where where you and what were you doing when you heard of the twin towers falling?

Answer 1

I live in California, and I had just turned on the television after getting out of the shower. CNN was reporting on the first plane to hit the towers. Although I was certainly concerned, I was not particularly shocked or alarmed, as I knew that airplanes had hit the Empire State building (and other skyscrapers) in the past.

But then, as I was ironing my clothes, it occurred to me that the previous cases of planes striking skyscrapers had taken place in heavy fog, but New York City skies that morning were clear and blue. Just as I was thinking, "We're being attacked," the second one hit. Now I was shocked.

I drove to school (I'm a teacher), and students came into my room, some asking questions, others crying. I turned on the radio for more news. We were instructed that day (by the administration) to continue on with our regular lessons (I guess the concern was that, if we discussed the events every period, the students would become over-wrought). But I spent the entire period in all six of my classes talking about the attacks, and about the history of terrorism. Since I'm a history teacher, that made sense to me.

I don't think the full effect of the attacks hit me until several days later. I had spent the days after the attack trying to help my students make sense of what had happened, and hadn't allowed myself to feel it. Then while driving home, I was listening to NPR when they did a story on the U.S. national anthem being played at Buckingham Palace (the first time a foreign national anthem had been played there). I had to pull over to the side of the road because I had started crying. I felt the pain and suffering that had already taken place, and knew the future held much more.

Answer 2

I am not proud of my answer, but it's the truth.

I live on the West Coast. I was sleeping. The alarm went off to the radio. I heard "explosion at the World Trade Center" and hit the snooze button. I thought they were talking about the bomb that went off in the 80's. I couldn't understand why they kept talking about it as I hit the snooze over and over.

I got dressed for work. My now-ex started yelling, "come see this." On the tv, I could see a tower on fire with a gaping hole. It looked like a movie. I couldn't process it. Then the tower fell. I sat down on the bed. Surreal.

My first instinct was unbelievable. I instantly thought: "George Bush is in a slump as president. He did this on purpose to influence people (because people confuse crisis-handling with greatness). He just killed thousands of people to increase his approval points." I can't believe I thought that. I blame my apolitical ex.

I drove into work stunned and glued to the radio. There was no traffic that morning. When I got to the school, we weren't sure if we would stay open. More than half the children didn't come in. We stayed open mainly to babysit the kids that were there, which was especially difficult for the teachers. They were emotional wrecks over it.

My co-worker cried. Her brother was in an apartment building in Manhattan. He could see everything and was giving her updates... that people were jumping. We were trying to get updates online, but the websites had too many hits and were crashing. I finally got onto the BBC page (in Britian).

My boss ended a tearful call with a colleague. Another colleague of theirs had received a goodbye call from his wife, a journalist, who was on board one of the doomed planes.

When I got home, my ex and friends were glued to the television. We watched for days in horror and disbeleif. We wished that Tony Blair was our president because he sounded strong and decisive. The television stations couldn't decide between Osama and Usama.

My roommate's aunt and uncle were trapped in Manhattan and couldn't get a flight home. They were going to go see the WTC that morning, but decided to sleep in instead. Thank God.

Answer 3

I am Romanian. Just woke up, eating my breakfast when I heard of the disaster, saw the second plane hit the twin tower full-frontal, witnessed the fall of the buildings...live (national TV) I was shocked!!!

Answer 4

I was working at a shop that fabricated material for motorcycle's at the time. And all work came to a halt; the hum of the machines were muted and everyone spent pretty much all of the day in the break room watching the television in awestruck disbelief.

Answer 5

At a training seminar in Bloomington, Illinois. Heard about the initial impact in the car on the way to same, listening to the Howard Stern show.

Answer 6

At work welding a press wheel yoke for a John Deere air seeder. One of the other welders came over and said one of the truckers told him about it. When I got home at noon I saw the news.
I had been out of the Guard for about a year at that time. I was in for 22 years. My old unit was activated shortly after the war started. Some of them came home in boxes. I was glad I had my time in but the hardest thing I ever did was watch those buses pull out with my buddies on them and I wasn't. Before that we were brothers but after they came back they were vets.

Answer 7

I was at school(college) at Aiken Tech. I was in the cafeteria area and I was watching on TV the latest breaking news and I'm thinking to myself what is going on here. Then I read on the news that it was terrorist attacks or you could say the suicide bombing. I was 100% totally shocked!!! I was thinking to myself how could this happen in the United States.

Answer 8

Geez, been awhile. I was stationed at Cannon AFB & I was still a Airmen. As much as I could be,was glued to the T.V. seeing events as they occured. Sorry, wasn't sure if I was in shock. Sorry, been too long ago to recall exactly how I fealt at the time.

Answer 9

I was asleep and my younger sister called me on the phone that morning. She was screaming,"Turn on the T.V."!! I did and thought I was watching a movie. I then saw that airliner slam into one of the towers.

Answer 10

I was driving to work listening to a morning show on the radio. I wasnt fully paying attention until the 2nd plane crashed......That is a day I will never forget.