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#1607 | Tuesday, August 27th 2002
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For me, September 11th started out like any other day as I got up and left to school.
It was early in the morning during my Enterprise class when I first got wind of something occuring. My enterprise teacher mentioned toward the end of the period that a "plane crashed into the World Trade Center - anyone know anything?"
When no one knew anything else, and no more information was provided - I turned back to my group of friends and engaged in mindless talking and flirting. I never considered what had happened to be anything major. Truth me told, I didn't really even know what the WTC looked like. I thought that a small plane must have dropped on top of the building or something. Three people dead, small flame, no biggie.
But, god, was it big.
I went into the school cafteria and stood in line for a few minutes to purchase a small salad and two cookies. As I descended upon my group's "usual" table, I was surprised to see the entire gang's attention focused on the televisions in the cafeteria.
My best friend turned to me and said, "You know that plane crash? Well...." She pointed toward the TV which was quickly flashing scenes of what looked like a warzone.
"Terrorist attacks ... Car bomb? ... World Trade Centers .... Evacuation ... Under attack ..."
It was like a horror movie. Never, NEVER, could I have possibly imagined something of this magnitude to occur in present time. This was the material war stories were made of, not current breaking news messages.
I was in homeroom when we saw footage of one of the tower collapsing (I'm not sure if it was old footage, or new footage of the second collapse). It was like a quiet desecended upon the classroom. My ex-boyfriend then uttered very eerie words of :
"I have a feeling this is not just going to end. Many people are going to die."
September 11th shocked us all out of our comfy, self indluged lives. I remember rushing home everyday and watching the News. I rememember everyone talking about safety, and fear instead of make-up and dating. I remember the televisions, radios and computers being checked at all times during the day whether or not we were working, at school or at home.
So, where was I, septemeber 11th, 2001?
When I found out about the terrorist attacks I was first in Enterprise class and then again in the Cafeteria - learning the whole destructive story by watching the images flash across the TV, and consequently burn into my mind. But in broader terms I was two places. When I woke up I was in the quiet, lush and safe western world. When I went to sleep I was in a changed world, a scarier world. Even now, almost a year after the attacks - here in Canada things have slowly taken upon something resembling normalcy, but still, still - there's always the memory of September 11th 2001 and in a way, all of us who lived through it, will always be in that date, remembering the stories, the faces and the loss.
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Shobhana | 17 | Canada
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#1570 | Monday, August 19th 2002
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I live in Canada and on the day of the attacks I was rushing to get to work. I had stopped for gas and a young man came rushing in to the station while I was paying and said a plane had crashed in New York. I went to my car and turned on the radio. As I dropped my daughter at work I heard that there had been two other planes involved . When I arrived at work they were setting up a television to see the news reports. We were all in awe and terror. My first reaction was to call all my children to tell them I loved them. I had recently lost my fulltime job in Ontario and had to move back to Alberta where the children were until I could find other employment. On that day I was very thankful that I had been 'forced' to move home and be near my children.
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Dawn | 52 | Canada
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#1535 | Monday, August 12th 2002
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For me i taught it was just another day of school But it turned out to be something more then i experienced.
First thing what happened my English teacher told the WTC building is gone and i taught it was a joke and this is before school even started.
in the middle of my math class we were listening the radio and to my demise i hear a women screaming live as a one of the towers fell down i didn't do any of my work in that class i just sat and listen in silence.
As i got home all me and my family did watch all the other shocking events on CNN pentagon being attacked, a Plane down somewhere in penn. I couldn't even sleep till like 3:00 Am so i decided to burn a Cd in tribute to the victims then i got some sleep. i still can't believe what happened i aint gonna forget this day ever.
Ryan-Winnipeg,manitoba
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Ryan | 19 | Canada
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#1519 | Sunday, August 4th 2002
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I was on my way to work and heard about a plane crashing into the wtc, Thought it was an accident.Then in the following hours heard about the other plane ,the pentagon and virgina i was horrified and also scared.Living in a port city i thought we may be next.My day was spent just listening to news reports and feeling nothing but utter sadness and disbelief God Bless all the victims and the members of the NY police,fire and ems you are the true heros of that day.My heart goes out to the families.I felt utter sadness in days following. "HEROS DONT DIE THEY LIVE IN OUR HEARTS AND MEMORIES FOREVER" God Bless all the heros.
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Joe | 32 | Canada
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#1371 | Tuesday, June 4th 2002
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It was a beautiful sunny day here in Ottawa, Canada and I was driving to work about 9am. The local radio station interrupted with a broadcast from CNN announcing a plane crash at the WTC. The details were vague. I pictured a 2-seater plane and maybe the pilot had a heart attack or something. Still, I called my husband on my cell phone, who was home on vacation, and due to retire from the Canadian Navy the very next day after 21 years of service. I told him to turn on the TV and tell me what he saw. He said “I’m watching live pictures” a plane just hit the tower – a big plane”. I said, “that’s a re-run”. He said no a second plane had hit! I almost lost control! I hung up and called my mother and sisters.
By the time I got to work, I was in a full run as I hit the front door of the largest hi-tech company in the city. I made my way to the cafeteria and joined the growing crowd watching the devastating live footage. When the Pentagon got hit, I really thought it was the end of the world. There must have been 400 people in the cafeteria and people were barely breathing. We live in Canada’s capital, were we next? I scooted back home where my military man was pacing – sure that he would be called back to sea. (thankfully he never was). I wanted to pick up my girls from school, but my husband wouldn’t let me. He said they would be scared. We sat glued to the TV set all day – not believing what we were seeing. When my girls got home from school they told stories of parents arriving all day at school, some with the provisions piled in the car “just in case”. Such madness…it didn’t seem real. I didn’t sleep for weeks.
That Friday Ottawa participated in the national day of mourning. I joined 100,000 Canadians on Parliament Hill to pray for the families affected by the attack. It was the largest show of support world-wide. I am proud of the support we have shown for our American neighbours and pleased with the assistance we could provide all the stranded airplane passengers as they flooded our smallest cities on each coast.
In late November 2001 I participated in the “Canada Loves NY” weekend and joined tens of thousands of Canadians in Manhattan to show our love for NYC. I’d never been to NY before. We met some wonderful people and listened to their stories. We visiting Ground Zero….like something out of Close Encounters I felt I HAD to go. I will never forget the silent crowds, the quiet sobbing, and the disbelief on so many international faces. We are all in this together. United We Stand!
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Debbie | 41 | Canada
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