|
|
|
#2443 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
|
Tuesday morning, Sept 11. Just another ordinary day. But it wasn't gonna be that at all. I was asleep at 8:46 when my fraternity brothers began knocking on my door as hard as they could. I woke up and was told to turn on my TV. I had just learned that the North Tower had been hit. I turned to look at everyone and they all went downstairs to the chapter room. We tried for a few minutes to sort this out with all the different theories and ideas in our minds. Just as all 25 of us were in the chapter room, the South Tower was hit. We all knew it then, without a doubt in our minds. Our school had cancelled classes for the day. We all sat in horror and awe as the events unfolded. We took turns calling all of our closest friends and family, trying to get as many people as we can together. We wanted to make sure that we were all safe around each other.
|
Tim | 21 | Ohio
|
#2427 | Thursday, September 12th 2002
|
I was at home. I actually first heard of the trajedy unfolding by news brief on the internet. I then turned on the TV and saw the devastation after the first plane had hit. And, then all the commotion and the increased level of fear when this was seen as deliberate with the crash of the second jet into the towers. Actually, I was numb and still am. Even though I can intellectually wrap my hands around this event, can rationalize all the reasons why anyone would do such a thing, emotionally I am raw. We continue each day as the last, but still come up short for the why's. As a devout Christian, I find myself doubting where my God is in all of this. But, that is good. It means I am still working through this. Our church had a small gathering yesterday evening. It was in contrast to the big event in this small town. People listening and conversing with people. No crowds to get lost in. Friends with friends. My continued prayers to all that have lost so much in this trajedy.
|
William | 53 | Ohio
|
#2388 | Wednesday, September 11th 2002
|
September 11, 2001 -- Just like any other day, my husband went to school in Northern KY where he was teaching high school Chemistry & Biology & I went to work in the Radiology Dept at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Hospital. I went through my usual routine when I arrived at the office at 8:00 a.m. - turn on computer, check voice mail, check the fax and printers up the hall, etc. I pass the waiting room many times each day & always glance into the room to see what the TV is tuned to. As I went into the main hallway a while later, I noticed that employees were congregating in the hallway just outside the waiting room & when I walked by the waiting room I saw Katie Couric going over the footage of the 1st plane. Patient families relayed the info that a small plane had hit the WTC. Short while later the 2nd plane hit. We began relaying info to others in dept that could not get to TV. A short while later my husband called me from his classroom after the news was broadcast at the high school. This is when I knew something was seriously wrong and realized this event directly affected our lives. His daughter & grandchildren (ages 10 & 3 at the time)live in Houston but were in Portugal visiting the in-laws & due back to the states any time. He was so worried that he stopped in the middle of his class & called me to see if I could get in touch with his other daughter in Houston to find out when everyone was due back. All we knew was that they were returning to Houston sometime 9/10 or 9/11 & they usually connect through Newark or JFK, sometimes through Boston. So we did not know if they were on one of the affected planes or not. Of course since we were both at work we did not have any family phone #s with us & did some frantic searching on the internet to find phone #s for his daughter & ex-wife. I finally found the home #s for both & was frustrated when I had to leave messages on answering machines for both. Fortunately the ex-wife checked her machine from the office, picked up my message & called me at the office. She told me they were due into Newark around noon 9/11 & she had been trying to locate their flight itinerary. She made some calls & found the flight #'s, etc. so we could attempt to find out where their flight was diverted to since they were already in the air when this happened. We were on pins & needles all day with no success in locating the kids. We received a message from the ex-wife while on way home from work that the kids had finally called her & they were in Bermuda. They said the pilot had come over the intercom during the flight to let them know that all the US airports were closed due to terrorist attacks & they would have to find somewhere to land or turn back to Portugal. It was decided to attempt to land in Bermuda as it was the closest airport at the time. We were so relieved to find out where they were. They wound up spending 9/11 & 9/12 at a resort in Bermuda at the expense of the airline. They were finally flown into Newark late 9/13 & then airline told them they did not know when they could get the family on a flight to Houston but it would be at least a coule of days & told them they were on their own regarding lodging in NY until they were put on a flight. The granddaughter's birthday is 9/15 & all she wanted to do was get home. There were few rental cars available in the area, with virtually none for a one-way trip. The family friend they were travelling with owns an auto repair shop in Houston & finally called in a bunch of favors in order to get them a rental car so they could drive from NY to Houston. They left NY early afternoon 9/14 & drove straight trhough to our house in Amelia, arriving approx 11:30 p.m. We packed the kids off to bed after grandson relayed the sights of flying over the WTC site when they got to NY. I got up at 7:30 Sat morning to go to store to buy cereal for the kids & birthday cake for granddaughter. You should have seen her face when she woke up & saw the presents & cake on the breakfast table. Needless to say, we had breakfast finished pretty quick so we could do presents & cake before they hit the road for the long drive to Houston. It's hard to believe that it has been a year ago already. It seems just like yesterday that we were scrambling to find the kids & make sure their plane was not one of the ones crashed. Now we carry their phone #s with us & have the kids send us their complete travel itinerary with flight #, time, airport, etc. so we never have to go through this again. I don't think the kids will ever forget flying over Ground Zero. The grandson still talks about the devastation he saw & said it really did not register with them until they flew into Newark a few days later.
|
P | 34 | Ohio
|
#2370 | Wednesday, September 11th 2002
|
I was in my 3rd period class in school. When I came in, one of my friends was crying and I asked her why. That's how I found out. I think its all very depressing to remember, but very necessary at the same time. When my generation has children, this will be in their history books and our kids are going to come home from school one day and ask us about it just like we ask our parents about JFK. The questions will be things like, where were you, what were you doing, and how old we were. It will bring up memories that we think we've forgotten, but they'll still be there. I'll be glad to tell my kids about it and to tell them that my father was a police officer and my step-father was a firefighter, which are now considered two of the most important jobs since 9-11 and people are now realizing that the police and firefighters are heroes, even if they didn't help in the rescuing of the people in the towers, at the Pentagon or in Shanksville.
|
Ginny | 16 | Ohio
|
#2343 | Wednesday, September 11th 2002
|
I have no words, just a well of emotions that keeps overflowing.
|
Scott | 33 | Ohio
|
showing 1-5 of 74 | >| >>
search again
|
|
|
|
|
