I was absolutely stunned. I was freaked because I started thinking about the planning that went into this whole thing, and how long the planning must have gone on. I cried alot that day.
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TragicComedy |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was living in Northern California, and was headed to work at 630am when I heard about it on the radio. My initial thought was "No way". I sped to work, where the night shift guy had no idea what was going on. I turned the TV onto CNN, at which time my co-worker rushed home. I was at work alone all day, and watched as it all unfolded. My bosses called me every few hours making sure I was ok. I called my family, making sure they were ok. My bro-in-law told me how he had been on the phone with a broker in one of the towers when the plane hit. The guy said "I gotta go, there's something going on." My brother-in-law never heard from him again.
I was absolutely stunned. I was freaked because I started thinking about the planning that went into this whole thing, and how long the planning must have gone on. I cried alot that day. |
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Jefferios |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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On my way to school (on the bus) over the garbled intercom system that they use. "A Plane hit the world trade center!" was the message the bus driver told us.
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DanteAmore |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was at work. Usually we have a radio turned on to a news station and we heard the broadcasts. We had a small TV in the breakroom, but reception was terrible. We tried accessing both cnn.com and msnbc.com for info, both both sites kept crashing during the day due to the heavy traffic.
We have an Air National Guard squadron stationed at the local airport, and approx 10-11 AM a couple of F-16's took off in full afterburner headed someplace in a hurry. A couple of my co-workers are ex-military, and we discussed all the contingency plans that the gov't had in place for attacks like this. I have family members in NYC (no one lived or worked near the WTC), but my cousin was 9 months pregnant and due any day. I was afraid that she wouldn't be able to get an ambulance if she started to pop. Fortunately she held the kid in for another week until things calmed down. I couldn't wait to get home and see all the video footage that I had missed during the day. I didn't sleep for 3 days, just staying up all night watching the news. The most surreal image I remember was seeing Air Force One accompanied by a fighter escort. Just like a scene from a Tom Clancy novel. NEVER FORGET |
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Sassy Beach Girl |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was at work having my annual review with my boss. We were laughing and having a great time. I left his office to go to the kitchen when a co-worker told me about the first plane hitting. I thought it was just a small prop plane that got off course. I went into our kitchen to see what was happening and was there to see the second plane hit. My son was in preschool at the time and they made everyone come early to get their kids as they were closing for the day. I spent the rest of the afternoon in front of the TV. I couldn't walk away from it as horrible as it was. I think the worst part was watching those poor people jump out of the WTC windows. I just can't imagine how I could get to a place in my head that it would be okay to jume out of an 80 story window. God Bless them all!!!
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smartguy24 |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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Damn Canadian schools...this was an event that affected the entire world and yet they didn't tell us squat.
I didn't find out until I went to my grandparent's house for lunch. By that time both towers were burning. Then the first one fell...and then we got a call telling me I had a new baby cousin. |
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Sunshine8503 |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was just entering English class, I was a sophmore in high school then. The TV was on and all I saw was that the one plane hit. I thought it was an accident at first then after I sat down the second plane hit and realized that was no accident. It was horrible watching the second plane hit live then seeing both towers collapsing. The next day in all my classes we watched live coverage, The thing that got me the most when they were showing peoples loved ones crying holding up pictures of their loved one I wish we didn't watch it cause I was crying all day at school over that.
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AI2old2b1 |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was at work and my ex-hubby called from his home where he had the TV on, to tell me a plane had hit the WTC and while we were discussing it I kept trying to pull up something on the internet and of course, it was jammed. While he and I were talking abut how a plane must have gotten off course the second one hit. Then we knew we were under a terrorist attack.
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CatNamedRudy |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was at my desk at work listening to the radio. I still can't figure out why I was even listening to the radio because it's not something I normally do. I don't get very good reception at my desk.
The dj's said a plane hit the WTC and I thought "How the hell does a plane hit the WTC? It's not like it's difficult to see" Like a lot of people, I thought it was just a small cub piper or something. Then heard it was a commercial passenger jet. Then the second plane hit and we all converged in the conference room to watch the TV. I had a close friend living in New York at the time and was unsure exactly where his office was. I knew it wasn't at The Trade Center but didn't know how close it was. Called another friend and asked her if she had heard from him and she hadn't yet and couldn't get through on his cell. Fortunately, he was further uptown and was able to send out an email about 2 hours after the Towers fell to let everyone know he was ok. I was at Ground Zero yesterday. Still an extremely emotional visit although I've been there several times in the last 5 years. It does anger me that it remains a big hole in the ground. They need to build something there and stop with the political wrangling. |
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rudyknowsbest |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I used to set the timer on my TV as an alarm clock. When the TV came on to get me up for work, this is what I awoke too.
I was still half asleep and pretty stunned. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. When I got to UW-Milwaukee, everyone was gathered around the TV sets, crying... It was one of the most emotional days ever. |
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sugarbear76 |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was getting ready for work...i was either working a 10-6 or 11-7 shift. My bro comes to my doorway and says a plane hit the WTC. My first thought was WTF...what jackass who just got his licence flying his little putt putt plane, could miss a building that huge. Oddly enough that week i remember in the news there was 1 or 2 occasions where inexperienced pilots had to make emergency landings on highways. So i walk over to the tv and they have a close up of the wtc and still i thought small plane...a few dead...they will be able to put the fire out. You forget how huge those building were. I visited it once as a kid many years ago and i just remember that the elevator ride was loooooooooong. So i went back into my room and continued getting ready for work. Not too long after the dude on the radio said somethin about 2 planes. That when i kinda went numb. I ran back to the tv and just was in shock. All i could think of was how many people work in that building and how many must be dead. I wasnt truly freaked out until i heard about the pentagon...i was in the car by then on my way to work. Our building when into orange alert (i work for the phone company)....the subway was shut down. Pretty much for the rest of my shift we were all glued to the tv.
Last night they re aired the documentary of the 2 french filmakers who were making a movie about the life of a rookie fireman on cbs...they were the ones who got the first plane hitting the wtc on film. They just happened to be out on a routine gas leak call a few blocks away. I can watch that and CNN reairing of their life coverage...but i cant watch flight 93 or any movie like that. I prefer the real thing. On a lighter note i was supposed to hook up with a dude and have nookie for the first time that day...thanks Osama blowing that for me. |
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APG |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I had called in sick to work and was sitting right here in front of my home computer (different computer, same spot). I got an e-mail from a friend who wanted to know what was going on because she couldn't get to any websites from work. All the news sites were down. There were conflicting reports about the Capital being hit, the White House, CIA headquarters. For the next few days, I kept expecting the other shoe to drop. That shoe is still up in the air--it's there.
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cindidindi76 |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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It was the middle of the afternoon and I had just gotten out of bed because I work nights. There was a message on my answering mschine from my mom telling me to call her. So I called and she asked "Did you turn the TV on?" "No." "Turn it on." I turned it on and they were showing just one4 of the towers smoking and I was like "WTF is going on?!?!" And then the second plane crashed. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was almost late for work that day, and then had to tell one of my supers about it because he didn't even have a TV. So we sat in the office and cried before the shift started. I have no desire to see any 9/11 movies or TV specials, because I still remember it like it just happened.
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Creeping Ivy |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was running late that morning. I got out of the shower, went in my room, and started getting ready for work and turned on the TV... and saw Tower 1 on fire. By the time I left for work, the second plane had hit Tower 2. I remember telling my parents that two planes had hit the World Trade Center as I ran out the door. On the train, I tried calling my parents at home and my sister, who worked at the Social Security building downtown, to see if either of them had heard anything. The cell lines were jammed. When I got off the train, the streets were quieter than usual and some places were already closing. On my way to work, I saw a lot of people leaving the building across the street from my office.
In the office, I heard that Tower 2 had fallen. Then we heard about the other flights and about the fall of Tower 1. I tried to call my BF in Baltimore on the cell to make sure he was okay and nothing had happened there, but the lines were still jammed. (I talked to him later - he was fine.) Nobody did much work that morning. My office was kiddy corner from City Hall, a block from the county building, and about 5 blocks from Sears Tower (we heard the terrorists might hit it too), so we were worried. One of my coworkers speculated that they might shut down the trains and we should leave right away. Finally, just before 11:00, the head honcho announced that the office was closed for the day. My sister's building was evacuated at about 10:35 -- they were told to drop what they were doing and leave. Downtown was turning into a ghost town -- all the stores were closed. The CTA had suspended fare collection. I went home and watched coverage all day on TV until 9:00, when I turned on Battlebots to watch something else before I went crazy. At the office, one of the attorneys went ahead with a deposition since everyone was there anyway. Another one stayed to work and made her secretary stay there with her. The secretary was very upset at having to stay downtown instead of being able to leave. The night before, I had flown back to Chicago from out of town. Our flight made an emergency landing in Pittsburgh because of an overheating light ballast in the back galley. I still think to this day, what if I had decided to come home a day later... or if the attacks had happened a day earlier... or if we weren't able to continue out of Pittsburgh that night... I'd have been stranded out of town. But I made it home. Another attorney at work wasn't so lucky. His flight from Paris was diverted to Newfoundland; he was stuck there for over a week. How were we to know that the previous weekend was the last "normal" weekend we would ever know. |
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TimmyTAR |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was in the 5th grade and in boring Social Studies class when we were informed about it. It was after the towers collapsed, so us little ones didn't have to see it. I think that was very wise for the school.
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chilibmom |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I was on my way to work and was driving by the Museum of Science and Industry when the first plane hit. I listen to talk radio on my to and from work. I heard the report from the hosts of the talk radio show when the first plane hit. They did not have clear information and I like so many others thought this was some horrible accident by a small plane. By the time I pulled up in front on my work, the second plane had hit. I knew then it was no accident. I went into to work and called my husband he was already at work and had not heard. He called me back just a few minutes later. Someone he works with was actually there near the WTC on business and was talking with someone else in the office as it had happened. That person remained on the phone and described what was happening for a long time and the office had put the call on loudspeaker while my husband's co-workers crowded into the office to listen.
I worried about my brother who is a fireman in the city of Chicago as I wondered if Chicago would suffer an attack as well on the Sears Tower. I did not have his cell phone number at my work. His wife is a school teacher and I could not call her to get his number. My husband called our children's school to ask if we should pick them up. Both schools said if we wanted to we could pick them up, but they suggested the children remain in school and we remain at work. At my work, the system's department turned on the TV so we could watch. I watched CNN on my computer in my office as I was crying. I also wanted to remain by the phone in case any of my family called. We were informed at work that any of us could leave early if they felt, but I stayed like many others. At the end of the day I honestly do not know how I drove home. Each year my memories bring back the incredible shock, hurt, and worry I felt. I know incredible hate spawned the attack. My prayers go to all who were affected by this attack. My prayers also go for peace and understanding in this world. |
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SurvivorRacer |
Re: where were you when you first heard about the attacks? | ||
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I had just gotten out of the shower getting ready for school when I turned on my TV in my bedroom. The first plane had already hit and my initial reaction was "It's just one of 'those accidents' that the news reports." Then right before I went out the door to finally get to school, I think I remember my mom screaming "Oh my God," when the second one hit.
I remember at school my P.E. teacher gave us a free period to just discuss it amongst ourselves. Me and some of the other guys, from anger, started saying, "Let's go bomb them freakin terrorists back." Some of the girls in class were crying. One of them even had an uncle who was in New York at the time. When I got back home that day, I remember my younger brother being scared asking me, "Is the world going to change? Is there gonna be terrorists walking down our streets?" It's interesting how we can often forget what we did yesterday, but when it comes to remembering 9/11, we remember every little detail. Thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their lives and to the families who lost loved ones that day, five years ago. Remember, remember, the 11th of September. |
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Bubba4life |
Testing | ||
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I distinctly remember that I was in college at that time. As I was on my way from cafetia, I noticed legion of students were watching TV. I pay no special
attentions on the teacher broke the new to us that we were "attacked." I was the only who show any expressions while others still do not understand
what is exactly going on. At that time, I don't think we all know.
A class later, a teacher came to us, informed that he did everything to contact his brother because that was the same plane he was SUPPOSED to be on. Fortunately, he missed the flight and managed to avoid the fate of death. He made it absolutely clear that that day will be our last day that we can truly enjoys our freedom. What really sucks about this college is that it is pretty much the only one that remains open during that day. |
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Shion is Queen |
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I was at an EconoLodge in a smallish suburb. As I was walking out to my car to leave, some guy shouted at me "OMG SOMEONE BOMBED THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER!" My first reaction was "Again?" Then my second reaction was "I wonder if they're talking about the one down the street from
here or the one in New York." Well, as I drove home, I passed the World Trade Center that was down the street, and it was fine, so my brilliant deductive
powers surmised that it must be the one in New York.
When I finally got home, I got online, but nobody was on. I quickly got bored and thought to myself "Ah, what the hell, I'll go check the news to see if the World Trade Center bombing is on it...doubt it though." Famous last words, I guess. |
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Edinboro |
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I was in 7th grade and I went to a really prestigous school .They didnt tell us at all. Our school principal came on the air at about 2:00pm and told us that
there was an event we would be going home to. It wasnt till I arrived home where I found out. Still a tragedy and I consider to be alon wit The RMS Titanic,
RMS Lusitania, and holocaust disasters to be the most terrbile events in the last 100 years.
But still Im glad that I was only 12 and didnt really fully understand it. Now at 20, I would be freaked out. I did my senior paper on United 93 and just reading on the bios of all 40 passengers they were truly remarkable human beings and advanced souls and came to this life to die in a way that would change the world. |
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AussieOriginal |
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From around the world our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have suffered from this terrible event.
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