Where were you?
Where were you when you first heard of the attacks on the twin towers on 9/11/2001?
Obviously it’s on all our minds this weekend what took place 10 years ago. It changed so much of who we are as a nation and a people. Living in a military town, I’ve witnessed the sacrifice of so many because of that day.
Here’s my story of where I was:
I was in business at the time, but did a Christian radio program every morning at 9 AM. I left my office and headed to the radio station as normal. I walked into the station, the talk show on before the show I did was live, and the television had just interrupted to announce the first tower had been hit. I remember feeling someone in shock, wondering if it were even real. It usually takes me a minute or two to process the magnitude of things, but it was an eerie and sobering feeling I’ll never forget.
Where were you when you first heard the news?
What went through your mind?
I was a freshman at Houghton College, in western upstate NY – I had just moved there from Ohio about three weeks earlier. My 9 am class was Music & Christian Perspectives with the dean of our music school, Ben King. No one came to our class to tell us what had happened – all freshman had a 10 am orientation class in the chapel, but instead of orientation the whole college was called to the chapel. A friend of mine – Jesse, I think is his name – told me what had happened, as I was wandering about the chapel trying to figure out what was going on.
I remember he held my hand while I cried – mostly out of shock and disbelief.
We were in the middle of prayer for families, first responders and our country when we learned that the second tower collapsed.
My roommate and I spent the rest of the day in the dorm lounge watching the TV. Even now, ten years later – after having seen all the footage, had friends deployed to the Middle East, visiting Ground Zero, attending annual memorial services – knowing people who got out of the towers – I still struggle to believe it actually happened.
Today I'm praying especially for the first responders highlighted in the Ladder 1 documentary (9/11) that aired last night. I was struck as I saw men still suffering a decade later from PTSD, broken families, depression, and even cancer – the heroes of 9/11 still need our prayers and support.
I was right in the TV Studio of 100 Huntley Street in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. My friend and Chaplain for the Toronto Blue Jays had been invited to share about his Ministry among MLB players. Not even five minutes after the telacast was live on air, I saw the Producer walking right in front of the cameras coming toward the Host, and I thought to my self what in the world is he doing? this is live TV and seemed like his mind was somewhere else. Little we knew he was coming to let his boss know about the tragic situation. I dont think my friend got to say much after what we witnessed that day. I was just chatting minutes ago with him… what a day that was. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering for the families that lost loved ones. May God heal the wounded and give peace for the restless.
I was at work, 40 minutes from NYC when we started hearing reports that a plane had hit one of the towers. At the time, we didn't think much of it because small planes had hit the towers before. But when we heard another plane had hit, I remember thinking "that was on purpose". My co-worker and I ran upstairs to an office that had a TV and watched. I went home shortly after and saw both towers fall.
The next morning at 6 AM and for the next 4 days, I was at Liberty State Park working with the Salvation Army assisting first responders with food, medical supplies and getting some rest before they headed back over, watching the the World Trade Center burn across the river. What I remember most vividly though, are the days and weeks following. The obituary section of the paper was pages and pages long and occasionally, I would find a name I recognized – former classmates and friends' parents and siblings. I remember seeing cars at the train station that didn't move for weeks. And I remember the deep sadness on the faces of two men I knew who had been in the towers but managed to escape while coworkers and friends died. One of those men took his life just before Christmas that year. September 11th still hurts. Gratefully though, my brother had just moved to a different state to work as a full time fire fighter. We know that if he had still been in NJ, or if he had gotten the call from NYFD offering him the job before he got the call from the other city, he would have been there.
Twitter: webmonkeydc
says:
My recollections of that day: http://www.richardtgarner.com/2011/09/were-being-attacked.html
I was stuck in traffic outside of Gate 4 and they were closing down post. I was sitting in my car and I turned on the radio and heard that a terrorist attack had just happened.
I was a sophomore in high school. I live in Western New York, so it was pretty close to home (NYC is about 8 hours away), even though most of us had no idea what a World Trade Tower was at 16. The rest of the day was pretty much somber, All was quiet, nobody really taught, all the teachers pulled out radios and televisions to keep up with the news. Certainly a day that you will never forget.
Ten years ago, I was in my college at the time of attack. It was evening time in India. I was having dinner in my home. News channels started flasing the news. I could not believe my eyes. Then, subsequently, we were discussing about this incident in our college for almost a week with our professors and friends.
I can understand the emotional pain of Americans after this attack. This single incident changed the entire course of history.
I was less than a mile from the Pentagon. I heard, saw and smelled everything. I am thankful for the sacrifices of those on Flight 93 because I believe the plane was heading our way.
Ron, I had just recently retired from the Marine Corps May 2001. I was home that morning and I remember the surreal feeling I had when I turned on the tv and saw the aftermath of the first plane striking the towers. I called friends in my former unit and was telling them to turn on the news when the second plane struck. I openly wept on the phone as I tried to describe to them what was going on until they finally saw for themselves…I will never forget the feeling of helplessness and anger. Wow…