Where were you when...?

[LittleDragonErin]

It's always interesting to look back on the things that change our world. I answered this question somewhere else earlier today and it got me curious so I'll pose the question here...

Where were you during 9/11?

Myself, I was actually living in New York at the time. And I was scheduled to do a music video shoot in the vicinity of the towers. However the shoot was pushed back 2 weeks so I went back to California to spend time with my sister. My aunt called early in the morning thinking I was still in NY and told me to turn on the TV. I turned it on just in time to see the second plane hit. Sadly, 2 of my friends (one of which one of my roommates) were killed in the event.

[tink2006]

I walked out of a meeting just in time to see the second tower go down. I had an appointment scheduled with a customer. She made the appointment but we did not get any business done. We were both pretty shaken. She had young children in school and was concerned if she should go pick them up. I called the school from my office - they were in lock down and were not letting anybody in/out. After I called the school, we just sat there and watched the TV for a little bit. I think I will always remember this day.

[SBETigg]

Oh, Erin, I'm so sorry for your loss. That must have shaken you for quite some time. I was at home in MA, reading the news online before getting to work on a book proposal. I had just taken the kids to school and started my day when the news of a plane hitting the tower crossed my screen. I went and turned on the TV and couldn't even believe what was happening as the story unfolded. I didn't get any work done for a few weeks after that devastating morning, and I didn't even suffer a personal loss.

[tiaramom]

Just taking a moment to send prayers to all whom were touched with despair on Sept 11th
I am a fellow New Yorker and felt the sorrow as well. I give my respects to all involved.
Just a moment to think on the wonderful lives lost on that day....
May peace and Love prevail Now and in the future.

[DisneyCouture]

It is still so surreal to me that it really happened. I was waking up to go to work when my mom told me to turn on the tv, that is when I saw the second plane hit. I live near the shoreline in CT and we could see the smoke in the air across the water into NYC. So sad!

[cheshirecollector]

I had just gotten off the train to work, and passed by a restaurant that had a television on. I saw that both towers had been hit, but it wasn't until I got to work and called home that I found out why. We were allowed to leave work early, and downtown Chicago was packed with people trying to leave all at once. Walking out the door, I heard about another plane, and finally found out the rest (the last plane, and the buildings collapsing) when I got home and turned on the news.

I contacted an internet friend of mine, because he was living in Boston and often flew to California. He was okay, but he knew someone who was on one of the first two planes.

[chefmickey3]

I was teaching seventh grade. I was on prep and my DH called me to tell me. We did not have TV in our rooms so I told another teacher and then went to the library where we got an outside feed. Our principal made an annoucement over the loud speaker after the second plane hit. It was a difficult couple of days trying to explain the events and comfort my students.

[nja33]

I had just gotten to my 3rd period class, English. Sadly, we didn't hear much because instead of telling us what was going on, the administration decided to hide it. Some people were in the TV lab and were able to watch so as they watched rumors spread. People were constantly being called to the office for dismissal. Many students were just in hysterics, not knowing if their parents were alive or not. I live on the Jersey shore, less than an hour away from the city so many of my classmates had parents who worked there. I can still remember being on the bus coming home and smelling smoke. At first I thought it was from the state park we drove past but as we got farther away I knew it was from the city. I could stand in my parents bedroom and see/smell the smoke.

[vicster]

I was at WDW 9/11! Guess what we spent our vacation doing...watching the sad events unfold on tv.

[mm59]

We were in WDW at POR . Our DD called when We were walking back to our room from Breakfast. We watched on the TV the second plane hit, and then later the buildings collaspe. The rest of our trip was not our best. The parks closed, and then the security was in place everywhere. It was a sad Day for the World.

[OhGee]

Erin, I also lost two friends on 9/11- one was a firefighter and the other worked on the 104th floor of the North Tower. I was in school getting ready to teach my next class when we heard about it.

My school is 5 stories high and has a clear view of the Manhattan skyline. I went to the fifth floor to see what was going on. My stomach dropped because one of my fellow teachers was downtown across from the towers for a meeting. Luckily we found out later she was OK but was covered in the dust and had to walk all the way up to 59th St and over the bridge to Queens. She was able to get a bus home, thank goodness.

It was very surreal. I couldn't believe what was happening. One of the students on the fifth floor said he saw the second plane crash into the towers. Our main concern was to not scare the children and keep them calm. Our school is rather large (2000 elementary students K-5) and many had parents who worked in Manhattan. We informed the students in general terms of what was happening but didn't go into specifics. We tried to keep them calm by just teaching and trying to carry on as usual. We even put down the shades in classrooms that faced Manhattan. We didn't want the students to panic.

The worst part was not knowing what was going on and all the phone lines were jammed. Everyone was trying to get in touch with their families.

I kept looking out the windows in disbelief. One tower fell then the other. We all just had shocked expressions on our faces, not wanting to believe that this was real. I had to step out of the building and help with the parents who came to pick up their children. I could smell the smoke and see a haze in the air. The scariest part was the heavy silence in the air. Our school is not too far from LaGuardia airport and there is usually some sort of noise. There also didn't seem to be as many cars and trucks around. It was just very eerie and unsettling. I was in so much shock that I don't think I cried until the next day.

My husband works for a city agency and I knew he would be called in to be on stand-by alert. He later told me that on his way in he was the only car going over the Triboro Bridge.

Later on we found out that a couple of teachers in the school lost friends or extended family members.

My memory of that day will always be crystal clear. It is one thing to see it on TV but to see it happen right in front of you is quite another.

My thoughts and prayers go to all those lost on that day and their families. That day touched everyone in some way. Let us never forget!

[Chescat]

I woke up that morning about 8:30 pacific time and everything was over by then. I hadn't turned the TV on and did my usual let me check news on the internet. I saw something that said twin towers down and had no idea what that meant. I turned on the TV and just couldn't believe my eyes. At the time they were still searching for the PA plane. I watched it all for about an hour and then went into work. I figured how would I be impacted by something in New York.

I saw the planes were out of Mass and called family in the North East. DH's cousin was taking his son to college and saw all the National Guard trucks driving south from update NY. He knew something was wrong since he in the National Guards after his military service. We realized he couldn't reach his brother who was in the air. He hoped he was wrong but found out he wasn't. Hours went by and to the relieve of the whole family, we found out his plane was diverted and told to land. They were going from Mass to DC. They landed them in Virginia some place. Another cousin had made her flight from DC to Mass fine.

We called the family back in Maine and we thought all was well. But my instincts told me, something was very wrong. So for a day and a half I kept looking through the victims in the planes. Thursday night I found another of DH's cousins on the list for the 2nd plane that hit the towers. Immediately I called other family and they said they had just been told also. I just sat in my office crying and couldn't even move.

I was also just in shock to see the Pentagon in flames. I just never thought that could happen. People we knew in there fortunately had either just left their offices in time or weren't there.

I know we've had a joke about my fear of flying here for a while. But that's why I'm so scared now for this upcoming trip. I haven't been in a plane since April 2001. I didn't like flying before. I just see those imagines in mine mind everytime I think about flying. Getting on this plane will be a real test for me. I hope I can do it.

[pixiegoose]

It was my first day classes in college and I came out of my 8 am French class and the tv in the lobby of the building was showing the towers. I didn't know what was going on, as the news broadcast was in German, so I headed back to my room and turned on the tv.

As soon as I found out about the Pentagon, I think I tried calling my dad, as he was in the military at the time and had been previously assigned to DC and still knew many people there. I still have the email he sent me saying how sorry he was for my generation, as things will never be the same but that they would do their best. What was really scary is that where the Pentagon was hit was right where my dad's office had been and would be again a few years later. What many people don't know is the where the Pentagon was hit was the best place it could have been hit. It had just been reinforced (the Pentagon was built during WWII and thus was mostly concrete since all metal went to the war effort) and most offices hadn't moved back in yet.

It was so surreal when we went to visit my dad's office a few years later and it was mere yards from the impact. The memorial chapel for those who died (including a few people my dad knew) was just a few doors down from his office.

[mickeytinkerbellprincess]

I think my family and I were on a trip somewhere, and we didn't watch TV much because we were so busy. When we came back we heard of the awful news of the two towers. Sorry for everyone who has lost loved ones during 9/11. It was a tragic day, and a few years later my family went to NY and visited the memorials there from 9/11.

[wizardmickey]

I was up getting ready for work & my wife was on a road trip with her Mom in California. I watched live as the second plane hit & the towers collapsed. I kept trying to call my wife because I think a lot of the country had gone into panic & I was worried about whether or now more attacks might follow all over the country.
My phone did ring & it was my youngest brothers wife. He's EOD in the Army (currently on VIP duty) and she was letting us know that he had initially been called to get his gear & head to New York when the plane hit the Pentagon (where he was stationed at the time.) So we were lucky he was in the process of being sent elsewhere when that plane went down... he was rerouted back to the Pentagon after the fact.

[Jeremy]

Well i got up ealry that morning and trun the news on and nothing was going on until half anhour later then news flash came up and i saw
the one tower on fire, then i can rember that i herd the camra man say OMG!
and i saw the second plane hit the other tower.
and i saw some people jumping out.:(
THe i told my mom this is no acdent, then they showed the Pentagon and the other place where the plane crash in the ground.
So i saw it all live, and i just felt like i was not safe anymore.
and i went out side and no sounds at all.
no planes no nothing, not even the birds.
it was so lonely and sad. all i can do is watch tv and call family.
It is burnt in my brain forever!
I still feel the sadness like it just happen today.:(

[Mousehead35]

I was at the office getting ready for the day when I saw people running to our cafeteria where our TV was.. people were yelling that a plane hit the tower and there was a lot of confusion I remember.

My boss at the time was on a place leaving from Newark to a conference and was set to leave around the time those doomed planes took off so we were very unsure if she was affected. She later called me from the air and told me her plane had been diverted to Cleveland. Due to the fact all planes were grounded she and some of the other passengers rented a car together and drove back to NJ from OH.

I also remember driving home that night and just seeing the sky full of smoke. I didn't sleep for days..

[IloveDisney71]

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was directly effected by the events on 9/11.
I was teaching Kindergarten in Alabama. I didn't tell my students anything. Several of them were checked out. I think the parents just wanted their "babies" home with them. The staff just walked around in shock because it was just so unbelievable. We had a t.v. in our teacher's workroom but we didn't get to watch it much. It was hard to put on that "happy" face for my students when I was worried about what else might be happening. :(

[ibrowse17]

I was teaching at a high school in Alabama and driving to work when I heard about the first plane. I was taking role in homeroom when the second hit. Classes went on that day, but all focus was on the tv screen. Later that day I drove to my Air Force Reserve unit in Florida, and saw retired service members of all ages coming on base to offer any help they could. I later found out that a former student of mine, as well as some friends from college were near, or at ground zero that day. All survived.

[Stan]

When the events began I was in a meeting with DD15 and teachers. Afterward we stopped by our church for DD to check her work schedule (for their daycare) and found out they were sending children home because "planes hit the World Trade Center". We hurried home and turned on TV in time to see the first collapse. It was like we understood what we saw before the news people recognized what was happening.

I know it's different to actually be at a terrible event than to watch it remotely, and it's different to watch it in real time vs later replays. Still, all of our hearts were just ripped out in hurt for our countrymen (and in a sense all who sympathized with us that day were US citizens) and all the families, and for our lost innocence- no matter where we were or how or when we learned about it.

DS20 and DDIL went over to EPCOT on 9/12 or 9/13, and they told us how strange it was to watch Illuminations... almost an empty park, and all the fire and fireworks. :(

[snifflesmcg]

I was on vacation in Florida.

I decided to visit a guy I had being seeing that recently moved to West Palm Beach, Fl. I live in PA on the NJ border and New York City is only an hour and a half from my house. I decided to drive to Florida (thank god I did) instead of flying.

I got there on Sept 10th and remembering that night going to a sports bar to watch the first Monday Night Football game of the season, the Giants were playing. We were having some cocktails and eating clams (along with other friends that had recently moved there as well.)

The next day we heard Bob and Tom in the morning (a sydicated comedy morning show) tell us there was a "very serious matter" and that the twin towers had been hit. We rushed to the living room to turn on CNN and watched the towers fall live on television. It hit me how bad this was when I saw a blood bank with a line wrapped around the building.......and of course, this was 1,200 miles away. I was able to call my friends and family but they weren't able to call me. The lines were tied up in NJ but not in FL. The first person I called was my friend Dawn to ask where her brother was, who worked next door to the World Trade Center. Thankfully, he was running late to work and saw the whole thing from the highway.

Several days later (Sept 17th) the two of us decided to go to WDW with tickets a friend had given us (left over non expiration tickets). I was 22 at the time and hadn't been to WDW since I was 10 in 1989. I couldn't belive the security and how empty the park was. It was surreal. I remember looking at the "Leave a Legacy" and it had a bunch of memorials to 9/11 and the words "we'll never forget". Since we only went for the day, we managed to see the majority of MK, Epcot and MGM.

This year, I will be in WDW on Tuesday, September 11th. Sorry to ramble on this long but it's a day (and vacation) I'll never forget and being in Florida on the same day and date brings back those memories.

[princessimagineer]

im from north jersey, but still about a half hour away from the city. i remember i just entered 2nd period, i was in 6th grade, it was journalism, and the principal was talking with my teacher outside the classroom. right after their breif conversation, my teacher turned on the tv and one tower was burning. as we all watched in disbeleife, the second plane hit. im from an area where we know a lot of people who work in the city, i have 2 uncles who were in the towers. they are both okay: ones train was running late that morning and thank god, because his office was on one of the floors that the first plane hit, he has a plaque with his name on it which was in his office, that they found in the rubble. and the other was in the second tower and was escaping with the rest of them.

it realy was scary. a girl whos locker is 4 away from mine, her father was a fireman who died that day. *prayers*

[The Flying Dutchman]

I was in my freshman chemistry lab at St Olaf College in MN. After class I had to walk through the commons to get back to my dorm and saw a big commotion in the lounge. I walked in in time to see footage of the one of the planes hitting the tower. It just felt so surreal

[Jenemmy]

What I remember about that morning is taking my son to kindergarten and thinking about what a gorgeous day it was. When I got home and turned on the tv, the first tower had been hit but they still didn't know much. I recall that on the national morning show I was watching, they had a lady phoning in on her cell phone on the air and saying another plane had just gone over her low and fast. The anchor told her he was sure she was mistaken and then --- the second tower was hit.

I watched all day -- not wanting to, really, but not being able NOT to. I had this tremendous urge to just go to New York and say "what do you need me to do?" or just be there for people who were desperately searching for loved ones. If I didn't have young kids at that time that needed me, I just might have. coincidentally, we had just gotten home the day before from a trip to Washington DC....