Where were you when you found out about 9/11?

Question

Who told you about it, what was your reaction and were you worried about anyone you knew?

Answer 1

I was on the Long Island Rail Road, a train that originated at Long beach, due to arrive New York Penn Station at 8:55. The train makes a slow turn to the left as it passes through Sunnyside, Queens, and as it does so, passengers on the left side of the train have a clear view of the World Trade Center. I liked to watch the morning sun reflecting off the Tower and that morning was no different except that at a quarter to nine a heavy jet flies into one of the towers, boom.

Other passengers declaim the 'accident.' I simply tell those who are listening that heavy jets don't fly like that, no how, no way, we're at war with someone, I just can't say who right now.

This went over like a lead balloon. I am called 'horrible,' 'warmonger,' and looks like unto daggers are abundant to the nth degree.

The train, of course, is stopped dead. This leaves us in the catbird seat when the second jet flies into the other tower, removing all doubt about 'accidents.'

I was worried about my brother, who worked next door at 3 World Financial Center, a close friend who lived three blocks from the WTC, and a colleague who worked on the 96th Floor.

As indicated, my reaction was an appreciation that the United States was at war, and that my employment situation was over-the-top screwed, since I had literally just negotiated a contract position at a big firm, largely on spec and good looks. Poof.

Answer 2

I was at home, I had worked a night shift and a someone called and told me to turn on the TV. I can't remember who. I turned on the TV and I was stunned. I wasn't worried about any one person, but I felt helpless. I was stunned for the country and knew it would never be completely the same. I was stunned for days. Even with time I guess when I think of it I still am.

Answer 3

I woke up to my radio alarm and they were talking about how these images would affect people. I listened for a while and couldn't make heads or tails of what I was hearing (What images? Affect who? How?), so I dragged myself out to the living room and switched on the TV. All the channels were showing smoky pictures of Manhattan ... I still couldn't fathom it: was the World Trade Center hidden in the smoke somehow?

And then they showed film of one of the towers burning and a plane flying past, except the second tower erupted into flame just as the plane passed it ... and then a second angle showed film of the plane flying right into the tower.

That second angle did it for me: I realized what had happened and screamed. It was the only time in my life - perhaps the only time for the rest of my life too - that I thought "Is this real? Am I awake?". I was physically stunned, and literally had to grab the counter to keep from collapsing.

When it went back to the live shot, it became clear to me that the Twin Towers had disintegrated and that they weren't hidden in all the smoke. A few minutes later, they started showing video and saying things like "If you look closely, you can see people jumping ... " and I shut the TV off. Literally, I hardly turned it back on for a couple of days ... it was just too much.

After the TV was off, I phoned two close friends and told them not to turn their TVs on. Neither listened; one became almost totally mesmerized/catatonic by the disaster and told me later that she wished she had listened to me. I lived on the West Coast, and knew few people in NYC, so I wasn't so worried about anyone directly, but more about how my sensitive friends might react to it all.

After the TV was off, I wrote an essay about how badly this attack had hurt me, which I e-mailed to my relatives. My family fought in the American Revolution, and for the North in the Civil War, and in Patton's army in WWII. To me, this was as if they had attacked my family directly.

Several times I have had phone calls that close relatives have died, but nothing comes close to the shock I felt that morning. It was the worst day of my life and will remain so until I hear that a member of my nuclear family has died. Even writing this, now, brought me to tears.

Answer 4

I was at work in my office. One of the employees had driven to town to pick up some parts that we needed. He was listening to the car radio on his way back to the business and heard that the first plane had hit. When he walked into my office, he told me that a plane had just hit the WTC.

We have a waiting room with a TV set. Both of us charged out, turned the TV on and within a few minutes, plane number two hit. OMG!!! That's when it was so obvious that the first plane was not an accident.

What a horrible day and one that I'll never forget.

Answer 5

I was home sick from work and sleeping on the couch in the family room. I heard the machine pick up and I heard my Mom's voice all panicky and shaky yelling for me to pick up the phone. I turned on the TV and sat there in disbelief. I saw it before the second plane hit and my first reaction was what a horrible accident. When the second plane hit that assumption flew out the window and I knew we'd been attacked.

Called my husband, he was already on his way home. I ran and picked my youngest stepson from school and he stopped to get our oldest. We all gathered at my Mom's house and watched the story unfold. We went to get the kids because at the time we were living in Chicago and in all the confusion the media kept saying they thought maybe there was a plane heading for the Sears Tower. We didn't know anyone in New York City. But my husband's boss's daughter works at the Pentagon and we didn't find out if she was okay for quite a long time.

Still makes tears come to my eyes when I think of that day, I think it always will.

Answer 6

At home watching it unfold on the Telly. My reaction was stun I could not believe that it happened in NY. It happens every day for the last 30 years in parts of Europe - but not here. I was worried about hundreds and hundreds of friends working there and was glad I was Working in Washington DC. Selfish but true - I was flabbergasted amazed disgusted and hurting and crying for all those wonderful people and my friends there. I hope George Bush gets all the terrorists.

Answer 7

I was at work when about 5 or so in the morning (Bay City, Oregon) my co-worker said that a plane had hit the building..I thought it was a small passenger plane. it wasnt until I came home and saw the smoking buildings did I really know what was going on. I was also listening to Howard Stern.....it was very creepy the switch in mood....was very dramatic

Answer 8

I was at work. When I heard about it and later saw it happen on tv, I was worried about my daughter who worked in Manhattan. I also have a cousin whose apt is four blocks from the WTC. Her husband was one of those running from that dust cloud when the towers collapsed.

Answer 9

Notice how everyone (except one) was shocked and angry. I was too. I spent the day pacing my business wishing I was still in the Marines. I wanted to kill OBL myself and if I could have, I'd have played in his blood. Yes I know to the common man/woman it's gross but you don't know how mad I was and still am.

I noticed there was no one who praised it that answered your question. This proves that all these people who do this on these boards are just trolls.

Answer 10

In my 8th grade band class. The principal came over the PA system and announced it. I was incredulous, I just kind of thought the whole thing was a dream.