What do you remember doing the moment you heard what happened 9/11/01?

Question

I know this question keeps popping up, but humor me. I was at work in an aluminum casting foundry. I was working on finishing and packing parts up on the tumbler (vibratory finish) machine. The parts were a bracket for bread machines. The CNC setup guy tapped me on the shoulder and said "A plane just crashed into the World Trade Center."
What's your story?

Answer 1

I was on my way to school(both my parents were on a buisness trip to New ,York), I was a senior in high school. When I got to school it was a normal Tuesday the broncos had won against the giants the past night during MNF. Around the start of 2nd bell though my science teacher had usually kept C-Span or CNN on the T.V. through most of the class and this time it was CNN (there was no volume). We were just taking notes and one kid looked up and said "Whats going on?". and we all looked up and the first plane had already crashed into tower 1 then like 15 Min. later the second plane crashed into tower 2. We all sat there in awe wondering if another one was going to hit. The school at this point just said to cancel the rest of the classes and we watched for the rest of the day, everyone was discussing it and the whole school stood in shock and disbelief. When I got home I turned on the T.V and watched til about 7:00 then me and my freinds gathered and discussed it. Then at about 9:30 I saw the answering machine there were 6 messages so I decided to play them The first one made me almost drop dead it was my mother, she was calling from her cell she was trapped in the top floors of the trade center (Tower 1) she died along with the building,her last words were I love you. My dad though he was in tower 2 he called from his cell phone and said his goodbyes he was on the 35th floor he made it out but when the tower collapsed it killed him. I lost both my parents that day and now I live with my grandparents life hasn't been the same without them.

I will never forget 9/11 and I know you wont either.

Answer 2

I was dropping my visual basics class at school when a man over the intercom announced they were not closing the school due to the terrorist attacks on NYC & DC. At that point I dropped all of my books and the papers went everywhere. I remember the chaos everyone scared of the unknown, no one knew what was happening, no one knew what to think or what to say, the women in the office ran around frantically looking for a radio.
I gathered my stuff then ran out into the hall to find a TV or radio when I saw a girl standing by the door screaming and crying on her cell phone, hysterical- her voice now a high pitched screeching sound “they flew a plane into the pentagon-my aunt is in there, I don't know if she's still alive, I've been calling over and over but the f****** lines are down, my aunt is in there..." I ran out the door to my car drove 85 mph home- on my 25 minute drive home I realized there were no police on the streets, and the sound of silence which I usually found pleasant was now unsettling. I slammed open my door and with it wide open I ran to the TV to see the footage of the planes flying into the towers-as the billowing clouds of smoke and debris turned the screens to gray. Watching the people screaming and running, I cried hysterically for hours until I couldn't physically cry anymore. In that one day I had seen the true extent of what man is capable of. The extent of evil man can posses, and the awe inspiring selfless acts of good that humans are capable of. A lot of people gave up all that they had that morning to save those they’d never met, and those they didn’t know- It was on that day I found true pride in being an American. People think Americans are selfish and arrogant, but on that day those normal people, normal Americans, when it mattered the most stood up to the terrorists, stood up in the face of death and selflessly gave the only thing they truly had on this planet, their lives.
I am proud of our people, and of this country. In a nation where we are so fortunate to have everything we’d ever want, it says something about us, that when it matters- we put each other first. My heart goes out to all of those who lost their loved ones that Sept. morning, we will never forget them.

Answer 3

I was in 6th grade at the time and I was in the middle of my typing class and my sub had been missing for quite some time and then he came back in and turned on the tv right away and the entire class watched the second plane crash. After that, the whole day was pretty much the same. Going to every class to watch the same footage over and over...It was mmm 3rd hour I think?

Answer 4

I had just woken up and was on my way to my first college class of the morning. There was a huge mob of people in the dorm lobby, watching TV...someone said a plane crashed into the World Trade Center, and in within the first few seconds of my watching it, the second plane hit...then I had to go to class. The prof wanted to talk about it, but said we had better wait until more info was available...so it was class as normal...(the only one of like, the whole next week.)

Answer 5

I was in Mr. Sexton's Advanced Bio class my Sophomore year and our principal ran in the class frantically screaming "We're under attack" not knowing he meant NYC we were a little freaked out thinking the school was under attack. But we quickly learned about the towers and the rest of school was speant talking about terroists and our history with the middle east and watching TV. Only one teacher made us continue with his lesson plan to have a some what 'Normal day'.

I had family near where the plane went down in Pennsylvania so a lot of my day was speant wondering but my family soon sent word that they were fine.

I had to go to marching band practice and we were at parade rest and we are not supposed to move for anything. my school was like 1 mile from the air port and planes were prohibited from the air if you remember, and a plane went right over head and we all looked up at it and the director made us run 3 laps for moving. Lol.

Answer 6

I was sleeping, so I didn't know anything had happened until the afternoon. When I went out in the taxi, it was the lack of noise that was most noticeable. No sounds of traffic, people, or life. You could hear the smallest bird singing, which is significant in a metropolitan like Kansas City. All was still, even quieter than an early Sunday Morning. To drive down the street, and head for midtown, and not to see another car the whole way. I went out in my taxi because I knew that people still needed to get around and there was people out at KCI who needed to be moved back into town to get rooms until they could travel again.

Answer 7

I had just returned home from the hospital when my husband and I turned on the news. We stood in horror as we watched the flames from the first attack and couldn't believe that another plane hit the second tower. I grew up in New York and I remember with pride the towers being built. To watch, as evil men deliberately chose to murder innocent people in such a cowardly way, was indescribable. We continue to pray for the families of all those who lost their lives that day. May God's presence be with you.

Answer 8

I was at home waiting to go to work on evening shift listening to John Boy and Billy on the radio. They said they had just heard something about a plane crashing into one of the towers. So I turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit the other tower. I called work and told them to turn on the TV, which we're not allowed to do on day shift. They called the boss and got permission to turn on the TV, and it stayed on for the next several days.

Answer 9

I was at home, woke up late, thus missing the actual incidents, although I live in Philadelphia, which is located between DC and NYC. I went to a local city park and there were a lot of people gathered as offices had closed. Some of my friends were acting if it was no big deal. I wonder how they felt afterwards but never brought it up.

Answer 10

I was working at Love Field Airport when a co-worker walked by and looked at me and said, "...They just flew a commercial liner into one of the Twin Towers...!" I smiled and said, "...Sure...!" I thought he was kidding me. I went up to my office and heard the TV down the hall and a couple of guys were watching it... I watched speechless and saw the 2nd fly into the other tower... I knew right then that this would be one of those unforgettable days like when I saw Kennedy shot on TV back in 1963. I was only 5 then... I wished I was with my wife and kids...