I'll start with my story, for those of you who haven’t heard it yet. On September 11, 2001, I was sleeping in. I'd just finished taking the Texas bar exam. I had a new job at a law firm, but it hadn't started yet. So I slept! Or, at least, I did until my then-boyfriend (now husband) called and told me to turn on the TV. My main recollection of that morning is simple confusion and shock. At first, I thought the journalists were being really irresponsible. They were making it sound like a commercial plane had run into the World Trade Center, and I knew that couldn't be true. I watched the second plane hit, and finally figured it out (obviously). The rest of the day felt surreal as I did what so many of us did that day: I sat with tears in my eyes and watched events unfold on TV. I prayed for complete strangers, my fellow Americans, hoping they would be okay. The feeling that life had suddenly taken a surreal turn didn't go away for days or weeks. #NeverForget #ProudToBeAnAmerican
My remembrance is similar. I was working the night shift on the 10th and 11th. I left work about 6am. Got home eat something and crashed on the couch. The answering machine went off and it was my son. All he said was Dad if you wake up turn on the TV. Your not going to believe what you are going to see. When I did the news was talking about a plane hitting one of the towers. As I was watching it the second plane hit the other tower. I remember thinking my God this is no accident and the rest is tragic history. We can never forget and always honor the lives lost.
I'll never forget that morning. There was a message on the machine from a close friend, "Hey guys! I just saw that a plane flew into the Trade Center. Isn't that where Frank's sister works?" That was the beginning of a nightmare. Thousands of phone calls and emails later we got confirmation that my sister Sue was a victim. We were lucky enough to get her body back, cremate her and bury those ashes. How many people didn't. I got a chance to say good-bye when I participated in preaching her memorial service in front of my sister's two sons, my mom, and two remaining sisters.
I was in my last year of medical school and doing a clinic rotation in Orlando in OB GYN. That day I was working in a very busy clinic, seeing high risk pregnancies. The waiting room had a tv and I would go out and call for the next patient every 15-30 minutes. At one point someone in the waiting room pointed out the tv to everyone, saying a plane had accidentally hit a tower in NYC, another 30 minutes they announced another one had hit. By 10am, we all knew it was something big, probably terrorism. My supervisor told all of us to keep working, we had many women to care for and we couldn't break down or stop. When I got home that evening, my family and I were in shock; we knew the world had changed forever. I remember trying to buy an American flag that week; everything was sold out and the best I could find was a beach towel which I still have.
I was at a jobsite in south Dallas helping a colleague with a construction problem. The soil testing tech just pulled up and was sitting in his truck in what would become a parking lot. He suddenly got out and yelled "WE ARE AT WAR!" My friend and I rushed up to him to see what in the world he was talking about. On his truck radio reporters were talking about a plane hitting a World Trade Center Tower. We had a TV in the construction office so we hustled there. We got there just in time to turn the TV on and see the 2nd plane hit the Tower. Soon thereafter a plane hit the Pentagon. One of our young employees ran to the phone in a panic. His dad worked at the Pentagon. All day we were glued to the TV. Not much work happened. Our young colleague did not find out about his dad until late in the day. His dad had a dentist appointment, so he was not at work when it happened. Our nation came together with one purpose for a short time. Now one party supports the same kind of terrorists as the 9-11 terrorists verbally, legislatively, and financially. As hard as it is to believe, they have forgotten what happened on that day.
I was walking my two little dogs when a man pulled up down the block by one of those sidewalk newspaper boxes, got out with a strange look on his face and changed out the papers for new ones. From a distance, the paper on display behind glass had a large full-color picture of a beautiful yellow flower. When I got close enough, I saw it was a fireball engulfing one of the towers…
Thank you Tara. Your personal experience wasn't much different than mine or most Americans on that day. Disbelief, anger, sadness and patriotism were the emotions of that day and the following days. If ever during my lifetime, I sensed unity it was during that period of time.
God, how I wish that we could have kept that spirit alive and going. I have to believe that it's still there in our core and we need it desperately again.
My father, a WW2 veteran died on this date in 2003. I am so thankful that his dementia kept him from being aware of what happened on this day, 23 years ago.
Thank you Tara for everything you do for your readers. You are awesome.
Several years ago, I was judging Dallas area history students at the Bush Center. We got free admission to the library, which includes a 9/11 exhibit. I'd been recovering from a major operation (sometimes it IS brain surgery!) on 9/11/01. I watched it unfold live. But seeing the exhibit and hearing those stories again years later as I stood amongst twisted metal from the debris, all the emotions returned. Listen to a reel of phone made by the victims, if you get a chance.
Our [simple lives], here in America suddenly were not so simple after that day. As it was said, “This was another Pear Harbor,” for Americans!
If the date (September 11th) isn’t etched in your memory, there needs to be a revisiting of what freedom, means to your soul. “Wake up calls, are needed!
I think (too many Americans have let that day slip away from them! This fact, makes me sad, and maybe, just a little dismayed about, how my fellow (freedom seekers), go about their carefree lives.
I thank God for His Grace, which we have turned up our noses at today.
“I pray that as freedom rings, so does Wisdom in America.”
I walked into work in a Lafayette, Indiana hospital through a patient waiting area, where I saw on TV that a "small plane" had hit the World Trade Center. I was surprised, but didn't think too much about it (pilot must have had a stroke or heart attack?) Shortly after, when the second plane hit, I was really puzzled by how this could happen - twice??? The thought that we were under attack never even crossed my mind! Over the next hour, that reality became clear. My coworkers and I began paying close attention to what was happening, as one of my coworkers had a daughter living in New York City, not far from the Trade Center. Then a 3rd plane hit the Pentagon, the first tower collapsed, and we all know the rest. Anger coupled with bewilderment as to "how this could happen in the US?" were the main thoughts among us that morning.
I was driving into work rather than taking the bus because I was transporting a birthday cake for my boss at the bank wher I worked in downtown Seattle. I turned the radio on and was surprised to hear PeterJennings' voice announcing the attack instead of his usual evening news report. When I arrived at the office, it was strangely quiet as folks were setting up television sets in conference rooms so that we could follow the news that was available. We were expecting bank officials who had flown in the previous evening. When we found out that all flights had been grounded, we hosted them for the next few days as they went about business dealings that needed to be attended to. My significant other was just getting home from his night shift at a nearby naval base, so I called him to alert him about the attack. He had just gone to bed when he heard my phone message just before he received a message from the base to return to station. I lived next door to my parents and when I arrived home that evening, our whole family gathered at their house to mourn together and stood in awe as the skies were quiet in quite an eery manner. I sat with my father in their living room watching the news as this wonderful WWII veteran cried. My significant other checked in from the base to say that he didn't know when he would be able to be home as he was assisting officials in locking down the base. It wa truly a sad day, but I was thankful to have spent it with my loved ones and proud that my USNAvy significant other and Naval officer was able to pitch in and protect us.
I'll start with my story, for those of you who haven’t heard it yet. On September 11, 2001, I was sleeping in. I'd just finished taking the Texas bar exam. I had a new job at a law firm, but it hadn't started yet. So I slept! Or, at least, I did until my then-boyfriend (now husband) called and told me to turn on the TV. My main recollection of that morning is simple confusion and shock. At first, I thought the journalists were being really irresponsible. They were making it sound like a commercial plane had run into the World Trade Center, and I knew that couldn't be true. I watched the second plane hit, and finally figured it out (obviously). The rest of the day felt surreal as I did what so many of us did that day: I sat with tears in my eyes and watched events unfold on TV. I prayed for complete strangers, my fellow Americans, hoping they would be okay. The feeling that life had suddenly taken a surreal turn didn't go away for days or weeks. #NeverForget #ProudToBeAnAmerican
My remembrance is similar. I was working the night shift on the 10th and 11th. I left work about 6am. Got home eat something and crashed on the couch. The answering machine went off and it was my son. All he said was Dad if you wake up turn on the TV. Your not going to believe what you are going to see. When I did the news was talking about a plane hitting one of the towers. As I was watching it the second plane hit the other tower. I remember thinking my God this is no accident and the rest is tragic history. We can never forget and always honor the lives lost.
I was 18 and at work, moving a truck when I heard about a “small plane” hitting the tower.
By lunch we were all quiet. The quality guy and me looked at the clean blue sky. No trails as all the planes had been grounded.
Going home there were gas lines everywhere. No one was sure what was happening.
The US was united for awhile. That was nice.
I'll never forget that morning. There was a message on the machine from a close friend, "Hey guys! I just saw that a plane flew into the Trade Center. Isn't that where Frank's sister works?" That was the beginning of a nightmare. Thousands of phone calls and emails later we got confirmation that my sister Sue was a victim. We were lucky enough to get her body back, cremate her and bury those ashes. How many people didn't. I got a chance to say good-bye when I participated in preaching her memorial service in front of my sister's two sons, my mom, and two remaining sisters.
I'm so sorry for your loss, God bless.
God bless you and your family.
Prayers lifted.
So sorry for your loss. God Bless your family.
I was in my last year of medical school and doing a clinic rotation in Orlando in OB GYN. That day I was working in a very busy clinic, seeing high risk pregnancies. The waiting room had a tv and I would go out and call for the next patient every 15-30 minutes. At one point someone in the waiting room pointed out the tv to everyone, saying a plane had accidentally hit a tower in NYC, another 30 minutes they announced another one had hit. By 10am, we all knew it was something big, probably terrorism. My supervisor told all of us to keep working, we had many women to care for and we couldn't break down or stop. When I got home that evening, my family and I were in shock; we knew the world had changed forever. I remember trying to buy an American flag that week; everything was sold out and the best I could find was a beach towel which I still have.
My grandfather was a OBGYN!
Thank you for sharing! That is so awesome! I loved working in this field, and loved delivering babies. I actually went into psychiatry afterwards.
I was at a jobsite in south Dallas helping a colleague with a construction problem. The soil testing tech just pulled up and was sitting in his truck in what would become a parking lot. He suddenly got out and yelled "WE ARE AT WAR!" My friend and I rushed up to him to see what in the world he was talking about. On his truck radio reporters were talking about a plane hitting a World Trade Center Tower. We had a TV in the construction office so we hustled there. We got there just in time to turn the TV on and see the 2nd plane hit the Tower. Soon thereafter a plane hit the Pentagon. One of our young employees ran to the phone in a panic. His dad worked at the Pentagon. All day we were glued to the TV. Not much work happened. Our young colleague did not find out about his dad until late in the day. His dad had a dentist appointment, so he was not at work when it happened. Our nation came together with one purpose for a short time. Now one party supports the same kind of terrorists as the 9-11 terrorists verbally, legislatively, and financially. As hard as it is to believe, they have forgotten what happened on that day.
Never forget.
Never forget the people, families, and lives changed. Never forget that evil is real.
I was walking my two little dogs when a man pulled up down the block by one of those sidewalk newspaper boxes, got out with a strange look on his face and changed out the papers for new ones. From a distance, the paper on display behind glass had a large full-color picture of a beautiful yellow flower. When I got close enough, I saw it was a fireball engulfing one of the towers…
Thank you Tara. Your personal experience wasn't much different than mine or most Americans on that day. Disbelief, anger, sadness and patriotism were the emotions of that day and the following days. If ever during my lifetime, I sensed unity it was during that period of time.
God, how I wish that we could have kept that spirit alive and going. I have to believe that it's still there in our core and we need it desperately again.
My father, a WW2 veteran died on this date in 2003. I am so thankful that his dementia kept him from being aware of what happened on this day, 23 years ago.
Thank you Tara for everything you do for your readers. You are awesome.
Several years ago, I was judging Dallas area history students at the Bush Center. We got free admission to the library, which includes a 9/11 exhibit. I'd been recovering from a major operation (sometimes it IS brain surgery!) on 9/11/01. I watched it unfold live. But seeing the exhibit and hearing those stories again years later as I stood amongst twisted metal from the debris, all the emotions returned. Listen to a reel of phone made by the victims, if you get a chance.
Our [simple lives], here in America suddenly were not so simple after that day. As it was said, “This was another Pear Harbor,” for Americans!
If the date (September 11th) isn’t etched in your memory, there needs to be a revisiting of what freedom, means to your soul. “Wake up calls, are needed!
I think (too many Americans have let that day slip away from them! This fact, makes me sad, and maybe, just a little dismayed about, how my fellow (freedom seekers), go about their carefree lives.
I thank God for His Grace, which we have turned up our noses at today.
“I pray that as freedom rings, so does Wisdom in America.”
Never Forget 🇺🇸🙏
Thank you, Tara. God bless America! 🇺🇸✌️🇺🇸✌️🇺🇸
Lest we never forget!
I walked into work in a Lafayette, Indiana hospital through a patient waiting area, where I saw on TV that a "small plane" had hit the World Trade Center. I was surprised, but didn't think too much about it (pilot must have had a stroke or heart attack?) Shortly after, when the second plane hit, I was really puzzled by how this could happen - twice??? The thought that we were under attack never even crossed my mind! Over the next hour, that reality became clear. My coworkers and I began paying close attention to what was happening, as one of my coworkers had a daughter living in New York City, not far from the Trade Center. Then a 3rd plane hit the Pentagon, the first tower collapsed, and we all know the rest. Anger coupled with bewilderment as to "how this could happen in the US?" were the main thoughts among us that morning.
Never forget! We are still their enemy and they will try again. Our open borders are a serious danger!!!
I was driving into work rather than taking the bus because I was transporting a birthday cake for my boss at the bank wher I worked in downtown Seattle. I turned the radio on and was surprised to hear PeterJennings' voice announcing the attack instead of his usual evening news report. When I arrived at the office, it was strangely quiet as folks were setting up television sets in conference rooms so that we could follow the news that was available. We were expecting bank officials who had flown in the previous evening. When we found out that all flights had been grounded, we hosted them for the next few days as they went about business dealings that needed to be attended to. My significant other was just getting home from his night shift at a nearby naval base, so I called him to alert him about the attack. He had just gone to bed when he heard my phone message just before he received a message from the base to return to station. I lived next door to my parents and when I arrived home that evening, our whole family gathered at their house to mourn together and stood in awe as the skies were quiet in quite an eery manner. I sat with my father in their living room watching the news as this wonderful WWII veteran cried. My significant other checked in from the base to say that he didn't know when he would be able to be home as he was assisting officials in locking down the base. It wa truly a sad day, but I was thankful to have spent it with my loved ones and proud that my USNAvy significant other and Naval officer was able to pitch in and protect us.