911, Seven Years Ago

[RickQuann]

Everyone remembers the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It's a moment in time integrated into our collective memory, a day that stands out in our lives.

If you are old enough, you probably remember what you were doing when JFK was assassinated, or when the space shuttle Challenger blew up after a brief flight of one minute. Each of these events were sudden, dramatic and thrust upon us unexpectedly. These events struck without warning and for most of us, the experience can be characterized by feelings of loss, shock, mourning or anger.

So .. where were you on September 11 or what were you doing when you heard the news?

For me; a backpacking trip with a friends. We were camping in the Grand Teton National Park, just outside of Jackson Hole, WY.



We were sitting around drinking coffee when a young hiker walked into our camp. After introductions, she told us about a accident in New York City. Details were sketchy, but she told us a plane had crashed into a skyscraper.

I remember saying "this has happened before and it was a military plane"

Not sure why but we assumed it was a small civilian plane and the accident was caused by pilot error, incompetent navigation or perhaps visibility problems like fog.

After a few minutes, she bid farewell and continued her hike up the mountain. We broke camp, packed our gear and started our downhill trek.

Thirty minutes later we encountered another group of hikers who knew more of the details; the plane was a large passenger jet and it had crashed into one of the Trade Center Towers.

As we continued down the mountain, each person we met along the trail knew a little more of the story and we soon realized that multiple plane crashes were no accident.

By the time we reached the trailhead, we knew about the towers collapsing and pentagon attack.

We stayed in Jackson for several more days. Like billions of others around the world, we spent a couple of days transfixed by the images on the TV. We eventually drove back to Virginia when it became apparent we would be unable to fly home. I remember thinking how lucky we were to be driving home when so many could not.

[L02314564]

I remember clearly what I was doing when the towers fell because Sep 11 is my birthday.

A custom in my family was always to do or see something special on our birthdays. The year before, I had taken my children to Washington, DC to see the Smithsonian. They really enjoyed the trips we took as there was always something exciting they could share with their classmates when they returned to school.

For my birthday, Sep 11, my children had decided that they wanted to go to the World Trade Center to look out over NY from the observation deck. I had arranged with an acquantaince for us to get a tour of the towers. The tour was going to take us to the places few get to see. Needless to say, my children were exceptionally excited to be going.

Unfortunately (really it is fortunate), the night before, my company decided to send me to Buffalo to handle an emergency. I headed out at 11pm on Sep 10, to get to Buffalo. My friend said that if we got to the WTC by 11am, on Sep 11, we could still do the tour. I was exhausted, but I got back to Albany early enough to pickup the kids and head down to the city. We were on the Tappan Zee bridge when we heard on the radio that one of the towers had been hit by an airplane. By the time we got to the city, the 1st tower had collapsed! It was truly a nightmare for us. Had it not been for my company sending me out to Buffalo that night, we would certainly have perished.

[AboardIndigo]

I was at work. The days all blend together, so I can't remember any more detail than that.

[cardiacpaul]

I was 4 years old when I remember my mother standing in front of our B&W TV and just crying. I don't remember much else, other than seeing what I know now was Walter Cronkite.

on 9/11, I was giving blood. (scheduled)(3 yrs before cardiac "events").
I was an apheresis donor, as well as "regular", membner of the 5 gallon club. My blood type is AB+.
There was some movie on, another donor came in, and turned the channel, we watch in muted silence as the details became apparent.

[ReverendMike]

I was a shipping manager in central CT. I had number of delivery drivers scheduled for LI that day. I spent the day fielding calls from them, listening to their discriptions, and figuring out which ones would be able to get home that night. Thankfully some of the bastards () left late that morning and never got across the bridges. I think only one guy ended up in a hotel that night.

[sailingdog]

I was living in No. VA and working in WDC at the time... Had been out in Herndon, VA and headed back to DC when all the highways got shut down by the State Police... called in and ended up working from home that morning...

[Freesail99]

I don't recall why, but I was home that morning and a friend called me and told me to turn on the TV. I watched not sure what was happening as the first plane had struck the tower. Two other things I remember was another friends phone call telling me his son was at work in the world trade center. His son was never found. He was extremely upset. The other thing I remember was a girl friend I had dated that was in Russia called me, to see if I was safe. I have never watched any movie or news coverage of what happened that day, since the day it happened.

[BluewaterBruce]

I was working on an IT merger for a Bank in Mpls, the DOD had offices on the 2nd floor - the building was evacuated and we were sent home. The roads were very busy for mid morning-day, there were no smiles on the drivers face's as they passed me by - everyone was quite unsettled.

I put together a little 911 website just after the attack, it contains personal commentary and newsworthy articles and jokes etc from that time:

September 11th, 2001