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#2489 | Friday, September 13th 2002
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I was just out of the shower, getting ready to drive the 33 mi from home in suburban Virginia into DC when my wife called me from the bedroom. I sat down beside her on the bed and we watched the North tower burn. And we were still sitting there, transfixed, when the second plane hit the South tower.
I watched for another ten minutes, decided I ought to get to work (I work in data systems for the Washington Post,) so I got dressed and went out to the car. My wife called to me from the front door, saying that the TV was reporting fire from the Executive Office Building. That's about four blocks from my office at the Post. So I came back inside.
And found out that a third plane had hit the Pentagon, and the news station had mistakenly reported the smoke as coming from the EOB.
And then I gave up on getting to work. I sat beside my wife and we watched and watched and watched the coverage.
And then we watched the towers fall.
I was stunned.
367 days later, I am still stunned. I've been to the WTC site, and I've watched the Pentagon being rebuilt butt the image of the falling towers runs through my memory often, and that memory still leaves me feeling shocked and stunned.
I searched for a personal connection to the tragedy, having grown up on Long Island just outside Queens. Couldn't find one. Nine months later, I pulled a business card out of my wallet and realized that the very nice, quiet family man I'd met on an Alaska cruise/tour the past summer had worked on the 98th floor of the north tower. My heart sank when I got on some website and found that this man was confirmed dead.
On the anniversary of the attack, I found a place of worship and offered prayers for this man, his family, and for all the dead, injured, orphaned, widowed, friend-rivven.
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Joel | 56 | Virginia
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#2280 | Wednesday, September 11th 2002
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I usually sleep in until 7:00 a.m. p.s.t. My husband is an early riser. On September 11, 2001, he appeared at the bedroom door and told me I'd better get up. When I wandered down the hall, I noticed he was standing in front of the TV, stone-faced. As I turned, I saw the horrifying sight of the twin towers on fire. We both knew there could be as many as 50,000 workers in those buildings and our hearts ached. As we continued to watch with knots in our throats, both towers fell. I sobbed. My husband left the room.
Though we didn't know anyone personally who was lost that day, the victims and their families will be forever in our thoughts and prayers.
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Patsye | 56 | Washington
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#1917 | Tuesday, September 10th 2002
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This is Irene & John Johnstone of Woolsington, England.
We had left England for Boston, Mass, connecting with flight KLM/NorthWest Airlines 6037 departing at 14:15 from Amsterdam.
We had settled into a very comfortable flight and the aroma of lunch being served further up the aircraft. When all of a sudden the stewardesses and cabin staff made a disappearing act and the BBC News which was on the overhead at the time was switched off. There was a complete quietness throughout the plane and one gentlemean sitting next to me became very tense and started to wring his hands in anguish, he was very frightened.
Although we all knew something was amiss it was some time before an announcement was made confirming a mechanical fault and the need to return to Amsterdam.
The crew were excellent in their reassurance that it was not a serious problem and advised that we would see fuel being dumped from the wing tips.
We could see on the display our track back over Ireland. England and then to Holland.
On landing we were advised about the horror which had occurred.
This will always remain in our memories until the day my husband and I die. It was awful but I shall always remembber the bravery of the NorthWest Airlines crew on that flight and there calm reassurance.
God Bless to all those who have suffered in this terrible tradgedy and one day we shall visit America again.
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Irene | 56 | United Kingdom
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#796 | Thursday, February 28th 2002
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Every morning the first thing my husband and I do is turn on the news while we're getting ready for work. This particular morning we didn't turn on the news. He had the day off for some reason I don't remember why but we made coffee and sat outside for a little while drank our coffee enjoyed the morning with our dogs. I finally had to go and upon entering the building of my workplace one of the ladies said, "I can't believe they're crashing those airplanes into those buildings!" and of course I said, "What?" in disbelief, and immediately went over to the big television, that we have in our main reception area, turned it on and witnessed all that was happening. As more and more of my co-workers arrived to work a crowd formed in front of the TV and we were in shock. This went on for days we'd come to work and stand or sit in front of that TV and just watch and listen in disbelief together. The thing that touched me the most was those dear people in the face of despair had the presence of mind to call their loved ones for one last "I love you" and "goodbye". To this day I can't quite grasp it all. I feel like I'm in a daze. It's always there. It won't go away. It will never go away what has been done to us. But God gave us a sound mind and not a spirit of fear but strength and power. Let's all draw on that together and keep this country going. I "am" proud to be an American. We will survive.
Sincerely,
Lillian M. Parra
Chemehuevi Indian Reservation
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Lillian | 56 | California
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#561 | Saturday, December 22nd 2001
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I WAS AT WORK, BOEING DEFENSE, PHILA. WE WERE STANDING OUTSIDE FOR A BREAK WHEN A FRIEND CAME OUT & TOLD US OF THE 1ST ATTACK. NO ONE BELIEVED HIM TILL WE WENT BACK IN AS THE 2ND ONE HIT. AS WE WERE WORKING, NEWS OF THE PENTAGON ATTACK WAS ANNOUNCED ON THE RADIO. PEOPLE WENT TO OUR CAFETERIA TO WATCH CNN ON THE 2 BIG SCREEN TV'S. WHEN THE NEWS CAME ON THAT A 4TH, PROBABLY RELATED CRASH OCCURED OUTSIDE OF JOHNSTOWN, PA. ASIDE FROM THE STUNNING SHOCK, WE HAVE THE MEMORY OF OUR PLANT SUPER. TELLING EVERYONE THEY WERE ON CO. TIME & TO "GET THE HELL BACK TO WORK"- @ THIS TIME HE WAS BODILY THREATENED & LEFT TO, WE PRESUME, GO BACK TO WORK. WE DRIFTED BACK TO WORK, THEN WE JUST WENT HOME. 9/11 IS ALSO MY WIFES BIRTHDAY- REVERSING OUR EMOTIONS.
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WM. | 56 | Pennsylvania
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