9/11 Anniversary

[PJTHEDOORS]

Only the truth for 911.

 

[aria]

I remember how united we were as a people back then. I also remember it did not last long. I worked in NJ back in 2001 and was supposed to attend a meeting a few blocks north of WTC. I decided not to go into the city that morning. I forget why. Probably because I hated going into the city for meetings. I know people who died that day. I think all of us living in the suburbs of NYC know people who died that day. Watching the news and seeing those planes flying into the towers still gets me so angry.

I have/had family in the NY/NJ area but luckily none of them were in the city that day.

Oddly enough, I was in the fire academy at the time and we were in the middle of taking a test when they interrupted us to tell us what happened. We had to finish the rest of the day but no one had their head in it, there was a somber mood across the country.

I think it was a reality check for all of us in the class, knowing what we were trying to accomplish/become by being there.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

It's hard to believe 19 years have passed since the WTC attacks. I was living in Denver at the time and had a job in downtown Denver with a telecommunications company. I remember traffic was frustrating that morning when I was trying to get to work. I barely got there on time, and they were already talking about some plane crashing into the WTC, which we thought was some accident. Then when a plane hit the other tower, it was super scary, and my boss came over to everyone and told us all to go home. I remember assuming that the towers would not fall. It was the bleepin' World Trade Center, which I had visited myself before. They were too sturdy to fall, of course. Then, when I was driving home, the news on the radio reported that they both had fallen down. I remember the exact words. "The World Trade Center is no more." I couldn't believe it. I called up Linda, whom I had just started dating. I was worried because I knew she had just gone to see family in NYC and was supposed to fly home to Colorado on 9/11. Luckily, she had decided to come home a day early. We met up and went to Boulder and lay down together on a long, sloping lawn, making out a whole lot. The day was bittersweet because it was nice being with her, but we kept checking on the news to find out more.

What was going on in your life 19 years ago today? Post that here. No political commentary, please. Just post what your day was like.

 

[Montanalo]

I remember my parents discussing the John F Kennedy assassination and, in particular, recalling exactly where they were and what they were doing at the time.

I suspect it is much the same for our generation. I recall staring at the TV in complete disbelief, thinking this was some kind of sick Orwellian joke.

 

[CouchCoach]

It is easy for me to recall what I was doing at that exact time, I was on the phone with a client in NYC who was two blocks from ground zero and faced the Towers. All hell broke loose and that sent me running to our conference room to turn on the TV and within a few minutes, our entire office was in there as we watched in utter shock and disbelief.

I think about that day often, and not just when the anniversary rolls around, and where that was filled with sorrow the first few years, that changed to pride. So many showed their quality as human beings in contrast to an act perpetrated by those without conscience. The first responders that day showed incredible courage and dedication to others and that was followed by all of those that came to help at ground zero.

It is a shame that we need events like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 to show the quality of Americans but while they are still tragedies, they still lift us up and make us proud.

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

It's hard to believe 19 years have passed since the WTC attacks. I was living in Denver at the time and had a job in downtown Denver with a telecommunications company. I remember traffic was frustrating that morning when I was trying to get to work. I barely got there on time, and they were already talking about some plane crashing into the WTC, which we thought was some accident. Then when a plane hit the other tower, it was super scary, and my boss came over to everyone and told us all to go home. I remember assuming that the towers would not fall. It was the bleepin' World Trade Center, which I had visited myself before. They were too sturdy to fall, of course. Then, when I was driving home, the news on the radio reported that they both had fallen down. I remember the exact words. "The World Trade Center is no more." I couldn't believe it. I called up Linda, whom I had just started dating. I was worried because I knew she had just gone to see family in NYC and was supposed to fly home to Colorado on 9/11. Luckily, she had decided to come home a day early. We met up and went to Boulder and lay down together on a long, sloping lawn, making out a whole lot. The day was bittersweet because it was nice being with her, but we kept checking on the news to find out more.

What was going on in your life 19 years ago today? Post that here. No political commentary, please. Just post what your day was like.

That morning, I was going to the courthouse before work to pay a ticket. When I got there, police cars we're blocking the entrance and I was like ***? I rolled down my window and asked one of the cops what was going on and he just told me to get out of here. I figured something had happened inside the building so I went to work. I get to the office and everyone is gathered around a TV so I went over to see what was going on. They said it looked like a plane had accidently flown into one of the towers. 10 seconds after I joined them, the second plane hit and we all knew this was no accident. My boss sent us home and I remember just pacing in front of the TV at my house, wanting to do something but feeling helpless.

 

[DallasEast]

Today's anniversary is another affirmation of just how differently humans perceive history. Some people? It is another September day. Others? It is remembrance of one of the worst attacks the country has ever endured. And there are varying reactions between those two.

Pearl Harbor occurred decades before I was born. 9/11 happened when I was in my mid-thirties. Me? I felt empathy, pride and anger about both. Empathy acknowledging all the lives forever scarred by those days, whether they died or lived, experienced first-hand or from afar. Pride reading or witnessing the nation unite after being dealt such harsh blows. Anger felt when asking why did it happen.

9/11 cannot be forgotten. 9/11 should not be forgotten. 9/11 will not be forgotten, not as long as I am breathing that is.

 

[aria]

It is easy for me to recall what I was doing at that exact time, I was on the phone with a client in NYC who was two blocks from ground zero and faced the Towers. All hell broke loose and that sent me running to our conference room to turn on the TV and within a few minutes, our entire office was in there as we watched in utter shock and disbelief.

I think about that day often, and not just when the anniversary rolls around, and where that was filled with sorrow the first few years, that changed to pride. So many showed their quality as human beings in contrast to an act perpetrated by those without conscience. The first responders that day showed incredible courage and dedication to others and that was followed by all of those that came to help at ground zero.

It is a shame that we need events like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 to show the quality of Americans but while they are still tragedies, they still lift us up and make us proud.

It was really awesome to see the country come together like it did, it was the first time most us have ever seen anything like it and sadly probably the last. Too bad it took a tragedy to make it happen.

Obviously first responders got a lot of credit but there are countless numbers of civilians who put their lives on the line for others and many did so knowing they would die in the process. I think the heroes on Flight 93 are often over looked because it was “just” a plane that went down in the middle of a field. If those passengers didn’t take action, that flight wouldn’t be as over looked because it most likely would have destroyed the White House. “Lets Roll.”


The entire country put their differences aside and rose to the occasion for a brief period of time. I remember the power outage in NYC that occurred “shortly“ after, when terrorist attacks were still fresh on everyone’s mind, and there were videos of people of all races, genders and ages helping each other on the subway, on the streets, etc. There was no looting or violence, just strangers coming together to help strangers.

*Definitely not meant to be political or relevant to anything today, it was even unique for the time.

I’ve been back to NYC a few times and went to a couple fire stations by ground zero shortly after to pay my respects but right now I have zero interest in going to the 9/11 museum and probably never will. I don’t think I could walk two feet inside without breaking down thinking of how many people lost their lives and then looking at the “artifacts” of destruction...I can’t do it, it’s too depressing for me.

 

[DallasEast]

Reminder

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Thanks.

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

Today's anniversary is another affirmation of just how differently humans perceive history. Some people? It is another September day. Others? It is remembrance of one of the worst attacks the country has ever endured. And there are varying reactions between those two.

Pearl Harbor occurred decades before I was born. 9/11 happened when I was in my mid-thirties. Me? I felt empathy, pride and anger about both. Empathy acknowledging all the lives forever scarred by those days, whether they died or lived, experienced first-hand or from afar. Pride reading or witnessing the nation unite after being dealt such harsh blows. Anger felt when asking why did it happen.

9/11 cannot be forgotten. 9/11 should not be forgotten. 9/11 will not be forgotten, not as long as I am breathing that is.

Well said man. I lost a good friend that day. Not in the attack but because of his reaction to it. He didn't care and I've never spoken to him since. My wife was still with her ex at the time and he and his sister were asleep when the attack occurred so she went to wake them up. Neither cared and stayed in bed. She never got over that and still talks about it to this day.

 

[aria]

That morning, I was going to the courthouse before work to pay a ticket...

Lol, of course you were buddy. You know I’m not laughing at you but with you. The irony, I was in the fire academy and you were on your way to court

If that was just a few years earlier we could have car pooled to court.

 

[MWH1967]

very sad day....

 

[Crazed Liotta Eyes]

Lol, of course you were buddy. You know I’m not laughing at you but with you. The irony, I was in the fire academy and you were on your way to court

If that was just a few years earlier we could have car pooled to court.

LOL! Nice to get a good laugh in the middle of a somber thread.

 

[aria]

Well said man. I lost a good friend that day. Not in the attack but because of his reaction to it. He didn't care and I've never spoken to him since. My wife was still with her ex at the time and he and his sister were asleep when the attack occurred so she went to wake them up. Neither cared and stayed in bed. She never got over that and still talks about it to this day.

I know the feeling, I’ve come across just 2-3 people in my life that either made a joke or some sort of negative remark and it literally took everything I had to not jump on them like a pit bull on a poodle.

 

[DallasEast]

My wife was still with her ex at the time and he and his sister were asleep when the attack occurred so she went to wake them up. Neither cared and stayed in bed.

wow.

The attack happened during a time I worked for a short time outside the health care industry. I watched coverage of the attack on my computer via internet sites. Never left my office until it was time to go home. Eight straight hours. I do not even remember taking a restroom break.

Sleeping through a foreign attack on American soil. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[aria]

LOL! Nice to get a good laugh in the middle of a somber thread.

Yeah, I needed that. I dread every September, it should be a month I look forward to but it’s pretty miserable for me.

Sept 4th- Steve Irwin died
Sept 10th- one and only brother died
Sept 11th- obvious
Sept 11th- John Ritter died
Sept 12th- Johnny Cash died
*literally just found out my co workers dad died today rather suddenly

Sorry for getting distracted but every Sept I wonder “what this year?” I’m ready for October.

 

[DallasEast]

All non-military flights were grounded because of the attack.

True story: After arriving home, I walked into my front yard and looked up into the sky. I did not expect to see anything other than sun, clouds and birds but my mind was trying to digest the fact. It was the first time in my life NO commercial (and likely private also) flew, anywhere, in American airspace.

That may not faze anyone. It dumbfounded me that day. Still does.

 

[Runwildboys]

All non-military flights were grounded because of the attack.

True story: After arriving home, I walked into my front yard and looked up into the sky. I did not expect to see anything other than sun, clouds and birds but my mind was trying to digest the fact. It was the first time in my life NO commercial (and likely private also) flew, anywhere, in American airspace.

That may not faze anyone. It dumbfounded me that day. Still does.

It was a bit eerie, that's for sure.

 

[Runwildboys]

I was at work when it happened, in the warehouse, not on the road that day. Suddenly our maintenance guy walked in and said a plane had just crashed into the WTC. We thought he was joking, because he was weird that way, in fact Strange was literally his last name. When we realized he was serious we all went up to the conference room to watch the news. At that point we thought it was just a horrible, unlikely accident, but then we saw the other plane headed toward the second tower.
Just the day before, I'd read an article on Bin Laden, so I had a fair amount of certainty he was behind it, which made me incredibly angry and frustrated. Then came the news about the Pennsylvania crash.
At least someone was able to fight back and piss in the terrorists' corn flakes.
Soon after, the news was showing the glee of the people in the Middle East, as crowds of hideous, creepy old women, men, and even children shrieked in delight that thousands of innocent lives were destroyed. It made me want to turn that whole part of the world into an ashtray.
Fortunately, it wasn't my decision to make.

 

[SlammedZero]

Well said Aria. One of those days that everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing.

I can! I was doing a contract for my company and we were working nights up in Seattle. So I was usually just getting to sleep in the morning when this all happened. This was back when Nextel was around (any of you remember Nextel?) and they had a walkie-talkie feature on their phones. My buddy was alerting me over and over as I was just getting to sleep. I answered the phone ready to kill him and he just insisted I turn on the TV. So, I did, and it was on the first channel I came to. I then just sat there speechless. I figured it was an aviation accident until the second plane hit. Then I knew something was definitely wrong.

Unfortunate thing to have to witness. I can't imagine the emotional roller-coaster NYC area residents went through/have had to go through.