Where Were You on Sept. 11?
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001?
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Today marks the 11th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001?
I remember the morning of 9/11/01 as a sunny Tuesday—quick to turn dismal.
A student at J.E. Harrison Middle School in Whitehall, I was in eighth grade, first period social studies with Mr. Housteau. The day began like any other, until our teacher was notified of "a second World Trade Center bombing." Soon after, we had all figured out what really happened, increasingly confused, shocked and saddened.
The rest of the morning, into the afternoon, was much of a blur. Little did I know, 19 terrorists from the Islamist militant group al-Qaida had hijacked four passenger jets—one, United Airlines Flight 93, crashing just 80 miles outside of Pittsburgh in Shanksville, Somerset, PA.
Later that day, I can remember my mom vividly explaining her emotions as she had watched the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, crash into the South Tower on live TV at 9:03 a.m. I remember watching as people jumped from the burning building, falling to their deaths, as it was, horribly, the better option.
My family and I were supposed to go on a trip to Italy just days later. The trip was postponed for a year and I remember thinking how afraid I was to get back on a plane.
Sept. 11 and the innocent victims who perished in the attacks reflect in my mind often—especially, when I walk onto a plane. It's hard to imagine what that experience was like for them—in the air, in the towers, in the Pentagon and in New York City, where many of my friends now reside and work.
There's nothing quite like the magnificence and juxtaposed peacefulness of the memorials that rest at Ground Zero today. Let's take a moment to pray for the special lives lost, those affected and the brave men and women first responders.
So as we reflect on such tragedy, where were you on 9/11? Were you affected? Did you lose a loved one? Did you volunteer in the ongoing relief effort? Have you visited the memorial and/or museum?
Share your story in the comments.
Tom Spoke
2:37 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
We lived in a commuting town of NYC before moving here. I was in my kitchen watching the Today Show. My husband who works near the WTC took the day to golf. Just before he was about to leave the first plane hit. We didn't turn our tv's off for days. Our phone rang all the time. Everyone in out town either knew someone who worked at the WTC or knew people who did business there. I had just had lunch with a client at Windows on the World 2 months earlier.
I drove by the commuter lot the next morning. No trains running and still a lot of cars from the day before. We lost 6 people in our town. Most had young kids. We lost people we had worked with as well and heard terrible stories of those who got out. My husband did not return to his office in NYC for a month due to debris but when he did it was with a mask and a flashlight in his briefcase. He finally took them out when we moved here. 9/11 changed everything and we can't forget what happened on that terrible day. Please take a moment to remember.