11 years ago today... where were you?

[jolyn928]

I was 21, fresh out of college, and seeing my first patient of the day. Her phone rang, and when she saw that her husband was calling, she asked to take the call. He informed her that a small engine plane had struck the WTC,and that he was being sent home from work (investor). We brushed it off, said prayers for the people on board and got back to work. Minutes later, the radio reported a similar story (small plane). During my next appt, the radio finally broke in to report that is was in fact, a commercial plane involved. :( we immediately brought our tiny, old tv into the treatment area just in time to see the second plane hit.

 

I've never known that level of fear in my life. Even at that age, I remember imagining the feeling my grandparents had upon hearing of Pearl Harbor, and that was the only thing I could liken it too.

 

To this day, I still have the panicked answering machine message I left for my (now) husband when the cell towers were bogged down and I couldn't get through to him.

[Kim Fontaine]

I was here at my computer: I knew something was wrong but it was before the 2nd plane struck... I watched it hit here on my computer: As the day progressed we received word that our neighbor down the street , who drove long haul, was south of Jersey. He had no idea if he would be allowed to drive on through...he kept his wife informed of his slow progress and what he could see.... later as more details came in, I remember feeling horrible that those SOB's had crossed in to Maine from Canada. How dare you use our state for this most horrible act: 11 years later... we will always remember: Today is my kid brothers birthday: He is a long hauler. i have prayed for his safety much of the day:Along with RIP to all of those who never came home:

[falkcor]

It was pretty terrifying! Last year for the 10th "anniversary" I wrote a whole thing on my experiance and was interviewed by numerous children for their history classes which leads me to believe that there has to be a reason as to why i was down there and experianced such a tragedy. If you would like to read it or of anyone else does I am willig to post it.

 

I don't talk about it unless asked about it because i sometimes feel people dont want to hear it.

 

Its a day like today where i really reflect on my life and promise to try to be kinder, less judgemental and etc...

 

i would like to read it, i think you have a very interesting point of view, if you're willing to share. :)

[bookbabe]

I was working very hard to pretend nothing was wrong, and likely failing miserably. At the time, I was teaching junior high (grades 7-9) here in Toronto, and although we knew bits and pieces of what was going on, our principal had instructed us to "carry on as usual" to avoid upsetting the kids. Most of us didn't agree, but we were stuck. His theory was that it was better for the students to hear the news at home from their families later. We teachers kept taking turns sneaking into the staff room to watch the TV there, all the while holding back tears and pasting a stiff smile on our faces in front of our classes. I still wonder what the students think now about having had a more-or-less normal school day instead of the shockingly tragic day most people had.

[SwellBee]

I was in health class in high school. Not a single one of my teachers conducted class, surprisingly our district did not cancel school like most places.

[KPfromCT]

I was a recently laid off travel agent, and we were living with my mother, while waiting to get into our new house. I had dropped my daughter off at daycare that morning, as I had a job interview. They called me at 9 to cancel the interview. I was NOT aware of what was going on, and then my best friend called me and asked if I had the TV on. She told me to turn it on. I was devastated!!!! I ran to pick my daughter up at daycare and my husband came home from work. Thank GOD my daughter was like 2 at the time. I cried all day, watching the footage. God Bless EVERYONE who lost someone that day. Husbands, Wives, Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, Daughters, etc. It was an absolutely AWFUL day in this country!!!!! I still cry to this day, watching any kind of footage from that awful day, 11 years ago!!!:(

[acruisingpeach23]

i would like to read it, i think you have a very interesting point of view, if you're willing to share. :)

 

O.K. I am posting my story. It is very long and detailed. It may be too disturbing to read for some, so please do not read it if you find it may be to much to read. I have had people tell me they can't read it. My intention is not to offend anyone but this is my 9/11 experiance. I hope if not for one thing but anything else people dont forget as time goes on that yes many people have lost loved ones and I am sooo very grateful I didnt lose any of mine, but there are so many people like myself who live with some side effects of being in the area and struggle to understand the what ifs and the whys of that day. I love my country!! Also i wrote this last year so the time references were written last year for the 10th anniversary.

 

"

On September 10th 2001, I was fifteen years old, turning sixteen that December, and had just

gotten out of school and it was pouring rain, I mean rain that just soaked you

to the very core of your soul, and I was so angry that I was soaking wet and my

brand new shoes that I had just purchased for the new school year were ruined.

I got on the train to meet my mother on 34th street and when I got

out of the train station the rain had stopped and the sun came out and it was

so beautiful, and I remember telling my mom “My god it was like heaven was

crying”. Now I know why.

 

September 11th 2001, I woke up that morning so tired and was thinking about staying home from

school that day. I lived in Staten Island, N.Y. and it would take me about an

hour on an express bus to travel to school every morning, so I was not looking

forward to the commute. I decided to tough it up and be a good girl and go to

school, after all it was a brand new school year and it was my junior year and

I wanted to be a good student, so I went.

 

My morning routine was travelling into downtown Manhattan with my mother and going right into the

concourse of the World Trade Center to have breakfast with each other.

Sometimes we would even sit outside on the benches and have a cup of coffee

together. However, on this particular morning my mother decided to go uptown to

visit my aunt and didn’t get off the bus with me.

 

*My high school is located one block south of the World Trade Center, now Ground Zero, and it was

a typical hangout for us high school students and a giant transit hub for those

of us travelling to school via train. *

 

Anyway back to my story, I got off the bus and decided to go to school. Ughh my least favorite

class ever was my first period class and that was gym. The gym was located in

the basement of our fourteen floor high school and sometimes while sitting on

the gym floor you could feel the vibration from the subway right underneath us.

All of a sudden I felt this vibration, no big deal right? Just the subway

right? No and No.

 

This boy who was never to be taken serious ran into the gym and said “yoooo a bomb just went off in

the towers”. We all looked at him and laughed saying “go to class, you’re

crazy”. Then the vice principle came on the loudspeakers and said that a plane

just crashed into one of the towers. I thought why would a small plane fly so

close to the twin towers? Then he came on again and said another plane had just

crashed into the other tower. Now me being fifteen from Staten Island, sort of

sheltered, never experiencing anything tragic or losing someone I loved,

believing that my world was pretty safe and feeling secure, thought again as to

why two small planes would be flying so close to the twin towers.

 

This part just goes to show you how naïve I was. When the vice principle came on the loudspeaker again

telling us we were to evacuate the school, I turned to my friend Teresa, and

said “No way will my mother believe me that two planes just flew into the

towers and we have to evacuate the building. She will think I’m cutting school

and I will get into soooo much trouble. Let’s just go to Macys and spend the

rest of the day in there”. Little did I know at that point it was all over the

news, and my mother already knew what was going on.

 

As we stepped outside onto Thames Street, the first thing that hit me was the smell of fuel. The

smell was so strong it felt like someone threw ice water in my face. The second

thing I noticed was the paper. It looked like it was raining sheets of paper.

Paper covered the street and was just falling from the sky. As I started to

rummage through my book bag looking for my cell phone, my friend held my arm

and guided me to Greenwich St. That’s when I heard those words I will never

forget “Oh my god, Christine, look up”. And I did, I looked up and there it

was.

These towers, my towers, N.Y.C’s towers, on fire with huge gaping holes

that were engulfed in flames, and although I didn’t say anything my mouth

dropped open and I started to cry. Then I saw what I thought were birds

flapping their wings all around the building, and I thought why are there birds

falling from the buildings, and then it hit me, those weren’t birds, they were

people, people who were falling, trying to fly. I just started to sob, I wanted

my parents. I turned my phone on and couldn’t get signal so I started to walk

closer to the towers because I saw people talking on their phones. I tried to

call my dad, who at the time was a police officer, nothing. I tried to call my

mom who was uptown on 73rd and 3rd with my aunt, and nothing.

My phone rang and it was Tiffany, my best friend and a familiar voice. I said

hello she said where are you, I told her I’m right by the towers trying to get

cell phone service where are you, she told me she had made it to the FDR Drive,

and then she said “Chrissy get out of there those towers, they’re going to

fall”, then click the phone went dead and I heard this noise. BOOM BOOM BOOM,

screaming, chaos, firemen, and police officers all shouting run, run for your

life. I grabbed my friend and we ran, and as we ran I looked back and it just

looked like a movie. All these people who look petrified, and a huge cloud of

smoke was charging toward us. Then it got quiet, as quiet as I think Manhattan

has ever been and will ever be. And it got dark, pitch black.

 

Now it’s dark and quiet. No one is screaming anymore, no one is crying just pure silence. Then it

got hard to breathe, and it started to burn. I said to my friend “Teresa are we

dead, I can’t see my hand and I know I’m holding it right in front of my face”.

She said “Yeah I think so.”

 

After a few moments of just pure silence the panic set in, the fear set in, and the cloud of smoke

lifted. I felt like i was on fire. My skin was burning. That cloud of smoke that just

engulfed us was packed with jet fuel, and things that I can only imagine but

will not say. I approached a firefighter and as I was sobbing told him that I

was burning and needing to get home to Staten Island. He said “the Staten

Island Ferry blew up; they are dropping bombs uptown, midtown, and on the

bridges, so just do what you can do to stay alive”.

 

Well, I gave up. I was burning; I couldn’t breathe, and thought the world was over. I started to pray to God

and I told him “Please let my family get over my death quickly. I don’t want

them to suffer long. Let them know I love them.”

 

Teresa and I just walked, and walked. We were gray from head to toe. We were burning. The smell

was awful; I hadn’t spoken to my parents all day. Was my dad down there? Did he

die? Where is my mom? My sister is she ok on Staten Island? Where are my

classmates and teachers?

 

All of a sudden a woman pulled me in to a Guess store; I had made it to the Seaport. She told us to

wash our faces and our hands. I couldn’t, I was falling apart, and I was

petrified. The woman had phone service in the store and allowed me to use the

phone and I got in touch with a friend of my fathers who told me that he hadn’t

spoken to my dad but if he did he would tell him I was still alive.

 

We left the store and followed the crowd to the Brooklyn Bridge, I didn’t want to walk over it, I

figured what was the point, and it’s just going to be blown up anyway. Out of

the blue, this man approached us. This man who on a normal day would scare the living

hell out of me; he was dressed in a construction uniform and was dirty, he came

up to us and said “girls where are you going”, I told him my dad was a police

officer and his station was a few blocks away from the Brooklyn Bridge but on

the Brooklyn side. He said to us “give me your book bags and I will walk with

you over the bridge and to his police station. I told him no thanks but he

insisted.

 

We walked to the bridge and as we were walking towards Brooklyn, all of the police and firemen that

were on their way into the city, were waving flags out of their vehicles. They

shouted “We’re going to be ok”, “God bless America”, and holding their thumbs

up. Still to this day it gives me the chills when I think about it. I kept

looking back at the city, sobbing, looking for planes in the sky to come drop a

bomb on me, and as I’m falling apart, Ed, the man who was walking with us

started to crack jokes. I couldn’t believe he was cracking jokes. I asked him

why he was doing this and he said don’t worry about it, just listen to my jokes

and don’t look back. I realize now that for a few brief minutes those jokes

were there to distract me, not to make me laugh.

 

We finally got into Brooklyn, and I can safely say I will never be as happy as I was that day to

get into Brooklyn ever again. We walked and walked and there were these women

throwing water on people, trying to get the burning dust off of us, trying to

clean us, and it was so surreal, it was something like a war movie. I just

sobbed and sobbed and wanted to hear one of my parent’s voices. I still have

not gotten in touch with either one and they both thought I was dead. My poor

mother was standing on 73rd and 3rd hugging a stranger

whose daughter was working in the world trade center at the time, and sobbed on

each other’s shoulders. My father raced in his cop car towards the towers as

soon as he heard about the first plane hitting the building but he couldn’t get

there because of the traffic. He told me he watched the towers fall and all he

could think of was me. My sister was in Staten Island thinking that her whole

family had just been killed and that she was all alone.

 

I remember once we got to Fulton Street, I asked this man who had walked with us all this way what his

name was and he said “My name is Ed, that’s all you need to know, and I will

always be here for you”. I swear to God he was my guardian angel. If it wasn’t

for him I don’t think I would have made it. I wish I would have asked him his

address because I didn’t give him the thank you he deserved. I know he knows I’m

grateful but I have always felt guilty that my words were not enough. Ed found

two police officers and they had happen to know my father as they all worked in

the same police station so the police officers decided to take us the rest of

the way.

 

When we got to the police station and got off the elevator I ran screaming down the hall “Daddy, Daddy”,

but he wasn’t there. His fellow officers told me he was down in the city

looking for me. I collapsed I couldn’t believe it; I still have not spoken to

either of my parents. I am not sure how long it was after, but I was told they

got in touch with my dad and that he was on his way back to the station. Again

I am not sure how much time passed but all of a sudden I heard “Christine” and

I knew it was my daddy. I ran towards him and jumped into his arms so hard that

he almost fell over. He grabbed me and collapsed to the floor, this big man who

I have never seen cry, was sobbing and repeating over and over again “thank

god, thank god”. He got me in touch with my mother who was so happy to hear my

voice, and for a split second made me feel like everything was going to be ok.

 

That’s when my dad told me he had to go back to the city. I clung to him begging him not to go to the

city. He told me it was ok, that all the stuff I heard about the ferry blowing

up and the rest of the city being blown up was not true. However there were

sooo many false reports, no one knew for sure what was true and what wasn’t.

 

My dad got a friend to pick up Teresa and me and drove us to my father’s then girlfriend’s house in

Brooklyn where we were to stay the night. When I got there all I did was call

all my friends to make sure they were ok. I knew my mom was ok, my sister, and

my dad were all ok, but what about my friends? I got in touch with Josette, she

didn’t make it to school that day she was running late so she was safe at home

but still petrified because she didn’t know if all of us were gone. I called

Tiffany who walked all the way home which was far. She told me as she was

coming out of the trains to go to school she heard the bodies hitting the

ground. I can’t imagine that. I think that has to be the worst thing ever. I

called my friend Melanie; she didn’t say much, I think she was in shock. From

where I was in Brooklyn my friend Kerri didn’t live far, so me and Teresa

decided to go walk over. I saw Kerri but we kind of just stood there not saying

much. Kerri actually doesn’t remember me even being there, she was in a lot of

shock.

 

I went to bed that night thinking what the world would be like the next day, is this the end of

the world, if it isn’t the end of the world what is going to happen? What about

my school? How are we going to get through this?

 

The next morning I finally made it back home to Staten Island. My high school was going to be closed for

six months. One of the engines of the plane had actually fallen on top of the

roof. Our building was turned into a morgue and my classmates and teachers had

to relocate to another high school for the time being.

 

When we were finally allowed back into our school, six months later, and the area still looked like

a war zone. There were these marines, soldiers, police officers all holding

these huge machine guns and they stopped you at almost every block to ask for

identification and if you didn’t have it you weren’t allowed to continue

walking.

 

This was our new way of life. I couldn’t believe it and I still, ten years later,

don’t accept it. I wondered why these people, the terrorists, hate us so much. How

could they take away our sense of security?

 

As time went on, life got back to normal. I finished high school started college

and then in 2008 I got that phone call from dad. That phone call that many

people who stayed at ground zero the months following the attacks had to make.

My dad told me he had these three big lumps in his stomach and the doctor’s think

it could be cancer from working at ground zero for so long.

 

I couldn’t believe it. I said to him “Great, just great! I didn’t lose you that

day but now we don’t know if were losing you now!” He went to the doctor and

the results came back and it wasn’t cancer. They were tumors but they weren’t

cancerous. Thank God.

 

Fast forward to September 11, 2011, here I am at 25 years old. Ten years later and I

just want people to know that if you look at me you wouldn’t know that I suffer

horrible nightmares every once in a while where I jump out of my sleep crying

because I just dreamt I was on one of the planes, or just dreaming about that

day all over again. I want people to know that when I’m on the train, I hold my

breathe sometimes because I’m petrified, when I drive by an airport or get on a

plane my heart is racing and I start to shake. Please know that if the dairy

section in the supermarket is off a little bit, the smell will bring me right

back to that day. When the news speaks of an impending terrorist attack and I

seem distant or sort of nervous it’s not because I am trying to be

overdramatic, it is just because I already know what can happen in the event of

another attack.

 

I know that my children, your children, our grandchildren, will ask us questions

about this day. Some of us might be invited to speak about our experience, but

might be ashamed to do it out of fear that no one will understand why we had to

stop speaking because we can’t stop crying. Some of us might hide our emotions

because “Hey its 10 years later, get over it”, but deep down inside we are

falling apart.

 

Do these things make me weak? Do they make us weak? No, and I know I am not the only one who has these side

effects. I live my life and normally almost every day I’m fine, but when

September 1st comes my world turns dark and gray for a little

while. Trust me there are way more good

days then bad days, but when there are bad days I just know I’m not alone.

 

I love my family, my boyfriend, and my friends, and this right here is dedicated to them. Yes it

has been ten years, yes I am 25 now, yes I live in North Carolina now, but no I

will never forget, I won’t let this tragic day stop me, but I will never

forget.

I also want to dedicate this to my fellow classmates, teachers, and to my

principle, who lost her sister that day but still made sure all of us, “her

kids”, got to safety, she is a true hero.

 

I want my classmates to know that even if we aren’t friends or even speak anymore that we do unfortunately

share a bond that most people will never know. I have heard or have seen how

far all of us have come and I believe that is because we are all strong. It is

amazing how most of us have turned out and how we overcame such a horrific event

at such an impressionable young age.

 

I want my teachers to know that I thank you. Thank you for not allowing us to live in that moment and

forcing us to get back to a normal routine with classwork, tests, and homework.

I want to thank my principle who made sure she was there for us, for being the

strong leader that we needed her to be.

 

Thank you to my best friends who were there that day and who have been here every day since

then.

 

Thank you to my family for not allowing me to fall apart. Thank you for also getting back into a normal routine with the punishments when deserved, the parental advice, the not “babying” me, and thank

you for allowing me to cry to you even 2,7,10 years later. "

 

 

If you read this whole thing...thank you for reading my experiance.

I will never forget and thank you to all those who serve to protect us whether you are military, emt, nurses, police, firefighter, volunteer, etc...

[bluehenfan]

Sorry for being so long winded but after posting, I remembered we took a private tour in St Thomas on the cruise after 9/11. Our guide was an older gentleman and he couldn't wait to tell us how almost all of St Thomas' residents had taken up a collection to send to NYC for the families who had lost loved ones . I remember he made a comment. He said, " those 3 planes may have crashed in the United States, but it was an act of cowardly terrorism towards the entire free world.... and they will pay for it !!"

On a lighter note, airports everywhere were trying to step up security and there was a lot of confusion. We bought sandwiches in a shop in the airport. The sandwich was huge and we asked the counter person for a plastic knife to cut it in half. We were told all plastic knives had been removed from all the restaurants in the airport. On our return flight from Orlando airport there was extra security at the xray machines. They were confiscating all kinds of things including hair clips ,tweezers, etc. I noticed they took nail clippers from an elderly woman ahead of us in line. Unknown to me, my adult DD had 2 lg. glass bottles of rum in her backpack ! As the backpack went through the xray machine the girl running it said, "Oh ! I recognize those shapes ! You bought rum!".... that was it. She let my DD take the backpack with the rum and head to our gate. I remember thinking a broke bottle would be much more dangerous than a pair of nail clippers. ... I think changes were happening so fast airport staff was having trouble keeping up with them.

[tigercat]

Most of my family was up North (Ontario, Canada) going camping. We had stayed in a hotel the night before and were getting ready to go to the campground. We turned the TV on as we packed up and saw the first plane hit. We went downstairs to have breakfast and in the bar they had the big TV turned on so people could watch. We ate in the diningroom and would leave our food to quickly see what was happening. We had our 7 yr. old granddaughter with us so we didn't want to really let her see. We then went to my MIL's place and my husband, son and my son in law went to get our trailer. My dd and I turned the TV on to watch as my granddaughter was out on the porch. My mil said she didn't need to see that and turned the TV off. I was so pissed.

At the campground later that night we ran into a father and his 2 sons and asked them what they thought. They had no idea as they had been out fishing all day. It turned out they were army reservists. They were frantic to get back to the States but we had to tell them that they wouldn't be getting across until at least another day or two as they had closed the border. I have always wondered what happened to them.

I just recall the horror of the whole thing. There were a couple of planes that were grounded in the city. And the hotel that we vacated opened their doors for the people that were stranded..\

tigercat

[ltcal94]

At the time of the attacks , I was working as an aircraft engineer for United Airlines working in the Indianapolis Maintenance Center. Just before 9AM we heard that an aircraft had crashed into the WTC and the first reports were that it was a small aircraft.

 

About 20 minutes later , I got a call from my colleague asking if I had heard if it one of our aircraft had crashed. Information was sketchy and I started checking the aircraft numbers of all the aircraft for the fleet I worked (AIRBUS) through our maintenance system . All the aircraft checked out and I called my colleague to let him know all of our AIRBUS planes were accounted for. About 5 minutes later we found out it was a 767 operating UAL 175.

 

We we went down to the main auditorium and stated watching the CNN feed. Shortly afterwards we saw the collapse of the south tower of the World Trade Center. Obviously , the rest is history. We immediately started to work on recovery plans for the aircraft and to see if there was anything we could do for the passengers on diverted aircraft as we were starting to get aircraft landing at the airport when the airspace was closed.

 

A couple of weeks later we started to work on design for the first modifications to prevent intrusion in the flight deck. We then had to modify all the aircraft in our fleet to incorporate these measures.

 

The world change that day and so did my company. At the time UAL employed 100, 000 employees and operated over 2,100 flights with over 200, 000 passengers a day. Right before they merged with Continental , there were only about 40,000 employees a reduction of 60,000.

[falkcor]

O.K. I am posting my story. It is very long and detailed.

 

i am going to read it now, but as it is long an detailed, just wanted to thank you for your insight before i do... just in case :)

[CruiseHealing]

That morning I was in NYC heading to Long island for meetings. I never saw the first plane hit, but I was locked onto the events that followed. I knew instantly from the scene of the first tower burning that this was not an accident. At that time I lived in Valley Forge. It took a bit of work and luck to leave around 4 am the next morning to head home. One of my strongest memories was being on a bridge with no traffic. I could hear fighter jets overhead, but that was the only sound. I got home around 6:30 am, and myself and DW just held each other for many minutes shaking. DD, which was 7 at the time was still a sleep in our bed because she was scared. My wife told me that my son ran home from the bus to see if I was still alive. I hate thinking about those two days, but " I WILL NEVER FORGET"!

 

There is a lot more that happened that I care not to share. But to my surprise, a month later I was back in NYC and got caught up in the middle of an anthrax scare. So following these incidents, we were relocated to Florida.

[CalaDragonflyLady]

I was sobbing, and feeling bad for a friend, whose birthday is that day. I knew she would always remember such a horrible thing happened on her birthday......

[falkcor]

If you read this whole thing...thank you for reading my experiance.

I will never forget and thank you to all those who serve to protect us whether you are military, emt, nurses, police, firefighter, volunteer, etc...

 

i read this whole thing, and it is one of the most gripping commentaries that i have ever read.

 

i have the history channel on with 201 minutes that changed the world. you lived that. it is incredible, and i thank you for your insight.

 

there were times i understood your situation entirely, and tears welled up...

 

We walked to the bridge and as we were walking towards Brooklyn, all of the police and firemen that were on their way into the city, were waving flags out of their vehicles. They shouted “We’re going to be ok”, “God bless America”, and holding their thumbs up. Still to this day it gives me the chills when I think about it.

 

I still have not gotten in touch with either one and they both thought I was dead. My poor mother was standing on 73rd and 3rd hugging a stranger

 

I remember once we got to Fulton Street, I asked this man who had walked with us all this way what his name was and he said “My name is Ed, that’s all you need to know, and I will always be here for you”. I swear to God he was my guardian angel.

 

I ran towards him and jumped into his arms so hard that he almost fell over. He grabbed me and collapsed to the floor, this big man who I have never seen cry, was sobbing and repeating over and over again “thank god, thank god”. He got me in touch with my mother who was so happy to hear my voice, and for a split second made me feel like everything was going to be ok.

 

this is fantastic and thank you so much for sharing.

 

in fact, i'd like to share it with a few of my friends if that's ok with you.

 

thank you for your insight, it is enlightening in granting a glimpse into what so happened from your perspective, and makes it all that much more 'real' and devastating. thank you again.

[lucky13elec]

I was working in a homeowners home. Our painting contractor came in and told me to turn on the TV. I asked why?? I said I can't turn on their TV its against the rules. He insisted I turn the TV on I asked what channel. "It doesn't matter" he said in a way that gave me a shiver.

I live right outside DC. My son works at the Pentagon, he was safe but John Chada the Lt. Gov. of the Manassas Moose lodge lost his life that day. He was away from his desk at the wrong place at the very wrong time.

NEVER FORGET

[CBCGirl]

I was a freshman in college 12 hours away from my family. I didn't know anything about it until I went to my first class of the morning and everyone was watching the news on the projector screens in all of the classrooms.

[prad]

I was on the Triumph! day at see, thought it was a dream. John Heald was the cruise director and he did a great job, I was part of the fun stuff that he does with the passengers up on stage, I guess I was the real Freddie (Fun Ship), my real name :)

[DiamondBill102]

I live and work in Queens NY...My wife works in Manhattan. 11 years ago today started off like any other...I drove my wife to the train station. As I was getting out of the car I heard about the first plane hitting the tower. I assumed it was a small aircraft or news chopper. Gave my wife a kiss and off to the train she went. I walked the two blocks to my job and when I got in my boss asked if I heard what happened. I told him yeah I heard a plane hit the tower....he told me not ONE but TWO planes it the tower. With that I knew it was no accident. I ran to the train trying to get to my wife but she was already on the train.

 

I started calling her cell phone of course to no avail. By the time she got into the city all cell phones were not working...her office phones were out as well. I was not able to talk to her until around 4pm. At that point she started to walk from Manhattan over the 59ht street bridge where I was waiting for her on Queens Blvd.

 

I remember ever detail about that day....from watching in shock at my job to the school calling me telling me that they informed the school kids of what was happening to picking up my wife and watching thousands of people walk aimlessly over the bridge...sitting up for hours watching the same news footage over and over again.

[lucky13elec]

I live and work in Queens NY...My wife works in Manhattan. 11 years ago today started off like any other...I drove my wife to the train station. As I was getting out of the car I heard about the first plane hitting the tower. I assumed it was a small aircraft or news chopper. Gave my wife a kiss and off to the train she went. I walked the two blocks to my job and when I got in my boss asked if I heard what happened. I told him yeah I heard a plane hit the tower....he told me not ONE but TWO planes it the tower. With that I knew it was no accident. I ran to the train trying to get to my wife but she was already on the train.

 

I started calling her cell phone of course to no avail. By the time she got into the city all cell phones were not working...her office phones were out as well. I was not able to talk to her until around 4pm. At that point she started to walk from Manhattan over the 59ht street bridge where I was waiting for her on Queens Blvd.

 

I remember ever detail about that day....from watching in shock at my job to the school calling me telling me that they informed the school kids of what was happening to picking up my wife and watching thousands of people walk aimlessly over the bridge...sitting up for hours watching the same news footage over and over again.

 

 

Glad that this story had a happy ending. Bless you.

[silverfoxcruiser]

i read this whole thing, and it is one of the most gripping commentaries that i have ever read.

 

i have the history channel on with 201 minutes that changed the world. you lived that. it is incredible, and i thank you for your insight.

 

there were times i understood your situation entirely, and tears welled up...

.

I agree. Thank you so much for posting this memoir. Words fail me. Silver

[Blondilu]

acruisingpeach23: I am so moved I can't think of a thing to say except Thank You so much for sharing this with us.

[mamasue]

I was living in London UK, and had the afternoon off work.

I was in the gym, working out on a treadmill, watching the news on TV.

I thought the channel had changed to a movie.

Everybody stopped.... the TV.s volumes were turned up.... we thought we were watching a tragic accident...and were shocked.

Then the second plane hit, and there was silence in the gym, as everybody realised it was no accident.

 

My daughter and I were in NY the month before....on top of the WTC.

 

Just watching the TV coverage this week has brought home how it has affected more people's lives than the ones that tragically lost their lives and their families and friends on that day.

[caro1998]

acruisingpeach23: I am so moved I can't think of a thing to say except Thank You so much for sharing this with us.

<<<acruisingpeach23: I am so moved I can't think of a thing to say except Thank You so much for sharing this with us.>>>>

 

 

I was downtown too on 9-11. And I hope that one day I can be as brave as you by writing and reflecting on that day for myself; I am sure it helps tremendously. Thank you for sharing.

[acruisingpeach23]

i read this whole thing, and it is one of the most gripping commentaries that i have ever read.

 

i have the history channel on with 201 minutes that changed the world. you lived that. it is incredible, and i thank you for your insight.

 

there were times i understood your situation entirely, and tears welled up...

 

 

 

this is fantastic and thank you so much for sharing.

 

in fact, i'd like to share it with a few of my friends if that's ok with you.

 

thank you for your insight, it is enlightening in granting a glimpse into what so happened from your perspective, and makes it all that much more 'real' and devastating. thank you again.

 

Yes you may share it. I share my story with anyone who wants to hear it or in this case read it.

 

Thank you so much for the kind words and thank you for reading it.

[acruisingpeach23]

I agree. Thank you so much for posting this memoir. Words fail me. Silver

 

<<<acruisingpeach23: I am so moved I can't think of a thing to say except Thank You so much for sharing this with us.>>>>

 

 

I was downtown too on 9-11. And I hope that one day I can be as brave as you by writing and reflecting on that day for myself; I am sure it helps tremendously. Thank you for sharing.

 

 

Its not bravery, trust me. I did it because writing it down somewhere is my way of taking, i guess the weight of that day off of me and locking it away somewhere else. You will reflect when your ready. Thank you for reading my story, since you were downtown that day I know it could not have been easy for you.