to speculation over who had done it. Then I called my folks in the U.S.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a newlywed Army bride at Fort Hood Texas, I was in the car on my way to my job as an ER nurse when I heard it on the radio, Truthfully, I didn’t know what the World Trade Center was, I told my supervisor what I heard on the radio and he assured me it must be a joke, I went to my desk and turned on my radio just as the Pentagon was hit, I went back into his office and told him, he listened to the report with me and in hearing him discuss it with another employee they are both retired military, all iI could hear them say is “we are going to war” I thought no way!! Since that day, all I could think about is “they are going to take my husband!” Sure enough he arrived in Iraq March 2003 with our 6 week daughter at home & Arrived in Iraq in Dec 2005 leaving a 9 month old and 2 year old behind. God willing he will be home December of this year! I will never forget the fear each time I watch my husband leave for war, this day has changed me forever in more ways than I can count. As Im sure it did many people all over the world
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

in bed watching what i could not believe!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I awoke to my clock radio on the west coast, it was tuned to NPR, the second plane had not hit yet. I was in disbelief that a pilot could be so stupid as to fly into the building. When the second plane hit, i was frozen.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my first grade teacher’s class. We were watching it on tv.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Colorado, but a very good friend was not as lucky. He was at a meeting in Windows on the World…I miss him everyday.
Tara Llewellyn: 3 years, 12 months ago

Canada, Nova Scotia i was in school when 9/11 happen
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I WAS IN SCHOOL ON THE DAY OF 9/11.I WAS IN THE
1st GRADE.I WAS HOLT ELEMENTARY.I WAS AT READING CIRCLE
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I had just dropped off my 2 sons at preschool in Cheyenne, Wyoming and was driving to work at an airline when I heard it on the radio. I ran into work and stared at the televisions in disbelief. A couple of hours later I picked up my boys and my boss’ son and took them home and stared at the tv all day and cried! I will never forget that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Mrs. Fricks class we watched it on televison .We saw that there was this airplane blown up in the sky.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting in a law class my senior year of high school. Everyone was talking about it in the halls before the class. Some had heard about it and seen the first plane hit on tv. We were all in shock at the time. Our law teacher had the nerve to keep the tv off and keep teaching class, when none of us had any interest in what he had to say.
To this day that still shocks me that a teacher would think we needed that lecture that day over watching the tragedy take place on tv. We had the right to watch it and he denied us that.

That whole rest of the day was watching that horrific site of the trade cecenters burning and collapsing. I think we were all just scared even though we live in ohio. Seeing people jumping from the buildings and knowing that thousands of people were in the buildings when it collapsed was just horrific.

I do not know for sure who actually was behind those attacks, but i hope whoever did plan that and whoever had any part in it burns in hell!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was in english class in high school…principal made an announcement over the speakers that both towers were hit and that there were “fires on the whitehouse”…the teacher was an idiot though and continued her lesson
Jeri: 3 years, 12 months ago

Lexington, NC I was at work when the news first came over the radio. No one beleived it, but all 20 or so of us took off to the break room where the tv is. Even though we saw it it was still hard to believe. We stood crying and in shock. Our office “STOOD STILL” for about 15-20 mins. that awful day. I couldn’t help when I got home but to watch with the world and cry. GOD BLESS the victims families, the survivors, and all involved in the recovery efforts. This is one person that will NEVER FROGET!!!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on the Bus going to work. Tony Karas
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at school that day of 9/11. I was in first grade.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was getting ready for work and one of my friends called and asked if I was watching the news. I told her no, since I don’t usually watch the news or turn on the t.v. in the morning. I turned tv on and the first plane had just hit. I watched in disbelief. I got to work and we turned on a tv there and watched the 2nd plane hit and the rest of the day unfold. My heart goes out to all the families who lost loved ones and the men and women of law enforcement who tried to make a difference.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at college about to go to class when an aquitance told me a plane had hit the tower. I thought he was full of it until I got to class an watched the second plane hit. Most of the class were on cell phones calling loved ones. After class, a janitor on a rooftop shouted down to us that he was letting us up to see something terrible. Turned out to be the smoke from the towers running along Long Island.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at school watching on my teachers television.I was scared because I didn’t know if some of my relatives were there at that time.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home with my 3-year-old daughter. I remember the horror I felt when the first tower was hit, and then the second, and then the realization that this was terrorism. Then the Pentagon and United 93, when was this horror going to stop? I was sitting on the floor watching each horrible event happen, knowing the world was forever changed. Bless those innocent souls whose lives were taken away – those that did not know what hit them, and those who ran to help, knowing they may not survive. I am British, living in NC, and I am applying for my American citizenship this year. With pride.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was trying to call a friend who worked in the WTC, I got a strange message that the circuits in the area was busy, I assumed it was some weather related incident, until I turned on the TV. I was transfixed and watched the second plane hit, the coverage and spent days searching the internet and calling to find out the fate of my friend. He was lost, no one in his office survived the day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work as a EMT in my home town.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At a life changing doctor’s appointment, that morning I was preparing to have a life changing surgery the gastric bypass, as my husband and I sat to see the surgeon we heard about the first plane, my husband is a US Marine (13yrs) and all He– broke loose where we were, that day I knew my life was about to change with the surgery but being a marine wife I knew we were heading to war, and I was right, my husband has been to Afaganastan and Iraq and I am a lucky woman he came home to me, unlike so many that has died for what happened on 9/11. As for me personally I have major complications with the bypass and I will never forget that day as I was changed as was all those that lost loved ones, plus seeing my husband return from 2 wars due to this senseless act of haterd..Well that is one Marine families story, nothing to compare to those that has lost loved ones in this mess. My life changing experience with this will be with me until I die, and I will never forget, as I live with my problems that remind of where I was and what I was doing that morning…God Bless all those that are still here and Thank You to those that aren’t…
Marine Family
Camp Lejeune NC
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my first grade classroom during the 911.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…I was in france at work. My husband called me on phone to say that planes have destroyed the twin towers. I went out of my office to say that. My colleg answered me: no its impossible, noone can destroy something in USA and of course in New york, not the twin’s. And it was real
karl heath: 3 years, 12 months ago

liverpool, england i was on a training exercise with the royal marine commandos , we got told after training be ready for some freedom fighting and pay back on the good people we stick by in life . We got told and we all looked at each other and said terrorists beware cos were comin to get use for all the people who sufferd on 9/11 i was in iraq for 6 months gettin ready to go to afghanistan to flust these evil people out
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home and turned on the TODAY news program on NBC. They said a ‘commuter plane’ had hit one of the Twin Towers. Then NBC showed video of the towers. I could tell that was no commuter plane. I went to wake my wife and when I showed her the TV the second tower was already hit and smoking. The confusion on TV news was horrible. No one knew what was going on. Rumors were being broadcast as fact. And while all this continued, NBC’s footage then showed the second tower hit falling. I couldn’t believe it happened. It was as if I were watching a disaster flick. Then the second tower fell. I felt sick to my stomach. What the hell was going on? I was physically sick for days.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was in my car listing to WTOP news Radio in Reston VA after picking up coffee at a local coffee shop for an early morning meeting. That is when I heard the announcer talking about what appeared to be a small craft going into the first tower only to say as he was talking that another plane just went into the second tower. That was when my stomach went soar and new we were under attack by someone. The ride home to Maryland that afternoon took 3 times longer than normal and was strange to see not one commercial airline or private plane in the sky except for an airforce F16 flying around from time to time. The world changed on that day for me and everyone else I know. – Robert R
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in the computer lab at my school and was just catching up on the news, via the internet. I turned on the TV and felt as though I waws there while it was happening. I couldn’t believe what was going on before my eyes on TV.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

On the shitter
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at 5 Penn Plaza/10th floor (CNN was on 21st floor) in Manhatan. I saw the building collapsed right in front of my eyes from the 10th floor. My heart felt like stop beating for a minutes when I saw that happned.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home getting ready to go to work. I just stared at the tv. Could not believe this was happening. We lost and gained so much that day. God Bless!!!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was applying for my marriage license at the courthouse when the first plane hit.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

NJ at work (Verizon). Husban worked in New York at the World Trade Center on the 76th floor. Just had relocated to another building. I share evereones lost. God bless.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At home on the couch watching T.V. At the time my father was working at the Pentagon. My wife was teaching and they were watching the news in the school. She called and told me that the Pentagon had just gotten hit. Coincidentally, I had just finished speaking to my grandmother in VA when my wife called. I called my grandmother back and we had a long day of waiting for my father to call and tell us all he was OK.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was studying C++ program at Jyväskylä Polytechnic in Finland.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in WTC getting out of a train and going to work when the first plane hit. There was already some panic inside the building but no one knew why. I got out and saw the building on fire, but noone knew what had happened. Papers were flying from the top and seemed like 5-6 floors were on fire. I stood there for about 5-10 minutes, but I was getting late to work so I started walking away for WTC. Then I heard the second plane hit and when I looked back, the 2nd towar was on fire as well. The sound of the plane hitting 2nd building was pretty scary. At first, I thought it was a bomb blast or air strike, but I found out 1/2 hour later that it was a plane hitting WTC.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I am a crime analyst for Montgomery County, MD. I was at another station, covering for someone when someone came in the office next door and said a plane crashed into the WTC. At first it sounded like a horrible accident, and I kept working, but when someone ran in and told us of the 2nd plane, I rushed downstairs to the TV. I watched in horror for a bit, then went to my regular station. I was driving, listening to the radio when the 1st tower collapsed. And when the Pentagon was hit, my first thoughts were of my best friend who works for Defense Intelligence Agency, and who is at the Pentagon a lot. I called her partner, and for a couple of hours we weren’t sure where she was. She had been at the Pentegon the week before but fortunately wasn’t there that day. I tried to work for an hour or so, but couldn’t concentrate. I went home and literally laid on the couch and watch the news for the next 8 hours.
My sister lives near Times Square and I called her several times, both of us not believing what we were seeing. In the aftermath, she ended up volunteering with Engine 54, the Broadway fire house – collecting and organizing all the tributes from people. This was the beginning of life changing for all of us.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

at work. The boss brought in tv’s. Everyone watched the horror in shock.
Guy C. Heyl, Jr, M.D.: 3 years, 12 months ago

Aiken, S. C I was in my office seeing patients when my secretary callede me to watch TV and I saw the second plane hit the tower.I really could not beliebe what was happening but quickly realized that these were no accident.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on cruise on Russian rivers. Intl. public, amongst
those, many Americans. First info by mobile, later on TV, translated into english by our Guide.
We were in chock and felt very anxious – a feeling many of us still carry – 5 years later!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was just waiting for my date to go in the royal navy when i seen the twin towers fall, i went in the royal navy in the november then i was shipped out to iraq once passing out from training, serving on hms liverpool i was proud to take part in gettin pay back for all new yorkers who sufferd
Shawn: 3 years, 12 months ago

Fort Worth I was in a training session for my new empoyer. Being part of management , I was excused to watch the events unfold. It was almost as if we were watching something unreal unfolding before our eyes, that this had to be a movie. We had employees working within the World Trade Center at the time and so this was all too real for us. Fortunately, our employees were on a ground floor and were able to escape, but still we worried and hoped for their survival. I will never forget the day. I called my wife who is a teacher to tell her that I loved her, and told her where to meet me when we were let off work.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Toledo, Ohio I was getting ready for work and I saw the tower smoking. Now I know, it was just after the 1st plane had hit. I was watching Good Morning America and I thought what a tragic accident for a plane to crash right into the Trade Center. I was stuck to the tv, but then continued to work listenening to the radio. As soon as I got to work at an eye Doctor’s office, my co-worker Janice had our little tv on in the break room. We then watched in horror as the second plane hit the other tower. I knew then that this was deliberate. We watched in silence. Then the customers started coming in but we kept the tv on for most of the day. My prayers are with the families that are still enduring lots of pain. God bless America.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Wichita, Kansas I was at home after getting off from my third shift job. I had just got in bed when my daughter called from school. She was in a panic and was talking so fast that all I could get from the conversation was “World Trade Center…airplane.” I asked her to calm down and then she said “Just turn on the TV!” I got up and turned on the TV and watched the news coverage of the events of that day.

My feelings first were for the people of New York and the families of the people on the planes…It all seemed so surreal…After a little while I felt anger towards the terrorists responsible for these cowardly acts on America’s people.

I knew that this would eventually involve our soldiers. Having been in the military overseas during the 1990’s Operation Desert Storm / Desert Shield, I knew that this would be an ugly affair, but I had no idea that so many of our soldiers would be killed defending freedom for all people.

I later found out that a distant cousin of mine was actually in one of the towers when it got struck by an airplane. Hearing him tell his story made me recall the feelings of that day; but this time, it hit closer to home….

Today is a day of remembrance – for the people that died, the people the lived the events of 9/11, and our soldiers overseas that live and die to defend the very idea that our country is founded on -FREEDOM.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on my way to work. When the express bus got on to the Verrazano bridge I saw them burning. I will never forget what I felt at that moment. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. Then the driver said that plains have hit the towers and I knew that terrorism was behind it. I never thought that was the last time I was going to see them.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Miami, FL I was a senior in high school in North Carolina. Someone brought a note to my ELP teacher that said “the WTC has been attacked by terrorists” and she immediately turned on the TV. We watched for the rest of the period as the second tower was hit and they both fell. I remember being so angry when one of my classmates thought it was funny that people were jumping out of the windows of the buildings. My AP Biology teacher made us take our midterm that day despite everything that was going on. What a moron.
Joamie: 3 years, 12 months ago

Johnesah I was out camping when the twin towers ere attacked
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

…working at a telephone answering service near Orlando, FL. It had started off as a normal day, with things quieting down between eight-thirty and nine. Then two of the managers and the training lady frantically fiddled around with our television set. I asked why they were acting that way and the trainer looked at me and said “A plane just hit the World Trade Center.” At first I thought it was a Cessna and wondered if the pilot had been drinking, but when they got the TV working and we saw the smoking building and Katie Couric’s shocked speechless expression, I knew. A couple of instants later the second plane hit and I shrieked. It got worse when the first tower fell and I jumped out of my seat (and tore the headset off my ears).
Katharina: 3 years, 12 months ago

Palm BeachCounty Around 5-6 AM on September 11, 2001
I dreamed that I was trapped in a cave, – with some other people.
There had been a big explosion and everybody was in a terrible panic to get out!
I saw one lady, brunette, end twenties, wearing businesslike clothe, holding a cellular phone in her hand, making frantically phone calls.
She desperately tried to get out of the cave, trying to climb up the wall. I thought that this was a useless effort!
Then, I called my father on the phone, asking what was happening and he said:” Don’t be so emotional and sentimental, the earth is moving closer to the sun. Terrorists have set off a bomb. They tried this 8 years earlier but didn’t succeed. Now, they have succeeded. Stay calm, we should have seen it coming. “
“ I hang up the phone and…The scenery changed, part of the dream was un retrievable –in the dream, I turned on the TV and saw Newscasters reporting a terrible disaster.
The disaster, ‘the earth had moved closer to the sun, ‘( I got that from a movie I once saw). The TV reporter announced that a huge explosion that had displaced the earth axis and that terrorists (or scientist, or some people) had tried the same thing 8 years before.
at 8AM on 9-11-2001 (I disregarded my dream as nonsense). I took my 2 year old daughter and drove to work. I I took care of another 1 year little girl at a families house. I played with those girls until noon and then went to Mc Donald! I didn’t turn on the TV until much later that day!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Lincolnton, GA. I was watching Diane Sawyer, behind her was a window, which showed a plane flying right behind her head, straight into a tall building. There will never be a way to forget that. Rebecca
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Monmouth university, C++ class. Wife was in NYC, Brother and friends were also in NYC. No one at the school said anything, I didn’t know until my wife called and told me. Then we lost the call. Drove me crazy, but all were well. Thank God.
SEAN: 3 years, 12 months ago

CHICAGO THIS DAY SHOULD BE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE ALL WHO HAVE FALLEN AND HONOR ALL WHO HAD PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE ON THAT DREADFUL DAY.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Richmond, Va. At work at a media agency that has televisions running throughout the building 24 hrs a day. We all just stood and stared at NBC, Katie and Matt saying that a plane had hit the WTC. Noone could believe what was happening. We were told by the President of our agency that we were free to leave and be with our families if need be. It was such a sad day for me as an American. Everytime I saw the U.S. flag for days and weeks after that I cried….
Kathy: 3 years, 12 months ago

NJ home. I just turned on the TV but there was nothing but snow. I thought it was the cable but I then turned to a different station and saw the second plane fly into the tower. I told my son who was home to change to the channel and we both watched in horror. I was never so scared as I was that day. We kept hearing about other planes and so much confusion I thought the world was coming to an end.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Sports Nutrition. After class was dismissed I went back to my dorm room. There I found my roommate on the floor crying because her dad was scheduled to be on the flight that hit WTC1. All day we sat with her….about 6:30 that night her father finally got through and told her that he had over slept and had missed his flight. This is a day none of us with forget…nor should we.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was pregnant with my 3 rd child. she was do on sep,20th. i had just got out of bed,vturned the tv on and the first thing i seen, was these 2 buildings up in smoke. i didnt know what to think. i didnt know what this was, or were it was, or what was even going on.so, when i realized what was going on, i couldnt belive it. i stayed glued to the tv, the next couple of weeks.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at my office (in a Detroit suburb where I sell Ford cars) when I heard of a plane hitting the towers. I thought it was a small plane. I ran down to the end of the showroom just in time to see the secong plane hit. I was in total amazement and I could not believe this was happening. My brother-in-law actually did his training for Dean-Whitter brokerage firm in the towers and he had many friends that were killed. It was a very emotional day. We can not let it go unpunished!!!! WE CAN NEVER EVER FORGET THIS ATTACK ON AMERICA!!!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Oklahoma I was renovating a home and had gone to the local pawn shop for a couple of tools that I needed. The pawn shop owner was watching the television. I thought it was a movie and didn’t pay attention until we were checking out. I asked him what movie it was as I didn’t recognize it. That is when I learned what happened. Complete shock and horror. It still took awhile for it to sink it.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my dorm room waiting for classes to start, when I heard that the towers had been hit. It was the first day of classes my freshman year of college. We had classes that day but they were all cut short so that people could go and watch what was happening on tv.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was 5 blocks from the pentengon. I heard it it. Then nothing but smoke, police, and fire trucks.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

on my way to work in battery park ,when the second plane hit the towers.I look up and saw the second tower on fire I then ran in the building close to where i was with everyone on LIBERTY’S STREET.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was getting ready for work, when I saw what happened, It hought it was hypothetical and it took me quite a while to realize that it DID happen
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Around 5-6 AM on September 11, 2001
I dreamed that I was trapped in a cave, – with some other people.
There had been a big explosion and everybody was in a terrible panic to get out!
I saw one lady, holding a cellular phone in her hand, making frantically phone calls.
She desperately tried to get out of the cave, trying to climb up the wall.
Then, I called my father on the phone, and he said:” Don’t be so emotional and sentimental, the earth is moving closer to the sun. They have set off a bomb. They tried this 8 years earlier but didn’t succeed. Now, they have succeeded.”
“ I hang up the phone and…The scenery changed, part of the dream was un retrievable –in the dream, I turned on the TV and saw Newscasters reporting a terrible disaster.
The disaster, ‘the earth had moved closer to the sun, ‘( I got that from a movie I once saw). TV reporter announcing that a huge explosion had displaced the earth axis and that terrorists (or scientist, or some people) had tried the same thing 8 years before.
At 8AM on 9-11-2001 (I disregarded my dream as nonsense). I took my 2 year old daughter and drove to work. I I took care of another 1 year little girl at a families house. I played with those girls until noon and then went to Mc Donald! I didn’t turn on the TV until much later that day!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Working and management call up everybody to break room. I thought that was an accident but unfortunately was not…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Pat Pittsburgh, PA, USA I was delivering mail from our research project to the Department of Family Medicine when the medical students were gathered around the their special tv room inviting others in to witness the first plane’s aftermass.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home in Naples Fla. with my husband who had stomach cancer and was in the last stages. But he was alert to know what had happened. A devsting time!
Sean T.: 3 years, 12 months ago

illinois I was just getting out of biology class. A friend of mine told me what had happened when I got back to the dorm. From there we watched the destruction.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home, and did see it on Televison , soon my girl called from work saying she will be comming home. Then I called a friend Maria who lived at the Lincoln Terrace,in Lower Manhatan and heard her reaction, was;that they were in shock at what was happening. Shortly after I realized that that was my last contact with her, Maria was not heard from since, and we think she may have died.
Josh: 3 years, 12 months ago

Cincinnati, OH, USA I was in Calculus class my Junior year of high school. We turned the TV on and the next screen we saw was the second plane hitting the building.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting in my High School TV class in NJ. They wouldn’t let us watch the TV because it would be a distraction to us. The teacher scrambled us all into different jobs on the studio floor for our principal to make an announcement. All school activities were cancelled for the rest of the week.
LissaJoan: 3 years, 12 months ago

Richmond, VA I was at work at the Visual Resource Center when NPR broadcast that a plane had hit a tower on the World Trade Center. We all thought that it must be a small charter plane that lost control. We kept on working. Then the second plane hit and we knew something was very wrong. We kept working, but hovered near the radio. Then the towers fell, one after the other. They kept talking about other people in the chaos who were looking for their loved ones. I remember being very worried about these strangers and hoping that they found their relatives and friends. But I never did find out if they did. Then all I could think was that I knew people in NYC and DC and I had to find out it they were okay. Everyone I knew was safe.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in school, eating lunch. I had no idea what was going on, except that we were getting out of school early. My mom told me the U.S was being attacked when I got off the bus…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was working and i got a call about the plane hitting the first tower, then went and got a small tv and watched in horror
Donnis Carr: 3 years, 12 months ago

McComb, MS I was at home, taking the morning off when I received a call from my sister in Atlanta telling me to get up that the US was being attacked!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in school…sophmore year to be exact…and i was coming from Geometry to Religion class, then my ex came up to me screaming, “a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center.” i stood there in confusion, until i ran to the class and my teacher had it on. he said, “everybody just sit down and shut up.” he was one to a few teachers that allowed us to watch. and after the class was over, he said, “don’t watch too much. you’ll see enough when you get home.” i’ve never seen a hallway that quiet in my life…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was 13 years old. That day we were in school, but the faculty members had dragged us all into the cafeteria. We knew something was up, but we didn’t know…Sitting in the cafeteria, I remember my principal walking up to the front of the room and telling us all a very diluted version of the events. I can remember the energy being drawn right out of the room. Kids were worried about parents that worked in or next to the WTC (as I lived in NJ, only 25 minutes from the city) and teachers seemed nervous and even shaky and tearful. When I got home, I saw the actual footage.
Phil: 3 years, 12 months ago

Pittsburgh I was asleep in my dorm room at college when my roommate’s mom called us at 9:30 am, waking us both up and told us to turn on the news. We watched in shock and stayed glued to our tv for the next 5 hours. When the rest of our suitmates eventually come back to our dorm all 8 of us went to the local red cross station to donate blood.
Lindsay Javit: 3 years, 12 months ago

Sterling Heights, Michigan I was…in my History class (of all classes) at Western Michigan University. It was my second week away from home and a girl came into my class to tell her friend what had happened. I thought they were talking about a movie. My professor came in and took us into the basement where he found a TV and as soon as he turned it on he cancelled class when he saw what was happening and sent us home. On my way back to my dorm there was an announcement across the campus that all classes were cancelled until further notice. I got back to my room and woke my two roommates and together we watched the second tower fall. I have never felt so alone in my life. My uncle works in the Pentagon, luckily, he survived. My father is a police officer here at home, and watching the officers and firefighters on TV tore my heart apart. God bless those who were lost, and those who survived.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In Santa Fe preparing for the day which would start off with a doctor’s visit. I listen to the classical station to provide a calming segue into my day and did not hear anything about the attacks. As I was preparing to leave for the appointment, one of my sisters called to tell me that I needed to turn the television on because the US was being attacked. I did so and by that time the second plane had hit the second tower, I stood in shock as I watched. My son was in Turkey on a belated honeymoon and called me later on that day to ask that I try and contact his wife’s brother who was working in Mahattan. Of course, all telephone communications were overloaded and I was not able to reach him until several hours later. I felt such an overwhelming fear and sadness on that day; emotions that quickly come to the surface every time we are threatened. All Americans, those that perished in NY, PA and WA and we that were left behind to watch the horror, were robbed of our lives on that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

standing in Newark near 16 th street, up on the hill. Saw the second plane hit
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…at work on this day, heard the news on the radio & thought it was a small engine plane that hit the Tower. Pretty soon I did learn it was more than that. I called my boss into my office to listen to the news. I stood up and said I am going to leave and go pick up my son from school, I said to him bad things are happening and I want to be with my family. We were all dismissed to go home.
I can only say my heart just died that day when I realized the horror I saw on TV. I prayed to God for help & compassion to all the people I knew were lost that day. I will never forget the pain of all the families who lost someone on that day, God Bless all of you, stay strong for God knows everything & every heart. I do feel your pain. Kathy
Stew: 3 years, 12 months ago

Brooklyn, NYC I was on the F train coming into work. The subway was on the elevated tracks, the highest point in the subway system, as the conductor told us, “If you look out to your right you will see the Twin Towers are on fire”. I looked out and saw smoke coming from one of the buildings. My first thought was of The Towering Inferno. The train went back underground. There were some delays before I resurfaced at 34th St. near the Empire State Building. I saw people standing outside it as I went to work at a fashion company on the same block as the E.S.B. When I got inside people told me what happenend. We listened to the radio for what we could hear. Some one told me that the towers had fallen. My boss at the time had just moved 4 blocks below Canal St. and needed to get home and see her husband. Our company shut down for the day and I walked with my co-worker and boss down to Canal St. White statues of people covered in dust walked past us away from the site as we walked closer. We got as far as Canal St. and were not able to go any farther. We sat and waited for my Boss to get a phone call to her husband. Cars an people covered inwhite dust drove away from downtown as we watched large groups of NYPD and FDNY march down into the scene. I saw two fighter planes overhead at that time. The first plane sounds I had heard all day. We went to a friend of a friend’s apartment to wait. My Boss got together with her husband later. We watched TV in silence. Once the Mayor said it was O.K. to ride the subway I walked to the F train station. The streets were quiet and deserted. A woman was on the phone talking normally and I looked at her in a rude manner. She went down to a wisper. I don’t know why I did that. I just felt like there needed to be silence. The streets were the most quiet I have ever heard them be since living in NYC. I regrouped with my friends at a mutual friend’s place in Brooklyn. The smoke cloud was over our heads and it smelled awefull. We all counted our blessings and made sure we were all accounted for. To this day I cannot watched shows about 9/11 without crying. I don’t know if I ever will ever watch them and not cry.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Beginning oral argument before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Even though we knew a plane had hit the first tower of the World Trade Center we did not know the whole story. When I uttered the words “May it please the Court,” the bailiff interrupted saying the “Court is a target” and the Courthouse was closed.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was working at Indiana University. My son called to tell me what had happened and I just couldn’t believe it. We went upstairs to the 4th floor where there was a big screen TV and sat and watched, almost hypnotized. Watching those buildings fall, over and over in TV news replays, watching the plane flying into the tower, repeatedly, just made me feel sick to my stomach.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a police officer in Baltimore, working the day shift. I remember stopping into the garage to wash my vehicle and gas up, when someone came out of the building and said that a plane had accidently hit the World Trade Center in NY. I ran in to see the scene of horror on the TV. I remember thinking how terrible an accident it was, when suddenly I saw the second tower hit. The sudden realization of this being a terrorist act hit me. I watched in horror . My husband was just getting off the night shift. I knew he was probably in bed asleep, but I called him anyway. When he woke and answered the phone, I remember telling him to turn on the TV right a way. He must have heard the strain in my voice. He didn’t argue about the fact that I had woke him from a dead sleep. He called me back about 5 mimutes later and told me they had hit the Pentagon. I then saw the first tower fall, and knew it wouldn’t be long before the second one fell. We were all being called to report to the station. Everyone, those in the accademy for in service, those at special training courses, those off duty, everyone was called to duty. We all just waited to see what would be hit next. I worked a 12 hour shift for the next 3 days. It was like some kind of dream. I couldn’t get my mind around all that had happened. I remember at first being sad and praying for the ones who were lost, and then I remember being angry. I knew in my heart that no matter what, the ones responsible for this would wish to God they had never been born. I’m retired now. I’m too old to join the military, but so help me, if I were called today to go over there…I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute. I think of all our young men and women who have died in the God forsaken @*^#!!@ hole. I’ve lived most of my life. If I died it wouldn’t leave behind a bright future and children. The world could handle the the lost. Maybe they should ask the older people if they would be willing to go over. I think the world would be very surprised. They list would never end.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sleeping in skipping one of my college classes when my roommate woke me up saying a plane just crashed into one of the World Trade Center buildings.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

at the entrance to World Trade Center two when the second plane hit and blew out all of the elevator banks and
large balls of fire burned people.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I had stayed home from school for some reason that is so unimportant now that i cant remember. I heard my mother in the other room scream “oh my God!” I came in to see the towers burning. Just after the 2nd tower was hit, my boyfriend showed up having no idea what had been happening. We sat together watching, he held my hand as I cried. Just a few months later he joined the Navy. Were married now, 2 kids. Hes been on 3 deployments in 3 years. I thank God he is on a submarine and not fighting on the ground.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was walking to my third period class in middle school when I first heard. It was just like any other day. My social studies teacher had on the TV and I saw the towers smoking. When he noticed I had come in, he turned off the set – the principal had ordered teachers not to show/tell us what was going on to keep us from panicing. When the whole class was there he turned back on the set and told us that he was showing us this because it would impact us for the rest of our lives. We watched as both towers fell. I still remember how shocking it was.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home, when my son called and told me to put CNN on… At first I told him it was not real… perhaps a movie that was being shot…. and the rest is history. I became a volunteer at 9-11 for seven months after that.
Mynou de Mey – New York
Laura: 3 years, 12 months ago

Albany NY I was in 10th grade in Albany, NY. I was sitting at my lunch table after both planes hit, but before the towers fell. We sat there with all the TV’s in the lunch room on, watching what had happened and then watching the towers as they fell. I remember as that was going on a student and a teacher almost got into a fist fight because the student was being loud when everyone was trying to watch. The teacher said “don’t you know whats going on here? We’re having a national emergency, our country and our state has just been attacked.” I’ll never forget the looks on everyones faces and some students and faculty going to call for loved ones since a lot of people in Albany take the trains down to NYC daily for their jobs in Manhattan.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Driving between business calls and listening to Howard Stern on FM radio in Palm Beach County, FL. Howard alerted the audience and continued broadcasting the events of that horrible day. Howard and his team provided news, comments and comfort as well as any “legimate” news team could. He stated early in the day that this act involved Osama Bin Laden.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my car directly outside of the North Tower(West Broadway and Vessey ST.) watching my wife entering the Lobby area as we did every morning to go to work. We happen to be running a few minutes late that day. She worked for Merryl Lynch at the World Financial Center and I worked for AIG over on Maiden Lane and Water St. Suddenly I heard the screechin sound of the turbines followed by the most incredibly loud explosion I’ve ever heard. The rest is known, but, thankfully, after taking off from my current location to avoid falling debree, I managed to contact my wife via cell phone after 3 attempts. Luckily, she managed to dart out of the lobby area in company of another individual and ran full out speed west up Vessey towards Broadway. I managed to get to her and race up the Harlem River Drive uptown. Incredible how people were disregarding safety and stood around looking at these buildings in flames, snapping pictures, etc. Bless those who ran towards to help out and payed the ultimate price.
sad American: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on my morning walk and was listening to music when a news alert reported on the first plane attack and I immediately thought it was an accident. I remember thinking what kind of idiot could have gotten lost and hit a building. After the second plane crash was announced, I got goose bumps and recognized this was no accident. I was still walking and immediately turned around to go home. I actually sprinted and got home to see the first tower collapse. I remember the feeling of horror and sadness for all of the victims but also for us as a country. I cried thinking about how this tragedy would affect our country and today I wonder why we have forgotten the feelings of unity we had that day. I pray for all of us suffering because of what was done to us by a few people who hated us enough to do this.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was.. relaxing on the couch after having gotten my 4 other children off to school, my then 5 yo son had to stay home from school that day so i was just sitting there watching the news and he was sitting beside me playing w/ a toy and all of a sudden u see this plane crashing into the world trade center and something told me right then that it was no accident,then of course u have the 2nd plane hitting not long after that.
u know even to this day my now 10yo son remembers seeing this on t.v. and i almost feel guilty for letting him see it but i literally could not turn the t.v. off it was so painfully mesmerizing u couldn’t help but watch.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…
I dropped my one year old son at preschool and then went back home because I didn’t start work until noon. I heard about the attack on the radio and my husband, who was also at home and I watched in silence as the towers fell. When he retrieved our son a few hours later, he was the only child left in the center. All the others had been taken home. Now, five years later I am divorced. My 6 year old son lives with his father. And, ironically, I’m dating a firefighter. Today is sad for me for so many reasons. I feel like the life I once had fell along with the towers.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I Was at the Petro Canada in Sudbury, Ontario. Canada.I kept my Gas receipt and believe it or not the date is 9/11 and the time stamp is 9:11! Maybe I should put it up on Ebay.
Rick
Bill Bangham: 3 years, 12 months ago

Richmond, Va. I was in Kathmandu, Nepal, walking back to my hotel from dinner. A merchant I had bought earrings for my wife from days earlier ran into the street and pulled me into his shop. Together we were watching the first tower burning on a small, fuzzy black and white TV, trying to figure out what was happening when the second plane struck. It was well over a week before I could get home.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I happened to be off that day. I remember that when I first turned on the news, no one knew that it was a terrorist attack. Even the newscasters thought it was simply a horrible accident. Then I saw the second plane hit, and I stood there in my lving room with my mouth hanging open. I had errands to run, so I left, and listened to the radio broadcasts. I made it to a store with a news broadcast on the televisions that were for sale just in time to see the first tower come down. There were a number of people standing around at the time, and we just stared at each other. When the second tower came down, we held on to one another and cried. It was a moment that I will never forget. Nor will I forget the feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my truck driving to my next job when I received a call from my then girlfreind and thought wow that’s strange(A plane hitting the world trade on a perfectly sunny day,and then the next call,I thought dammit give me a gun and get me on the next plane to where ever this attack is coming from.It has made me realize,Having my own business and a pro jazz musician in new england,Just how lucky we are and I would die for this country and my free lifestyle that so many take for granted!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Citrus Springs, FL I was on my way to the vets office with my doggie. I heard of the first attack and when I got to the office they had told me of the second attack. What a sad and unbelievable day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was waiting at my office for some representatives from FEMA region II -NYC, for a scheduled meeting at 9:00 AM. As I was waiting for the representatives in the lobby of my office building, I watched the first plane crash. They walked into the building, and we were all crying and I broke the news to them. One of the ladies, husband was moving into one of the towers. Due to the phone lines being overloaded, she was unable to get through. Amazingly, he overslept and changed his plans to move later on in the afternoon.
mitakasuomy@yahoo.es: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was at home. i was eating.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my classroom teaching my 22 kindergarteners. The Principal came by our rooms explaining to each teacher what had happened. I just said to her, ” Oh what the hell will some nut think of next to do?” Her only reply was ” Yeah!!!”

It was a day that I will never forget.
Lindiwe Mbingo: 3 years, 12 months ago

Swaziland at work
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a senior in college. I had actually made it to my 8am sculpture class on time… we listened to the radio as we sculpted the clay every week. Suddenly the announcer’s voice got scared sounding and he began to report about airplanes hitting the towers. We thought it was a joke – jaded art students. We thought it was like Orson Wells and the Halloween alien invasion… Class was eventually dismissed, and classes cancelled. My roommate was freaking out so we went to the store and bought hundreds of dollars worth of supplies (bottled water, batteries etc) and she emptied her savings account. My mom had left a message by the time I got home telling me everyone was ok.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was teaching my preschool students in which all the schools were closed
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

in my english class when my teacher got a phone call from her husband. some people thought she was kidding and then 10 minutes later we got another call that a second plane hit. No one knew what was going on it was unbelievable
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Switzerland driving to Germany with my friend Sharon and stopped for some snacks at a gas station. A store employee who spoke no English asked us “Americans” – we said “Yes” and he told us “New York” “Bomb”. We didn’t know what to think! We drove to Germany as fast as we could and stopped at a German gas station/cafeteria and saw the towers collapsing on TV. We thought we would never go home to US. But we did go home – Thank GOD!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my co. car on my way to an account in Michigan – 8 mos. later my position w/ the co. car would be eliminated due to this tragic day, and my life also, would be changed forever. I am just now getting on my feet, due to my age, at the time of the tragidy.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Sao Paulo – Brazil I was attending one congress in the middle of Brazilian Central Plateau when someone at the coffee break time come with the notice that USA was under attack. He sad that two planes crashed on WTC and the another plane was knocked down by air force and that in this moment any plane on air in US would be destroyed by US air force. I thank God I was in the middle of nowhere, but at the same time I feel afraid a world war cause I also was near Brazilian Capital. Anyway, I known the world was definitively changed.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was running late to work that day in Manhattan. I’ll never forget the look on a co-worker’s face as I got off the elevator and walked to the doors of the office. I immediately knew something was really wrong, and I wanted to turn and run. As I entered the doors, she broke down in tears and told me of the disaster. We had co-workers located in 1 WTC. We were scheduled to move into that building in November 2001. We all hated the idea. No one wanted to move there. Little did we know, everything was about to change.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Sitting in my car in my works parkinglot listening to the local rock station. The DJ in a laughing tone said,”whoa, a plane just hit the WTC! What an idiot!” About a 5 second pause then,”Oh my God, this is real. Another plane just hit the WTC! This is definitely a terrorist attack!” I ran through the parking lot to the building, ran back to the breakroom, and there was 40-50 employees standing there watching the smoke billowing from both of the towers. Not long after, we were all blown away as we watched in horror as the two towers came down. I called my wife, told her to take off for the rest of the day, and meet her at home, just in case we were all being attacked and might never see eachother again. Terrorists Suck!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in bangkok, so i was asleep when it happened. but the next morning my mum prayed for all the people who had died, and i didn’t know what she was talking about until i got to school. we sat in front of the tv the whole day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I WAS IN A DENTAL CHAIR WHEN THE OFFICE RECEPTIONIST YELLED OUT AT APPROX 8:50AM ‘WE ARE BEING ATTACKED!” AND THE DENTIST PUT ON THE TV SET IN THE DENTAL ROOM AND EVERY THING STOPPED AS WE WATCHED THE 2ND PLANE HIT THE 2ND TOWER AND THE DENTIST SAID ‘THIS IS BINLADEN!’……AND WE SAT TRANSFIXED WATCHING THE NEWS OF THE PENTAGON AND PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE WERE CRYING AND I TRIED TO REACH MY COUSIN WHO WORKED AT WORLD TRADE AND DID MANAGE TO ESCAPE…..ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Savannah, GA I was in 7th grade, sitting in spanish class. Another teacher ran in, crying and told us a terrorist had hijacked a plane and hit the world trade centers. Administration would not let teachers turn their TVs on so that we could see the destruction, however, some could not stand the the thought of someone doing such damage to the United States. September 11 is a day that will never be forgotten. Thank you to all of our soldiers, firefighters, police officers, EMT’s, and every citizen who did their part in the relief efforts.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was working security at a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Wirth metro area. I could not believe the reports of the first attack, or the plane slamming into the second tower! Many good people have lost there lives in those attacks, and defending us since.
Alyssa: 3 years, 12 months ago

florida i was in 7th grade, laughing with my friends drawing, (i ws in art class),and sort of watching the Today Show. when all of a sudden the teacher let out a gasp. i turned to look just as the television showed what was going on. Every student turned to look. Then the small clas of all these little 7th graders grew quiet, we all knew what a horrible thing had happend. even as young as we were, and we were in florida not anywhere close to NYC, but we all understood. the teacher and some girls began to cry, the boys just sat there in disbelief. The principle broke in over the intercome, to announce to the rest of the school what was happening,as he did so the 1st tower fell,we took a moment of silence and advised the teacher to not turn the televisons on. therest of the day there ws very few laughter and very few smiles, now as i am a little older, i see how great of an impact 9-11 had even on a bunch of 11-13 year olds, a thousand miles away form that field in PA or the pentagon, or NYC. Somethings you neverforget 9-11 is one you shouldn’t and you can’t.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In my pre-algebra class taking a test. It came over the intercom and everybody just froze. We couldn’t believe it. All we could do was listen for updates and hope the ones we love were ok.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Tampa, FL I was at work at an electronics recycling buiness. I was in my office, when my technician ran in and said “A plane it a building in New York!” I walked out into the warehouse and listened to the radio. I then realized the boss had cable TV in his office on a 13″ TV in the corner, that was never turned on. I went into his office and turned on the TV in time to see the second plane hit the other tower. I stood mesmerized for the next hour. The boss got back from his meeting and at first said we had to get back to wrok, then he watched a minute and we stood there quietly, listening to the reports coming in. We watched the coverage of the Pentagon and just were dumbstruck.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was almost 16 years old sitting in geometry when I heard the news. I thought it was a joke. I couldn’t believe someone could do something like that to the U.S., and to tell you the honest truth, I still can’t.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

at work. someone from down the hall came in and asked if I heard about the plane hitting the towers. I said no and didn’t think much of it but turned on the radio. it didn’t take long to realize what was actually happening, that it was not a random accident.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

After the initial attacks, I was stuck in gridlocked traffic about a block from the White House, trying to escape Washington. I’ll always wonder if the heroes on that last plane headed towards Washington saved my life.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was out side at our farm in Indiana. We were selling and moving to Tennessee. There was a barn and a couple of silo’s on the property, that had seen there days. We were that day tearing down the barn and one of the silo’s. It was a shock to hear the news. We turned on a radio outside and the tv on inside. Everyone was just in a somber mood, not knowing what to say. We had after a few moments continued to work, and listen. By the time we were ready to let the silo fall……..it happened at the same time the first tower fell. Something that myself and my family will always remember. May God Bless all who suffer still to this day from all the events that happend five years ago today, September 11, 2006. Remember JESUS loves you!!!!!!!
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at school and we were watching the towers collapse
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my 5th grade class, in North Carolina. I had just moved from Jersey City about a month prior to the incident. One of the teachers at my school came to my class and sat my teacher aside to tell her what was going on. Hours later when I arrived home, I saw for myself what was going on. My family and I were worried, because my grandmother worked inside the towers. We were lucky, however, because my grandmother decided she didn’t want to go to work.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was responding to an emergency call that was a cardiac arrrest. Later that evening discussed the days events with a boy scout troop. BSA troop 1 Lafayette, Georgia. Georgia EMTP 2010.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Working for a Federal law enforcement agency in the Midwest. We, as Americans, should NEVER NEVER forget what was taken from us that fateful day. Unfortunately I fear it will happen again, very soon.
Jana Sawtelle: 3 years, 12 months ago

North Mankato, MN Driving to work after dropping my son off at his college. I was listening to the morning radio show on KQRS-FM out of the Twin Cities. These guys always have their computer monitors linked up to one or more of the national news shows. One of them interrupted another morning crew member to say that he had just seen a plane hit the World Trade Center. He assumed that it was probably a small commuter plane, but after the second plane hit, he knew that he was horribly mistaken. I continued listening as I drove to the high school where I worked, and when I walked into the administration office, the personnel there were all keeping up with the latest reports, many with tears in their eyes. In classrooms throughout the building, the teachers had all but abandoned the lesson plans for the day, concentrating instead on watching the events unfold and doing their best to use it as a springboard for discussion.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was reading electric meters in Naperville, IL when I heard the chaos on Mancow. Of course being on Mancow i didn’t believe it till I turned on another station. I’ve never felt anything like that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting in a hotel room in Las Vegas having just arrived the day before for an international bakery convention. I was with my boss, who had awoke me by pounding on the door yelling that I should turn on the TV, and we watched the entire thing happen right before our eyes. It was the saddest and most harrowing event I have ever witnessed, and we kept saying to each other “My God, what is going on???” We knew we weren’t going to get a flight home. The next few days were spent pretty much in a fog, I had an 8 year old son at home who had heard about the attacks in school, and had been terrified that I had been on one of the planes. Every time I spoke to him he just begged me to come home. My boss ended up buying a car which we drove home through some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen, at once gorgeous and awe-inspiring, yet at the same time shrouded in the pall of the terrorist attack. We met all kinds of people on the road with similar stories; where are you going, where were you, how long have you been driving. I didn’t enjoy Vegas at all, and in fact, found it to be one of the filthiest places I have ever been, and I think I would have thought that no matter when I was there, but being there on 9/11 made the experience much more concentrated. When I think of 9/11, I think of standing outside our hotel that morning, the convention cancelled and the shock apparent on everyone’s face around us; and the dirt, debris and trash blowing by my feet, as people suffered and die on the other side of the country. It was an awful experience.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

at school in the 4th grade
Bonnie: 3 years, 12 months ago

Illinois I was home, babysitting my little great niece who called me Grandma. I had a cartoon on, naturally, since she was there! my sister called me, told me about it, and I turned to it just for a bit, but could see it would scare my little Hannah. So I waited till she went to sleep before I could see any more of it! Thank GOD for president Bush, and how he is stopping the terrorists from hitting again here in our country. We do NOT want them fighting on our soil!!
J. Peroli: 3 years, 12 months ago

Ohio I was on my way to drop my 6 month old son off at my best friend’s house. I heard the news of the first attack on the radio. I watched some of the events at my friend’s house before leaving for class at the University of Akron. When I arrived at school I was told the university was closed because of the attacks. I went back to my friend’s house and watched the news coverage of the attacks.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

PA I was in Ocean City New Jersey on vacation with
my family including my Mother-in-law and Sister-in-law, who came from California to visit. I had gone out for a bike ride and remember it was a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight. I rode by the house we were staying at and my husband told me that a plane had crashed into the WTC in New
York but I thought it was a freak accident of some kind. I circled the block and came back inside to find out it was not.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In court, in Connecticut, about to start talking with defendants (I’m a Prosecutor). A marshal came into the court and said a plane had hit the WTC. It was a perfectly clear day and I remember thinking “not an accident”. We put on a small tv in the lunchroom and, in between running to and from the courtroom, I saw the second plane hit and my suspicions were confirmed.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work with young offenders and I remember how the day just stopped. Even these hardend gang kids were shocked into silence by what they saw on TV. The looks on their faces must have mirrored my own as they all were looking to the adults to explain what they were seeing and we had no answers. I remember how angry and sad I was at the loss of life and the profound sense of grief. This attack will always strike me as my generations attack on pearl harbor. We felt the same emotions as the people that day shock, disbelief, and then rage at what was happening to our fellow americans. This was made worse however by national television. How much more angry would the 1941 American nation have been if they had CNN. I sometimes hear people say the war on terror is wrong. I sometimes hear people say we are as bad as the terrorist’s. My response to both of these statements is what were you doing on 9/11? As a retired Marine and an American my heart and prayers go out to those who lost thier loved ones and to those left behind. To the men and Women of New Yorks rescue services my heartfelt thanks and praise for thier actions that day.

Shawn C Carmin USMC, Retired.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at a fertility clinic trying to get pregnant
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

My husband and I were vacationing at the Jersey Shore. We had not put the TV or Radio on that morning because we were planning to go fishing. When we went to the store for supplies, the man at the counter told us that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. We immediately went back to the house to watch the news when the second plane crashed into the other tower. It was mind boggling and we felt so separated from our family and scared. We called home to speak with our loved ones and then sat and watched the TV for the next 36 hours straight.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a freshman in college, one of the first days of classes. I was in a different state, away from my family, and still unsure of my surroundings. A girl who lived in the dorm next door to me, her father was one of the pilots on the planes that hit the WTC.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Midtown Manhattan coming back from breakfast with my boss when a co-worker told us that a plane had crashed into one of the towers. Thinking that he was joking with us we went downstairs to the big screen tv in the lobby. Soon after we realized he was telling the truth, the second plane hit and all that were watching suddenly realized what was happening to us. That was when the real panic started. That day I walked along with many other New Yorkers through Manhattan, across the queensboro bridge into queens where I eventually caught a ride home with my parents. The fear and shock that was in the crowd was almost palatable.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Chesapeake,VA. I had just taken my two older sons to school and on the way to my youngest son’s preschool when I heard it on the radio. I quickly turned the radio off, got him into class, told the teacher (who had not heard), rushed home and turned the tv on to see the 2nd plane hit. My sister was supposed to be on the plane the went down in the field…she had changed planes just five minutes before boarding so she could get a more direct flight. My brother in-law worked at the Pentagon. We were not able to reach either of them until late that night. My nephew, a college student at the time and living in Maryland, kept calling us to see if we had heard from his parents. A very scary and sad day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In Hawaii waiting for my Pearl Harbor Tour
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting in my office when I recieved a phone call from the babysitter stating what was happening. We did not hve a radio to hear what was going on. I started work at 8:00am. I can remeber not being able to reach my husband by phone while he was at work. He had to be at school by 8:00am We lived in PA.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work watching it on tv. My husband, then boyfriend was on active duty, and that morning was the last time I saw him for 3 weeks. Everyone we knew got recalled.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

It was my 1 day with a new position. Someone came in and said the 1st tower was hit. I remebered my little brother saying he takes the train and comes out of the towers to go to work. I left work, went to my moms and called him. As I was dialing the # the 2nd plane hit. I saw it on TV. He answered his phone in tears saying he was late for work that day and saw the planes hit from the Jersey shore. I will never forget it. God has a plan for everyone.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At school when I saw a few of the kids in my class crying cause their dads were working in the towers.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was watching the Today show in Tucson Arizona. Thought, when the first plane hit that it was a terrible accident. When the second plane hit,I was dumbfounded, bewildered, and afraid. I couldn’t believe that we were watching this.
Robert Kennedy: 3 years, 12 months ago

At home trying to reach my best friend via cell phone who was driving a charter bus to the towers. I finally reached him just as he breached a hill on 80 where he could see the towers burning.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on the back basketball court in my high school gymnasium. My coach pulled me aside, pale face and all, and told me practice was cancelled. Seeing as how practice is never cancelled I kept pressing her for answers. Eventually I saw the news on one of the tvs a teacher had on.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

My wife and I were in the El Paso, TX airport for a trip to California when we saw the TV pictures of the twin towers. Returned home to Las Cruces, NM and drove to California that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…in college. I was attending Tennessee State University. Usually I go to sleep with my tv on, but on Sept. 10 I didn’t. I didn’t find out what had happened until I woke up and walked down to the community bathroom. A girl in there told me what happened. I went back to my room and flipped on the tv. It was heart wrenching. As I went to class, the whole campus was quiet. Later that day, my mom reminded me that my cousin Dwayne Williams was working at the Pentagon. We prayed that he was okay. A few days later we found out that he was one of the victims.
Ben: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in Australia when it happened and had moved there for a few months before. My sister called me really early in the morning to tell me what happened and I sorta just blew it off as a minor thing that happened. When I finally woke up, I realized just how bad it was. I had lived in NYC right before I moved to Australia and unfortunately, I had friends living in the area and working there. I took a few days off from work trying to get in touch with these people to see if they’re okay and thank goodness I finally got in contact with them. Australia, as a country, was very sympathetic and supportive while I was there and the Australians were more than happy to lend an ear if I needed someone to talk to.

It was hard not to go back to NYC and help the USA when I thought it really needed some extra love but I did all that I could while being overseas.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

at work watching on tv
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

In the D-ring of the Pentagon when the plane hit. Later that night I sat in the courtyard and watched the flames glowing with a temporary mourge set up by the firefighters.
shirley lowe: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was working in my restaurant. we had a small tv in the back room. good morning america was on and i heard all the commotion. looked just in time to see the second plane hit the 2nd tower. my heart dropped to my toes.i was devasated. God be with all of you who lost family and friends on that horrible day. May HE give you peace.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in school. It was during choir class and there was an announcement over the intercom that the World Trade Centers and The Pentagon had been hit and that we could turn on the TV to see. The teacher started to freak out because her husband was on active duty and was in the DC area.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was in school
Elizabeth MacLaren: 3 years, 12 months ago

Toronto, Ontario My mother was here (Toronto) on a visit from Newfoundland and I had made a big Newife breakfast for us and we had the news on which was my routine first thing in the morning. I heard commotion on TV but thought it was an advertisement for a horror movie (like King Kong) but I soon realized it was in fact actually happening as we watched. We were horrified, and sat enthralled all day to the TV and what was happening to our friends in New York. So many lives lost that day, it made me appreciate the fact that I still had my life and my mother was able to visit. Mom was travelling back to home within a couple of days from September 11 and she had a long hard trip home that year (with security and all). I pray every day that we never see another September 11 again.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was working nights, so I was in bed trying to get some sleep in the Dallas, TX area when my oldest son called from Orlando, FL area to tell me what was happening.

His initial words were that “we are under attack”!

At first I thought he was pulling my leg. I turned the TV on just in time to see the frist WTC building come down!

From 90 thru 94 I went through the Path station in the basement of the WTC twice a day.

I still have trouble seeing the NY sky line with the twin towers!

May God be with the families & friends of those who died and those who have been affected by 9-11!

God bless you and encourage you, so that you can pass the encouragement to others in their time of need!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have Everlasting Life”.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was waking up from a 4 day crystal meth binge. A friend was allowing me to stay with him so that I could sleep and get some food as I had no place to stay. On 9/11 I had been using meth for over a year and lost everything, home, family, and self. I have ben clean since then.
5 years and counting.

Bobby
Miami, Florida
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

New York City I had just voted in the NYC Mayoral Primary and overheard talk at the polling precinct about an accident at the WTC, so I returned to my apartment to check out on TV what was going on. I work about 31/2 blocks from the WTC site. Then it unfolded….
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on shift at the fire department in Bloomington, IN when I just happened to turn on the Today Show and saw the fist pictures of smoke coming from the first tower. I thought to myself “How could a pilot hit a building in such clear weather?” Then we watched in horror as the second plane hit bursting into flames; we had our answer.
Cater 2 U: 3 years, 12 months ago

New Orleans I was…bringing my daughter to school. When i got back home and turned on the madness i was horrified. Almost as scary as Katrina.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was lying on the bed with my infant daughter. I had put the Today show on and saw the smoke pouring out of Tower 1 and out of nowhere came the second plane. Actually seeing it live and hearing the reactions was haunting. I just held my daughter and cried. It was horrible.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on Manhattan’s East Side, working on my computer in my apartment. My brother called me to tell me to turn on the TV. I thought it was a movie. I ran upstairs to the roof of my building & saw it unfold live. My brother told me he had had a meeting scheduled for that morning on the 104th floor of Tower 1 but it was cancelled at 5pm the day before. Luckily he was working in the NJ office that day, because his office across from the South Tower was completely destroyed. The wind was blowing towards Brooklyn that day but the next day and for days/weeks afterward, you could smell the fire/smoke.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was watching the news on T.V., just got home from work.Couldn’t believe what I was seeing! anonymous in New York
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

scouting for hunting season for deer in PA
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…working in a school across the hudson, a direct view of the wtc can be seen from the school rooftop. Still a sad memory….MAY THEY ALL REST IN PEACE..
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sitting in a parking lot outside a restaurant in Missoula, Montana, waiting for the restaurant manager to arrive so I could upgrade the computer system at the store. I had flown up there on September 10th. I was listening to the radio as the reports were coming in of the attack on the WTC. I stayed in Montana for several more days, and then, since all flights were grounded, drove 1,800 miles home.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was at the WTC when i saw a plane i got out safly with 12 concusions and a broken neck,arm,leg.rib
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

United Kingdom I was at work in the UK with my husband, tending plants for sale and enjoying the hot & sunny weather. Around 2pm, a customer told us he heard on the radio that ‘America was under attack’. We thought this was a bizarre comment and dismissed it. We drove home some 3 hours later, listening to the news on the radio, not believing what we were hearing. We arrived home and switched on the TV – those images will remain in my memory, probably for ever. The world is now a changed and dangerous place where a large, so it seems, number of the planet’s human population have total disregard for the lives of their fellow human beings. Terrorism and religion seemingly go hand in hand. Religion, so claimed by the ‘righteous’ who preach it, is the glue that holds society together. It is not. It is an evil substance that is destroying humanity – the destruction of the twin towers and the innocent people within those buildings was the visual image of religion in all its wickedness.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was at school looking at terror
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Upstate NY sitting in my secound grade class getting ready to go home.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on my way into to a meeting at WTC 2 when I couldn’t get hold of my co-worker who was going to meet me their as well. I turned back to our office in Edison,NJ to await his return call. I survived the 1st bombing and had no idea that it was about to occur once again and that secondly my co-worker hadn’t even gone into work because he’d falen ill until about 45 or so hours later. The longest 45 + hrs. I’d ever had to endure. I lost on a personal level 11 people who were tech’s at Canter Fitzgerald whom I’d both trained and worked with on this day 5 years ago. Sad to say I still firmly believe we still have not been told the whole Truth and may never get it.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was watching TV when the news struck
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was ….unloading a truck at my work place in Towanda, Pa, when my newlywed wife called and said that the a plane struck the World Trade Center, as soon as I got to my break that morning I saw the North Tower collasped. I will never forget that morning for the rest of my days…..
Brian: 3 years, 12 months ago

California I woke early but left late, staying in bed as long as possible, talking quietly with my wife, before just going for it in an hurried, but itch scratching session of lovemaking.

All was pretty right with the world.

Then it was shower, car and off to work.
I was a couple blocks from the house when I turned on Bill Handel , L.A.’s most interesting drive time talk show host.

Bill was doing one of his occasionally ‘out there’ shows, and for a moment, I regretted getting such a late start that I had missed the lead in.

One of the Handel shows trademarks is gripping, unusual radio. So a minute by minute ‘you are there’ Including a graphic minute by minute reconstruction of some newsworthy events, sometimes catastrophic, other times merely interesting.

So it made sense that Bill might have decided to take the ‘war of the worlds’ approach, coming up with a scenario out of whole cloth, then illustrating how it would play out.

That kind of thing.

Though admittedly, Bill would probably give the same treatment to a donut shortening fire at Krispy Kreme if it struck his fancy. He was pretty fat back then.

Back to this morning’s scenario. Bill had really outdone himself. A terrorist hijacking leading to a plane crash into the pentagon. “Way out there Bill.” I laughed to the radio, listening to his tense delivery, waiting for the station to run a simulation disclaimer or some such.

Then Bill went overboard as far as I was concerned. He talked about shifting back to the ongoing situation with the airliner that had crashed into the world trade center.
Correction. Airliners. Plural. Also hijacked. Uh-Huh.
That was enough for me. Shaking my head I exercised my listener’s prerogative and
changed the channel.

Howard Stern would have to save me from all this insane downer radio.
And that’s when my morning went to hell. A good 45 minutes behind the most of the country.
Howard was telling the on air staff that anyone that wanted to go home should get going before it got too much crazier. I was amazed how calm he stayed, dealing with the everyone who all sounded like they were freaking out, while fielding a live cell phone call from a witness presumably on some nearby rooftop.

A picturesque New York rooftop, no doubt, with skylights and slanted stairwells, stalks of tin chimney and maybe a clothesline or two.
I’ve never set foot in the city. Never seen the skyline from closer than Jersey.
But , for weeks previous I’d been doing tons of Manhattan related research for “Daredevil” a big picture Fox had in pre-production.
Lots of that classic big apple detail.
And now that’s all I could see. The skyline, those rooftops, the concrete and brick canyons, the whole near cliché shebang that the big city calls to mind.
They had been part and parcel of my waking, working imagination since well before Labor day.
Now the through the magic of radio, I was picturing its destruction. The only reassurance, at that moment was no picture my head could come up with would be like the real thing.

The caller on the air was describing the towers like smoking matchsticks.
His words conjured something almost comical, like an oversized sight gag from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Good imagery to keep reality at bay.
It was almost comforting, knowing the trade center could never wind up like that.

I looked around, and realized I was driving at a crawl. But no one around me noticed. They were staring ahead dumb stuck. Isolated individuals all sharing the same horrific experience, moving in perfect order at 15 miles an hour. We might as well have been on a conveyer belt.
Then something changed in the caller’s voice. Almost in panic, I reached to turn up the volume, hitting the am/fm button by mistake, switching me back to the Handel show.

“One of the towers has just collapsed.”

I can honestly say, I’ll never forget that feeling of utter disbelief, the helplessness.
In my time at Fox I’ve provided research on “Independence day”, “Die Hard 3″ and “the Siege”.
In a three year period I’d helped lay waste to various parts of Manhattan that terrorist don’t even let themselves dream about.

I didn’t think about alien Spacecraft, Euro-trash gold thieves or even good old fashioned crazy A-rab terrorists.

I thought of, or more specifically I called to God , like I never have before in my life.
Out loud, right there in traffic. I threw my head back back and shouted my sorrow, my hurt my confusion in the same three words: god…God…GOD!!!

I don’t know if it was a statement or a question, accusation or plea. Only that it was from the heart.

The words on the radio became a blur. I drove on taking it all in as I channel surfed, Every station, every language, the words the tone were the same. Something so vast, so Biblical in scope. A latter day tower of Babel.
All the nationalities in it, all the ones spread over the world yammering in confusion. Same words, same pain and confusion. different languages. This was like end times come to life. The fundamentalists of every stripe would be having a field day with this.

I shook my head, cleared my thoughts as best I could. No Bugs bunny, No Hollywood biblical epic comparisons. Just drive. Pick up the pace, get to work, start taping, downloading. Watch the road around you because everyone else is just as distracted.
I became the worlds best driver, checking every mirror in rotation, hands at the 10 and 2.
Watching the road, watching the sidewalk, everything.

To my right billboard for the upcoming Redford flick, An inverted American flag as its centerpiece. “The last Castle.”
I ground my teeth, as the metaphor slammed in, sudden as a car wreck, thoughts of this country I called home, virtually untouched by outside aggression for nearly two centuries.
Inviolate no more, maybe never again.

More horrors were unfolding on the radio, people waving from broken windows, jumping to their death as the fire out raced rescue.

Another billboard. Denzel Washington in “Training Day”.
Training day? No kidding… Time to start understanding the kind of thing that goes down in London, Tel Aviv, Cartahegna with CNN infused around the clock regularity.
You bet your ass it’s training day.

Right across the street from it is one for the new Shwarznegger flick “Collatoral Damage.”
No comment.

Focus. Back to driving. Oh Hell. Theres a plane down in Pennsylvania. Crashed en route somewhere. They don’t or wont say where… but theories of all kinds The radio is white noise I cant turn off, cant make sense of as I begin to speed on Sunset.
All I can think of is an old Don Henley song

“In a New York minute
Everything can change
In a New York minute
Things can get a little strange…”

Concentrate on making every light as if nothing else matters. Shit. Because maybe it does? Is there a plane headed for L.A.? Let alone Century City?

The tree shrouded streets of Beverly hills are deserted as I head into the home stretch to the studio. Our own skyscraper is still intact.
I can only speculate Fox & the other studios own exclusive rights to their destruction.

“The second tower has collapsed”

Bill’s voice has all the cool alarm of a sportscaster describing a beloved athlete stumbling and falling at a critical moment.
I’m speeding again. This time up Avenue of the stars right behind the studio. My researchers mind is already recalling how many people visit, let alone work in them every day.
I drive past the guard and he waves me in like a Disneyland animatronic, no one seems real,
And suddenly, I walking down a New York street on our back lot. Debris strewn on the curb from the building we’ve just shot a building fire sequence in front of days before.
All terribly authentic. I can still see the red fire engines, with their big FDNY blazons.
I think of the real FDNY. Buried under rubble, glowing by flaming jet fuel.

You’ve only heard it. I tell myself. It’s not real. Not yet. Not til you go downstairs and turn on the 54 inch giganto-vision screen and see it for yourself. Stay up here in the make believe New York.”

Some part of me rationalizes ” Up here, the firemen and cops and people are all extras, they’re off being actors. The trucks are safely parked at the motor pool. And unlessAMC is running an airport movie… No jets crashing into anything.”

The sky is gorgeous blue.

“Listen, See? Not a plane in the sky…
Stay up here while there’s the tiniest argument its all pretend.”

I stumble past the time clock, not even punching in.

“Good plan, the voice says, if you’re not officially at work its not real. ”

Down the hall into the research library. Someone has already opened up before me.
The sounds of CNN and the real world rushing to meet me the instant I open the door.
It wasn’t possible when it was just the movies. But this is TV. Now it’s live. Now it’s real.

I should have stayed upstairs in make believe. I should have stayed in bed. But the phone is ringing. It’s the library Manager…
“Are you watching? are you taping? are you downloading? Are you printing?”

And somehow, a half hour has passed since I walked in and the real world had to go and prove itself to me. And somehow, yes I am taping, downloading, printing.

I actually have the presence of mind to briefly wonder what I would have done if God had answered my anguished call back in traffic. But the endless replays of impact and angle, fire and collapse seem to suggest it might be best not to dwell on exactly who’s prayers God was answering that day,

And now its all become fact, and sadly, real life.
And we have to deal with it in our own way, And I will, right up ‘til A movie, or that “very special episode” of some TV show or another comes along, and everything we collected from this sad day is needed to recreate the moment.

But upstairs, are both New Yorks, the fake one just outside the door, and the real one burning and choking in dust…

And it could never go back to being make believe.

Because the New York minute had already run out.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on my to work.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was getting my children ready for school. My husband and I were watching the news and witnessed the 2nd jet hit the tower. Our first reaction was denial, then trying to explain, then realizing it was an attack. We struggled if we should take our children to school, go pick up the older ones who were already at school. My oldest son called, wanting to come home. He was terrified. After hours of watching TV, I had to get away. I finally got in the shower and cried for a very long time.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on the 38th floor of the North Tower…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was with my wife in the ER at the Hospital in Nome, AK. It was just before 5am AK time when the nurse told us that tower one had just been hit.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

NJ I was working shift work at the time. It was my 1st day off for the week, & I was sleeping late that morning when the phone rang. It was my wife calling from her office in NJ.
As soon as I picked up the phone, no “hello” or “good morning”, she immediately asked if I was watching TV. When I replied “no”, she told me to turn the TV on quick. I was somewhat confused & still half asleep when I asked her “what channel?”, but immediately knew something big was going on when she replied, “any channel!”
As the television screen came into focus, it seared an image into my mind that I didn’t immediately understand, but now can never forget. My wife began telling me how two planes had just hit the Twin Towers. For some reason, I first thought that there was a mid-air collision between two planes & that the wreckage of the “accident” had careened into the Towers, probably because there are 3 major commercial airports in the vicinity of lower Manhattan and most people here assumed a mid-air collision was only a matter of time given the volume of air traffic in the area.
However, it soon became clear that it was no accident & that we were at war…a war like we’d never known before…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at school. I didn’t know what happened until I got home. I turned on the news and watched the aftermath at about 3:00pm
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was… watching kiddie shows with my 3 yearold when a friend called and wanted to know if i knew the wtc was being attacked,when i turned it to the news i could not believe it was happening on our soil, i sat down and starting crying for all those people trapped and for their families
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was driving to work listening to some local DJ’s known for their pranks. They started talking about it and I wasn’t sure if this was just one of their morning gags. Then their voiced changed and added a little panic and terror to quickly let the public know that it was real. I worked directly across the street from an airport with air traffic noise always present. It was quickly filled with A-10’s flying over and then silence. By the time I made it to the office the second plane had hit the second tower. People were running around in a panic. It was the most horrifying helpless feeling any American could ever feel.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was just new in Canada and it was the first day of my job and I was getting orientation about the products and the services that our Company offers and on break we were watching the television and that was the time I heard the horrified news. Oh God how evil can a mind think was just a glimpse of what we saw….SD
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I and my wife were driving homeward from a visit to our daughter who lives in North Carolina. We came east on I-64 through Kentucky, and bedded down at a motel for the night. Next morning — September 11, 2001 — we got started after breakfast and my wife opened the car’s radio to hear some music. There and then we heard the horrendous news, followed soon by the even more stupendous report of the collapse of both towers, plus the first confused reports filtering through about an attack on the Pentagon. We were about 50 – 60 miles from Louisville, but for the rest of the journey I had to watch myself to keep driving safely, such was our state of mind. We shall never forget it. — Andrew Lenard from Bloomington, Indiana
Michaela: 3 years, 12 months ago

West Virginia at my internship site, just outside of Pittsburgh. The secretary stated that a plane had accidentally hit one of the WTC towers, a few minutes later she said another had hit. I worked in a school building and we heard that there were many planes in the air, all with bombs. Our school was locked down, and no-one could leave. Then we heard on the local news that there was a plane near us, and that no-one knew where it was headed. This was the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. The whole area was locked down. It was eerie to look out the window, as you can see a major (I-79)highway from the school….there was no-one on the road, which is not normal. My parents were in Europe and saw it all on the T.V. as it was happening. My mother thought that it was another Bruce Willis or Arnold Shwarzenegger movie, at first. They were unable to get home for two more weeks. God bless all those who lost their lives, and to those family members and friends who mourn their loss. I did not personally lose anyone, but I remember that day, and pray for those involved everyday.
Christine: 3 years, 12 months ago

I Was At home with my 1 year old and 4 year old. I just sent my 6 year old off to school getting ready to take my other son to pre-school when my husband called me and told me to turn on the T.V.
God Bless all those who lost loved ones in 9-11 you are all in our prayers.
God Bless all those who helped in the clean up and recovery you are all in our prayers
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Outside Boston, MA I was sick that day and had stayed home from school. I was with my mother doing laundry and listening to reports on the first crash on our portable television when we saw the second crash happen on the news report behind the reporter. We watched on the TV as the reports came in of the other hijacked plane. I had to go to the hospital later that day for an appointment and everyone in the lobby was watching the reports. We were all so silent.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was near the thailand’s world trade center during new york’s disastrous days..
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work wondering, if my brother was alright, since he worked at the Pentagon. The ceiling of his office did cave in, but fortunately, everyone in his office escaped without injury.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on the kennedy expressway dring to work. LEO
Chas: 3 years, 12 months ago

Manhattan I was working when I heard about the first plane crasing into the first tower. When I heard that, I said no way could that happen on such a clear and beautiful day. Planes aren’t allowed over manhattan that low. A terrorist attack never entered my head, until the second plane hit. Then I heard about the others. I thought, this is my generation’s Pearl Harbor. I remember thinking about all those people who died that day, the photos of missing loved ones, the walk home across the 59th st. bridge, and thinking, a part of me has died.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I’d just had a TV installed in my London internet startup’s newsroom when I heard the news of the first crash, switched it on in time to see the second and then interrupted my CEO’s briefing with a potential U.S. investor to let them know what was going on. Both were too engrossed in financial projections to get up to watch.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at a friend’s house oversleeping that day. Suddenly the girl next door called on the phone. My friend said that she’d told her “the country was at war, we were under attack and that they’d already destroyed the Pentagon.” I shot out of bed thinking that a nuclear war was finnally happening. Having lived through the cold war it felt almost inevitable but especially terrible since the end of the cold war had raised my hopes for a long time that it wouldn’t happen after all. For a seemingly timeless period I beleived that was really what was happening and for an agonizingly long time everything that we saw on TV seemed to confirm that belief. It was a numbing dread that the future was empty. It then gave way to a more vivid, morally sickening feeling when we realized what had actually happened.
FRANCINE: 3 years, 12 months ago

SAINT AUGUSTINE FL I WAS AT A FRIENDS HOUSE WHEN HER FATHER CALLED AND SAID TURN THE TV ON THE NEWS. WE DID AND JUST LOOKED WITH OUR MOUTHS OPEN. I SAID THEN ITS A WONDER WHY THE BUILDINS DON’T COME TUMBLING DOWN. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT WOULD BE JUST WHAT HAPPEN THAT DAY.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in the shower, getting ready for work in Chicago when the first plane hit the first tower. My then-boyfriend/now-husband came running into the bathroom and told me that a plane had hit the twin towers. I thought that maybe there had been some sort of navigational error. As I was leaving the apartment, he told me that the second tower had also been hit by another plane. I just jumped in my car and went to work because I didn’t want to think about what that meant.

Once I got to work, my boss and the other 3 employees were gathering around the TV. We started talking about how horrible it all was. I think that was when we found out that the Pentagon had been hit as well. Then all of a sudden, we watched in disbelief as the first tower came crashing down. Then the other. We all started crying and hugging each other. I called my roommate who worked in the Sears tower and told her to go home right now.

That was when my boyfriend unexpectedly came into the office. He told me that he couldn’t get ahold of his dad, who had gone to NYC the night before. We spent the rest of the day calling his dad’s cell phone. Around 11 AM or so, his dad finally answered. He was in his hotel, just a few blocks from the towers, and had NO IDEA what was going on.

I remember walking around in a daze for the next 5 days after 9/11. I cried all the time and my boyfriend and I planned a quick escape of Chicago, should there be another attack somewhere. I just couldn’t believe that this had happened and I still get teary-eyed when I think about the events of that day.
Louise: 3 years, 12 months ago

Belgium I was at the drugstore. I had watch a thriller on TV the night before, with terrorists intending to crash a plane on a large city. When I heard people talking about the Towers, I thought they had seen the same movie. When I realized it was real, I tried to phone my husband but the entire network was busy. No on could be reached on a mobile for hours
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was driving to a Dr’s appointment because I had found a lump in my breast, heard it on the news and immediately called my husband. When I arrived at the Dr’s heard about the hit on the Pentagon and knew it wasn’t just an accident, it was pure terriorism. Luckily my son who lived in New York was nowhere near the towers but had it been the day before would have been right there. Less than 2 months later my husband died from a heart attack so I know full well how important it is to say I love you every single day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in my classroom teaching my Kindergarten children in Rogersville, TN. A friend,our school resource officer, came to my room (which he often did-his son was in my class). When he pecked on the door, he had this extremely concerned look on his face. I instantly knew something was wrong. He proceeded to tell me about the first plane crashing into the WTC. It was a most helpless feeling. I remember the bright blue cloudless sky above the playground soon after that…but there was an eerie stillness, even in the hills of East Tennessee. I knew that we would never have life as we once had just minutes before. Feeling great compassion for my fellow Americans who were experiencing pain, loss, fear, etc., I prayed for God’s strength, love, and peace to prevail.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at home woken up from the alarm clock and there was no music, but a newscast on about the first plane that hit the towers, I woke up and then watched TV and saw the second plane hit.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on my way to drop my son off at my parents for a job interview. I didn’t hear anthing about it til I turned on the radio after the interview. It all seemed weird and gave me goosebumps and wonder if it was real. I arrived at my parents and my son was sleeping, so I sat in awe and watched tv with them to see it all over again in slow motion. It brought tears to my eyes and chills down my spine. I will never forget the feeling and the pictures in my head. It just is not right to loose so many people in one day. To give orders like that, they are not human but beast.
Gene: 3 years, 12 months ago

Colorado Springs, CO I was on the way to work when I heard the first plane had hit. Got to work in time to turn on the TV and watch the second plane hit. A sad and frightening day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Working. I remember it was just after my work day started in California, and a co-worker came and was telling me what was going on. At first I was stunned, and then I felt angry and vengeful. I thought, “If you want to fight, then attack us face on…not kill innocent victims like cowards and then pat yourselves on the back as if you’ve achieved a major military victory.”
Paulo Lourenço: 3 years, 12 months ago

Lisboa, Portugal I was working. I received a phone call from my girlfriend telling me there was a huge terrorist attack in New York. I have family living in New Jersey. At first I was slightly concerned. At lunch I watched it on the TV and I remember feeling sick like if I was about to vomit.

The attack made me remember the descriptions of the Dresden bombing, the droping of the A-bombs… only this time the US was not supposed to be at war, we were supposed to know who did that. We were assuming too much, knowing too little about what goes on beyond our belly button I guess.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…in the cafeteria at my university getting food. It was only the second week of my first year and I didn’t know anyone so I was standing alone in line waiting to pay and i heard the people infront of me talking about a plane crashing into some building and making a joke about it. I went back to my dorm room and turned on the tv just in time to see the second plane crash into the buildings and I realized that none of our lives would ever be the same again.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

(Janet, PA) I was a college student in Pennsylvania and didn’t have class til later in the day. I watched all of it unfold on tv. I remember Katie Couric talking about it and when the second plane hit the WTC she said “what are the odds of that happening.” That was a chilling moment when I realized we were under attack. It was a surreal day that I will never forget and one I pray never happens again.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At work at a small College, in the Hudson Valley. A student grabbed me and everyone started calling Family and friends in NYC. I called 2 of my kids in New Paltz, NY and my oldest son in Portland OR. I tried to get everyone in a safe place. A friend at work’s uncle and cousin were missing, we dragged to mass at noon, on shock and cried and cried and cried. It took days to realize the scope of what happened.
My friend went top NYC and became a the same fireman his uncles and cousin had been.
We prepared our campus to be a make shift hospital station to help the wonded……………No one came……
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at a friends house and we where playing together when her dad came to get us and took us into his study and showed us CNN and what was going on.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at the office when my husband called me to tell me that one of the World Trade Center was on fire then suddenly, he began to shout and to cry that he just saw the second plane collapsing into the second tower. I’ll never forget this day and the way I was feeling, hanging on the phone trying to understand what was going on.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

IN EUROPE
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I JUST GOT HOME FROM WORKING 3rd SHIFT.TURNED THE T.V. ON AND HEARD A SPECIAL REPORT. I WAS STUNNED. THEN WHEN THE 2nd AIRPLANE CAME INTO VIEW, I WAS SHOCKED. I WATCHED THE NEWS ALL MORNING.GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TRAPPED IN THE TOWERS. ANONYMOUS
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…at Bonny Island, Nigeria. I was washing my clothes outside, and all of sudden,my friend Dan Jumbo started running towards me shouting, “they have bombed U.S.” . I left what I was doing and ran inside to watch the news. I can still feel the nothingness like so another world war is going to happen in my own time. I remember the next day, discussing it with our team of security experts including two Britons (Norri and Chris) and there fears that the world was about to be plunged into another dark era.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

We walked into our 5th grade class that morning to find the TV on. All the teachers were distressed, but we didn’t think nothing of it, and we never really got the concept of what was going on. As soon as we realized this might be something to remember however, we took out our writing journals and wrote these crazy entries about an unknown country attacking. We weren’t scared at all, but kids were picked up by their parents all throughout the day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on a group trip to Ocean City, MD. when we stopped by a duty free shopping area. We stepped off the bus a found everyone looking at the TV and some crying. That’s when we saw on TV the Trade Towers being attached. There was a somber moment . a shock and disbelief at what had happen to those innocent people. I said a prayer and wept for them, this was so close to home for me because I was born in
Brooklyn, New York and now reside in New Jersey. We left the area and no one spoke and immediately cut our trip short to go home. God Bless America and All those innocent people that died that day and all the broave men and women that came forward to help, I was so proud of them and their leaders they courageously came step up to the plate in helping .
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i am from singapore n its around 10pm at that time when the plane hit
well i was at home celebrating my maid’s birthday
my maid was born on 9/11
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…At the gorcery store picking up milk. i had just dropped my daughter to school. i can never forget i came to pay for the milk at the register and a small tv was going on and i asked the cashier and she told me a plane hit the wtc and thought it was a accident and went home asap to turn my tv and see another plane hit the 2nd tower. i thought it was the replay only to realise immediately that the worst had happened and we were under attack. then came all the other news and about the pentagon and the fields in pa. i was shaking and called the school and they told me that they have everyone together in one room and if i want i can come pick her up . i let her stay in school and did not want to scare her . the school did not tell anything to the kids. till she came back from school i did not move from the tv screen and tears were rolling from my cheek. i will never forget that day till i die. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
SFC Daniel Sutton: 3 years, 12 months ago

FT. IRWIN CA. I was stationed with the US Army in Hawaii and didnt know until I was called in for a mission.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was in work and my phone rang. My mom was on the other end and was very upset as she told me that a plane hit one of the towers. I logged in to the internet news and there it was. Then the second one hit. News from the top boss was to all go home so we did. At home we were pinned to the news channels.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was…driving through Wyoming where the radio would fade in and out. It was’nt until late in the day when I saw the full impact on the TV in my hotel room.
Mrs.Moore: 3 years, 12 months ago

Pa. I was working,Just got in from dropping my students off at school(bus driver).I came in the lunch room when someone said a plane went in the Twin Tower,I responded as it can happen.
Next plane came and I thought what is going on?This is not good,I could see 1 plane but not 2 planes hitting the Towers..I will never forget that day,I wanted to go to school and get my teenage daughters and be with them.I felt like the world was coming to an end.
My youngest daughter joined the Marines at age 18 right after high school.She felt we needed to protect ourselves and our country.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was sleeping in late because I didn’t get to bed til 4 am, I woke up and the news was on , the first tower hit.. I dozed…. I thought I was dreaming….
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work in Wilmington, DE when a coworker got a phone call from her aunt saying the WTC1 had been hit. Her aunt worked in NYC in a building close to the Tower and she said she was told to stay at her desk. She was giving us an up to minute account. At first it was hard to believe but after the second tower was hit, we sat there in shock. (Ironically, we were told by our supervisor to keep working as normal. This is a major drug company). The Governor closed all businesses in the state of DE around noon and everyone left work to be with their loved ones.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

North Carolina, sitting on my couch watching tv and changing channels Then I saw the news talking about the first Tower being hit, and as I watched in disbelief, the second Tower was hit right before my eyes my mouth dropped and tears ran down my eyes. At that moment I felt sad and very, very, ANGRY.
Teresa D.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work in my office at Vanderbilt Hospital. A co-worker came into my office and said a plane had hit one of the buildings of the World Trade Towers. With no TV in the office, we were thinking it must be a small aircraft accident until a firefighter friend of mine called from his fire hall. His voice was shaking as he told me that we, the U.S., were being attacked. I’ll never forget the chill that ran up my spine…Not only had a plane struck, but reality had struck.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was driving home from a class that morning my senior year of highschool, and I heard about about it on Mancow on q101 in Chicago. I thought it was fake but when I got home I saw the 2nd plan crash into the tower and was pretty stunned by it. I still cant believe it happened.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Getting ready for school….just watching the news, when I just got out of the shower I saw the second plane hit.

I knew from that moment on that all our lives would change forever
incognito: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was driving to walmart when I heard It on the radio. I was In complete shock then and still am to this day. My prayers go out to all people that we strive for peace.
John L. Simson: 3 years, 12 months ago

Cortland, NY As a handicapped person who was involved with constructing a United Methodist Church that was finished and dedicated 9/11/1996, I was doing volunteer secretarial work at the church when one of the parishioners called for prayer for a “big accident” at the WTC just after the first plane hit. I was also the church’s electronic facilitator who jury-rigged an antennae for a television set that was used for video tape presentations and we watched the events from 8:30 AM until noon, the pastor, myself, and several morning visitors mesmerized until dinner time…
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At home at the time glued to the TV and the computer watching all the reports and video comes across the monitor.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

driving up 81N from NC to PA to visit my family when I stopped to get gas and a girl at the counter told me that the WTC was hit by a plane. I listened to reporters talk about it for the duration of the 9 hour, loneliest ride home ever.
J.Null
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at my mom’s house, getting ready to go to work. I remember thinking this is the tribulation and I need to get to my children that were all in school. I had such a feeling of helplessness watching all those people in need wiching I could be there to help but being 1000 miles away and knowing there was nothing I could do but watch. Then the disbelief when not one but two of the towers came tumbling down wishing that I would just wake up from a terrible dream. I don’t remember ever feeling that frightened before.
Lori Miller
Casey Cannon: 3 years, 12 months ago

North Carolina My Name is Casey Cannon, I am 16 years old, and I live in North Carolina. At the time of the incident, I was 11 years old, watching tv while eating cerial. The TV went blank for a bit, then it showed Fox New’s Coverage of a huge skyscraper bellowing smoke from top. They said it was in New York and it was a building I had never heard of before then, the North World Trade Center Tower. I wasn’t shocked, scared or disturbed, but confused at my young age. What had happened? What was the World Trade Center? Why did they cut my cartoons off(haha)? My dad, who works first shift, had woken up from his daily sleep. As soon as he asked me, “What are you watching?” , the second plane hit. Although I was young, didn’t know what was going on at first, I had the feeling something horrible had happened. Soon after there was speculation that this was an attack. The proof of that was when the pentagon had been struck. After that, the questions were who would do this? Why would they do this? Was this really happening? United 93 crashed, the South Tower Fell, the roof caved in at the pentagon, The North Tower Fell, it was insane. All this information was packed into my brain at an unimaginable speed. Over the next few weeks I heard other information I would have never known before. Terrorists, Afgahnastan, Osama Bin Laden, Al-Queda, complete and utter overload of things and people I would have probibly never heard about. Over the past 5 years I’ve grown, and I know mostly everything about these things. I have read, heard and seen things I know nobody at this age knew when they were still 16 years old. Fact and conspiracy of what happened that day fill my mind now(but, I won’t go into all that). Today is a day for the victims. Today is a day of knowledge. Today is a day for rememberance of what happened.

Thats how I remember September 11th, 2001, and how it effected me.
-Casey Cannon
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was at work only getting a small bit of the news. At first I thought it was a small plane and a rookie error had been made. When we closed our build at noon we went to our favorite watering hole where all became vividly real. the place was packed standing room only. You could have heard a pin drop. We all just watch in disbelief at the images we were watching
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

feeding my two week old baby and watched it all my heart goes out to all
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was studying music composition in New York City, and had just moved into the dorms three weeks before. The dorms were in the financial section, three blocks away from the Trade Center. In fact, on September 9th I wrote an e-mail to my ex-girlfriend describing the sunset between the towers, how it was like watching the ball drop and announce the new year.
On the morning of September 11th, at around 7:30, I was up and decided to call my mother in Israel and say hello. I called, shared some news from New York, heard that someone I went to kindergarden with was killed in a suicide bombing the day before. At 7:55 I noticed the time, and I said: “Mom, I’ve got a class, I’ve got to go.” I hung up the phone and left the house. The Mannes College of Music, which I got to by subway, was on West 85th St. I got there with plenty of time for my class.
At 9:15, after the class had already begun, a secretary barged into the room and said: Ëveryone get into the auditorium, the governer has declared a state of emergency.” I thouht: Is this something that happens often in New York City?
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was on an 8 a.m. (eastern time) business flight leaving Atlanta to Dallas/Fort Worth. The plane arrived safely; thank G-d, at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport at approximately 9:25 a.m. (central time). We were the only plane on the tarmac; where we waited for about 20 minutes. At the gate, the pilot had to wait another 20 minutes while an airline employee maneuvered the bridge/walkway off a parked place so that we could park closely between two other planes. Three planes were parked in a space designated for two. The passengers had no idea what was going on. The airport terminal was ghostly empty. I did not understand the grave nature of the situation until a company employee from Houston met outside arrival gate. Tried to get a flight home – had to rent a car. Back in the air the following week. We cannot let them change our way of life!
i.y.: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was a in my fourth grade classroom and the teacher came into the classroom crying
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Los Angeles, CA I was still in bed when my parents woke me up and told me that a plane (the first plane) had hit one of the tower. Once I turned on the news, the second plane had hit the second tower.
Zach: 3 years, 12 months ago

Hamilton, Ontario I was in my Grade 10 woodshop class when our automotive teacher came into the room from the tech wing office and told our teacher to turn on the tv. I watched the second plane hit the buildings and also saw the first building fall. I know its something I’m never going to forget. You ant forget watching history unfold in front of you
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

Colorado Springs, CO I was getting ready for work. I always turned on the news after my shower. They had just reported a second plane hit the towers. I stood there in shock. I ran downstairs to tell my roommates. We all watched the first tower fall. I had to leave for work and was at a red light when the radio announced the second tower falling. I looked to my right and saw the man next to me bury his head in his hands. I looked to the left and watched the woman on that site begin to cry. I have a huge lump in my throat now, remembering it. At that moment, I thought of the tremendous loss of life at that exact moment. I then immediately called my mom and exboyfriend to tell them how much I loved them!
g: 3 years, 12 months ago

As i walked into the office i heard my program manager say “i can’t believe how well coordinated it was”. Because we were in the middle of a project that was slightly out of control at the time, i turned around to find out what she was referring to. At that point i was pulled into a conference room and watched the news broadcasts of the morning’s events. What i remember most vivedly tho is watching the evening broadcasts with my child after picking him up from school telling him he was watching a piece of history and trying to rebuild his confidence in a world that wasn’t as secure as it had seemed to him just a day before. My home is in the flight path of a nearby airport. What accentuated the seriousness of the situation was noticing the eerie silence that had replaced the periodic drone of plane engines passing overhead after all flights were grounded that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

San Diego, CA I was getting ready for school that morning. I walked pass my family room but then took notice of what was showing on the news. I even remembered thinking that the plane crash was an accident. I learned later, during my bus ride to school, that one of the towers had just collapsed. The rest of the day at school was spent watching the news.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

At work….I still can’t believe it.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

i was at my house asleep, a loud knock at the door awake me and omg my life was never the same.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was asleep, and i had a nightmare of something burning , turned the tv on and i was speechless…i saw what human kind can do to another being…being a man i cried i admit it… i cried

long beach, ca
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

California. My TV was on from the night before and I woke up no more than minute or two before the second plane hit the second tower
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was onboard the USS Harry S. Truman CVN 75, We just finished the maiden voyage and were at the Naval Shipyards in Portmouth, Va getting ready for some well deserved break and repairs. I just turn the tv in the photo studio when the 1st plane hit, it didn’t seem real then the other plane it and the security alarm sounded around the ship, we manned our battle stations and stayed on battle mode for a couple of days. Nobody knew what was going on and we scan the skies for any planes coming towards the ship, it was one of those situations that you never expected to experience and will never forget. 5 years after that day the world is a different place.
Brian: 3 years, 12 months ago

W V I was asleep after a long nights work. I was woken up by my mother calling on the phone. She said turn on the T.V. and watch history. There was North Tower burning, on a clear sunny day. South Tower untouched at that point. Some speculated it might have been an accident. I was already saying “no way this was an accident.” then a bit later my thoughts and words to no one were confirmed. South Tower was hit, and I remember having stopped by the towers two days before. I marvled then at the size and footprint of them. Even now in movies I smile at seeing them once more and miss them too.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

I was visiting a friend in Los Angeles when another friend left a voice message on my cell phone and ask me if i had the t.v. on and if not to turn it on, so i did just as th second plane flew into the World Trade Center, at first i thought it was a prank like War of the World’s then I realized that it wasn’t.
Vicki: 3 years, 12 months ago

Santa Clarita, Ca. I was just getting up for work and listening to Mark and Brian on the radio. They said there was something terrible going on. I got up and turned on the TV. I was in shock, and when I saw what happened at the Pentagon, I called my friend who works in the tallest building in LA. I told her to turn on the TV, and not to go to work. of course, she didn’t. I had to go to work but just blindly floated throught the day. I haven’t been the same since.
vittorio: 3 years, 12 months ago

italy varese iwas in an italian prison in padova doing a video interwiew to a guy that killed the father
Victor: 3 years, 12 months ago

Arkansas I was teaching a class. I heard about a plane hitting the WTC just before getting to school, but at that point nobody was really sure what was happening. When we took a break from the class, one of the other instructors told me what had happened, and I returned to the class to let them all know. Needless to say, we dismissed class and went home to watch the news.
victoria: 3 years, 12 months ago

Walla Walla, WA Asleep in my dorm room, when my roommate’s parents called. We rushed downstairs to the nearest TV. I remember feeling at a loss as to how to respond. Class was cancelled that day.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

On my way to work in Hillsboro, Oregon. (Don’t work there any more; so stuff about work will all be “past tense”.)

I normally didn’t listen to the radio during my drive in; most mornings I just thought and talked to God. That morning, I was talking to Him and He said “Turn on the radio”. I was like, “Uh, well I don’t really feel like listening to…” when He said it again…Louder. “Turn on the radio!” With urgency that time. So I did, and heard the terrible news. I listened to it for the rest of the trip to work (about 30 minutes) and prayed the whole time. I also called my wife (woke her up) and told her about it.

When I got to work, I went straight to the conference room nearest my cube and turned on the TV. I was normally one of the first people to arrive, and that was the case that morning, also. As people arrived at work, they would have to walk by that conference room, and were curious as to why I would be in there watching TV. They’d poke their head in and then see what was going on, and join me. 20 minutes or so after turning on the TV, we watched as the second tower was hit; and a little while later we all stared in disbelief as first one, then the other tower collapsed.

Nobody got much work done that day, or in the week following.
Dody: 3 years, 12 months ago

Arkansas I was at home getting ready for a Dr. appointment in New London, Ct. An hour later I heard about the pentagon, where my dad worked at and Shanksville, 9 miles from my grandma’s house. I spent the rest of the day in shock…and disbelief. I was afraid the terrorists would try to blow up the Nuke plant near by. Many of my friends were in NYC at the time of the Twin Towers hit. Thankfully they all made it back, one only because he was late for work. The images of the people looking for loved ones in the streets, and exhausted emergency crews still haunt me. I was just as worried calling all my family in D.C. and Pa. I was lucky…they missed dad because it was his day off and grandma by only 9 miles. My friend was lucky too…he was missed because he stopped for a coffee.
Anonymous: 3 years, 12 months ago

eating breakfast, getting ready for work
joe: 3 years, 12 months ago

vancouver, bc In my parents basement, when my mom woke me up and told me to turn on the TV

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