Seeing the 2nd plane hit the tower on live TV (“what’s that thing at the side of my screen?” followed by the huge orange fireball on the back side of the building). A second of silence, then Katie Couric saying “It’s clear we are under attack”. I was working at American Airlines teaching Flight Attendant Emergency Procedures at the time & was in a complete state of shock as every US hijacking up until that point basically was a quick trip to Cuba with no physical injuries to passengers or crew. I vividly remember getting the call moments later that 2 of the planes were ours (AA’s). I totally lost it and realized that everything in the world had just changed. Monumental moment in history.
Many things, but one of the more minor, but odd things, is this: the weird feeling of seeing a Southwest Airlines plane in the sky a few days afterward, when flights were finally allowed again. It was something so routine, but so eerie in the circumstances.
Texas A&M University- waking up turning on the tv to the second tower being hit and realizing it was not an accident, sitting with all of my roomates in our townhome and watching everything on tv and just being sad- and hearing the numbers of those who were killed- it didn’t seem real.
My future wife and I moved in together on Sept. 10, 2001. The first morning of our co-habitating lives, it appeared that we had woken up to the end of the world.
Sadness that our lives were changed forever, but immense pride for our brave firemen, police officers and military who put their lives on the line every day so that we are safe.
I heard the news on the radio when I was on my way to cafeteria duty at Bradfield. I felt grateful to be with the kids and in Dallas. Of course the reality is that a terrorist attack could happen anywhere.
I spent five days a week for nearly three years coming in and out of the World Trade Center. I watched, horrified, devastated, while so many memories of my days there passed through my mind. I’ve been back to NYC and Ground Zero several times since and it is very emotional for me.
I remember my friend Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, who died on flight 93.
I can still see my New York born and raised husband sink to his knees in grief as we watched the towers fall on live TV. Taking the kids to Hyer but having a hard time sending them in – should we stay home – what would come next?
I think of the people who made the impossible decision to jump from the buildings. Just thinking about it today makes my heart tighten and a lump forms in my throat…the same reaction I had 9 years ago watching it unfold on live TV. And I think about the voicemails people in the buildings left to say goodbye to their loved ones. What a horrible, horrifying day.
Three things:
(1) Watching the first tower fall;
(2) watching the second tower fall;
(3) thinking, “Who is stupid enough to start a war with the United States? Do they think we’ll just fold up our tent because we’re so shocked by this attack?”
Remembering where I was when I heard a plane had hit the tower, frantically calling my colleagues in our NYC office, being sent home from my downtown office, picking up my children from school before the day let out…and being scolded by the Director for “over reacting”, sitting in silence for days watching the news, and being proud to be an American. Frankly, I wanted to kick some ass.
I was at the family ranch in Oakdale, CA and had just woke and turned on the tv and saw the first tower on fire. Then saw the second plane hit. A fraternity brother worked for Morgan Stanley in the WTC. An hour later I called his mother and she told me he had gotten out okay. It seems Morgan Stanley had practiced fire drills in the two months leading up to 9/11. They wanted to see how fast people could get out of the building. Morgan Stanley only lost two people out of hundreds working there.
How scared I was because my husband was scheduled to fly into NYC the same moment the 2nd plane hit. It was several minutes before I found out his flight had been delayed, but for those minutes I felt what those other people felt as they waited to hear about their family members/loved ones/friends. We lived in CT at the time and our community lost 6 fathers that day.
Seeing the 2nd plane hit the tower on live TV (“what’s that thing at the side of my screen?” followed by the huge orange fireball on the back side of the building). A second of silence, then Katie Couric saying “It’s clear we are under attack”. I was working at American Airlines teaching Flight Attendant Emergency Procedures at the time & was in a complete state of shock as every US hijacking up until that point basically was a quick trip to Cuba with no physical injuries to passengers or crew. I vividly remember getting the call moments later that 2 of the planes were ours (AA’s). I totally lost it and realized that everything in the world had just changed. Monumental moment in history.
Many things, but one of the more minor, but odd things, is this: the weird feeling of seeing a Southwest Airlines plane in the sky a few days afterward, when flights were finally allowed again. It was something so routine, but so eerie in the circumstances.
Texas A&M University- waking up turning on the tv to the second tower being hit and realizing it was not an accident, sitting with all of my roomates in our townhome and watching everything on tv and just being sad- and hearing the numbers of those who were killed- it didn’t seem real.
My future wife and I moved in together on Sept. 10, 2001. The first morning of our co-habitating lives, it appeared that we had woken up to the end of the world.
Sadness that our lives were changed forever, but immense pride for our brave firemen, police officers and military who put their lives on the line every day so that we are safe.
I heard the news on the radio when I was on my way to cafeteria duty at Bradfield. I felt grateful to be with the kids and in Dallas. Of course the reality is that a terrorist attack could happen anywhere.
I spent five days a week for nearly three years coming in and out of the World Trade Center. I watched, horrified, devastated, while so many memories of my days there passed through my mind. I’ve been back to NYC and Ground Zero several times since and it is very emotional for me.
I remember my friend Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, who died on flight 93.
I can still see my New York born and raised husband sink to his knees in grief as we watched the towers fall on live TV. Taking the kids to Hyer but having a hard time sending them in – should we stay home – what would come next?
I think of the people who made the impossible decision to jump from the buildings. Just thinking about it today makes my heart tighten and a lump forms in my throat…the same reaction I had 9 years ago watching it unfold on live TV. And I think about the voicemails people in the buildings left to say goodbye to their loved ones. What a horrible, horrifying day.
Three things:
(1) Watching the first tower fall;
(2) watching the second tower fall;
(3) thinking, “Who is stupid enough to start a war with the United States? Do they think we’ll just fold up our tent because we’re so shocked by this attack?”
Remembering where I was when I heard a plane had hit the tower, frantically calling my colleagues in our NYC office, being sent home from my downtown office, picking up my children from school before the day let out…and being scolded by the Director for “over reacting”, sitting in silence for days watching the news, and being proud to be an American. Frankly, I wanted to kick some ass.
I was at the family ranch in Oakdale, CA and had just woke and turned on the tv and saw the first tower on fire. Then saw the second plane hit. A fraternity brother worked for Morgan Stanley in the WTC. An hour later I called his mother and she told me he had gotten out okay. It seems Morgan Stanley had practiced fire drills in the two months leading up to 9/11. They wanted to see how fast people could get out of the building. Morgan Stanley only lost two people out of hundreds working there.
How scared I was because my husband was scheduled to fly into NYC the same moment the 2nd plane hit. It was several minutes before I found out his flight had been delayed, but for those minutes I felt what those other people felt as they waited to hear about their family members/loved ones/friends. We lived in CT at the time and our community lost 6 fathers that day.
how awesomely resilient New York City is and how much I love being a part of this city despite how much I miss my Texas roots.