9/11 experiences

[VicariousShaner]

So, with the recent anniversary of 9/11 it struck me that most of you have actually lived through this. As someone who was very tiny at the time I do not at all remember this, so I am curious to know your experiences with finding out about this.

 

Please no political arguments Kthanks.

[MasterDex]

It feels cheesy to say it but I remember the day like it was yesterday. During school, I heard the older kids talking intensely about something but paid it no heed. By lunchtime, they all had newspapers in their hands. That was most definitely not normal but still, I just went about my day oblivious to what had happened, the teachers said nothing but you could tell they knew and it wasn't until I was getting onto the bus to go home that I saw the frontpage of an evening newspaper with the picture of the second plane coming in. I can honestly say I was lost for words. The idea that New York was attacked in such a way made no sense to me.

 

Thinking back on it, I realise just how ignorant of the world I was back then.

Edited September 12, 2011 by MasterDex

[deanb]

Thinking back on it, I realise just how ignorant of the world I was back then.

I'm sure you're about the same age as me, making you 12 when it happened. I don't think anyone would expect a 12 year old to grasp the gravity of what was playing on their TV.

 

As for myself my mum was on holiday at the time so I was with my dad n step-mum. Basically came in from school and ended up sitting n watching the news. iirc when we got in only one of the towers had collapsed at that point, or neither had actually. Kinda foggy there. I knew at the time it was something big, nearly every channel showing it was a big sign of that. But I didn't really understand it.

 

My step-dad was recounting his memories of it last week. As I said they were on holiday, so he first heard of it while riding a camel. They came back to the hotel a bit later my mum went up to bed from headache and he went into the hotel's TV room n watched. He said at the time he was the only one in and he remembers getting a pint n watching. Next thing he knew, and many hours later, he turned around and there was dozens in the TV room with him and he had several glasses by his feet. He said it reminded him of Armageddon (Bruce Willis film, not the mythical end of days). If it wasn't the fact it was a news channel broadcasting it he'd have thought it was a film.

 

He said it's kind of our generations moon landing, how everyone knows where they were when we landed on the moon, it's kinda the same with where you were on 9/11.

[Luftwaffles]

I was pretty little at the time, and all I really remember of it was turning on the TV in the morning because I got up at like 6:00 and seeing the images on every single channel. Of course, being on PST time I tuned in before the 2nd plane hit the towers, but after the 1st so I kinda heard what was happening in between and all, trying to get the people out of the 2nd tower, etc.

 

I was young, though, so in all honesty I didn't really care about any of that and the scope of the disaster didn't hit me until they talked about it a little at school. As a kid, I didn't really care that 1,000 or more people were slowly dying, I wanted to know why there was no sports on ESPN, as bizarre as that sounds.

[Jaylew]

I made jokes about how "I'm seriously going to CRASH and BURN" due to everyone going into hysterics in my middle school.

 

Yeah, I was that guy.

 

Mind you, at the time, I only understood that it inevitably meant someone was going to be getting the star spangled banner shoved up their ass. It was only after I saw an entire nation of somewhat rational people allow themselves to be manipulated through abject fear that I felt true terror.

[Chewblaha]

I was in Journalism class. We had a television in there and we would watch the news on Thursdays and Fridays. Well this was a Tuesday. A teacher came in and asked ours to turn the news on. She did, and the only thing I remember the man saying was "Time to nuke some people."

 

That's when it all unraveled.

 

Some people say it's too soon to air the footage. I think it's necessary.

 

In a country where December 7th and June 6th go by without any recognition at times, there is a strong need to remind people of how single days could change the country if not the world, whether for better or worse.

 

We cannot forget days like that.

 

We must not forget.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Chewblaha

[CorgiShinobi]

I was 12, going on 13 in just ten days when it happened. This means I was in my first days of middle school, a time were you're in-between childhood and a young adulthood.

 

I was getting ready to go off to school when my parents were turning on all manner of media devices. I believe they first heard the news over the radio. Turning on the television, scanning more stations; it was a frantic morning that I wasn't initially capable of fully grasping. Honest, I thought it was some middle-aged conundrum I wasn't getting.

 

Once I arrived at school, everyone went to their respective homeroom class. We always watched this cheesy teen news television show that was prerecorded as it would air early on the eastern coast. Even before the newscast there were stirrings of what was going on, but much like anyone in the United States, we didn't know the full story.

 

How could we when it wasn't even over?

 

As we watched, it all began to sink in. This was a reality that only existed in films, right? America is strong and fortified, isn't it? Why? How? It was like being a small child comprehending death all over again. You didn't want to face it, but you witnessed it and there's never going to be a moment where it's effect leaves you.

 

As time has gone on, I know the nation has done well in recovering from those wounds. I wish people wouldn't joke about it, but there are those that heal from making light of it. I didn't lose anyone, but I knew others around me who did. Around this time, they couldn't help but remember it. It's a phantom to those whose lives were shattered, not simply altered. I would almost become irritated by their depression. I knew some actually would use it as an excuse to shrug on school work.

 

I wanted to, a few times, stand up and call into question what their loved one would say if they saw them (right then) depressed and putting off life so they could go feel sorry for themselves somewhere. Putting their life in neutral so they could fear the past and cry as if it were an annual ritual. It's one of the few times were I've felt cold, and I knew I didn't have much right to speak as I've never lost someone in such a horrific manner.

 

If there were one thing I wish all American citizens would retain from 9/11, it would be the unity we felt as an American people over this lose. For a little moment in time, we were the United States of America. Can I say there were some ill effects of it? Yes, as anyone of the Islamic faith could tell you. Still, there was a greater sense of unity than at any other time since I've walked this Earth for nearly 23 years.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Atomsk88

[VicariousShaner]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-20-2001/september-11--2001

 

Related, it's pretty unusual to see Jon act like this. Perhaps the first time I've seen him serious on his show.

[madbassman39]

I said to myself I wasn't going to really talk about my experiences during the event, being a young kid on the other side of the country. I was 14, and was scared, but more scared by the fact that I had no idea what it meant. As the years passed, I haven't really re-watched the videos of the attacks, for no real particular feeling that I need to. The feeling that I had watching it on the news before I went to school, going into the doughnut shop and seeing the buildings come down, it was indescribable. I've never felt so angry, scared, and sad at the same time before, or since really.

 

Today my brother found a video online of people in the same NYU dorm that he stayed at 2 years ago, as the attacks happened. The video was recording the first building smoking, and the girls in the dorm being scared. They saw things fall out of the building, and it was none other than people trying to prevent themselves from burning to death. Watching that all over again brought those feelings back. Then the second building was hit, and the girls recordings reaction was exactly how I was feeling.

 

I realized today why I don't watch those videos, because it brings me back to the same feelings that I felt that day, and you know what? I think people should see them. Not because they are terrible, or morbid, but it helps you experience the feeling that those of us felt watching it on the news from a safe distance. Videos like that will make history lessons real, it makes you understand what the subject matter means.

 

As a first generation American, I am proud to be part of this country, and accept anyone who wants to be part of it, and no amount of hate and brutality will make me feel any different.

 

I'm not a religious person, never really have been, but that night I silently prayed for those victims of that attack, just as I probably will tonight.

[UnstableArk]

That was the most confusing day of my life. It was the 2nd or 3rd day of school, can't remember the specifics. The first week at my new school and the 6th grade and I was 11, everything's confusing. Anyway, during lunch, I was just waiting in line for some my sandwich, until a lunch lady runs over and loudly whispers, "The North Tower just got hit." I had no idea what they were talking about, so I paid it no mind.

 

The rest of the day was so backwards, all the classes were scattered and all the teachers looked frantic. Not only that, dozens of kids were being called to go home. At the end of the day, there was still some panic, but I still paid it no mind. I met up with my brother, who said he was having a similar day. We waited by the bus stop nearby, like we always did, and noticed that not only were the buses not stopping for us, but each one was completely packed to the point where fitting another human was an impossibility. We gave up on waiting, so we walked home. I noticed some smoke off in the distance where Manhattan was, but again, I paid it no mind.

 

We lived too far to be considered walking distance, but not far enough that it was in range of a close enough subway station, which I could only imagine was also packed. Another weird moment was that there was a hospital on the route home.It normally gets tiny traffic, but that too was overflowing. Doctors and nurses were scattered every trying to get patients in and mobilizing ambulances.

 

But then the weirdest thing happened soon afterward: The streets were completely empty when we got closer to home. Never happened before, or since. When I got home, I only saw my sister leaning toward the radio. All the TV channels were scrambled, for obvious reasons, and only the radio was transmitting anything. That's when she explained what happened, and it still made no sense to me. I honestly didn't know what to think. I still don't know what to think, it all seemed too surreal to happen. So, we waited home until my parents arrived, then spent a very awkward, very terrifying night in silence.

 

We had the day off from school the day after. The day after that, we had to return, but my parents weren't able to drop my brother or I, so my sister walked us. The buses were still packed, and there were a lot of crossing guards everywhere, even outside our apartment building. Still, the very worst part of it all was the smell. For the entirety of that day, all we smelled was ash and smoke outside in the streets. A week later, was when we saw images of what happened. I kind of wished the reception would have never cleared. Those images and that damned smell will haunt me forever.

[Mal]

Its past the 11th but it can be talked about so here I go.

 

I have a dislike of bright, perfect weather days that is always on the back of my mind. It came from the times when my grandparents past on and well, 9/11. NYC on that day was beautiful. The sky seemed clear with no chance of doom and gloom. The day was normal, with me a 12 years old going to his second or 3rd day of school.

 

So yeah, boom. Lock down until school got out. The walk home was weird because... it was oddly quiet.

 

Well, I'm tired with moving on the tenth of 9/11. I'll leave you with this... with each passing year, I feel more and more emotional about it. Its really odd.

[Dee]

I believe I was 15 going on 16... My mom and I were driving from our new house to my old high school to get my year book. We were about 30 minutes out and listening to Howard Stern on the radio. When the first plane hit the tower, he mentioned it and we thought it might've been a joke. Unfortunately, it was not as it had been confirmed on several other radio stations. There was a pretty ominous feel the entire way there. After they had announced all flights regulated by the FCC to be grounded, the skies just felt...I dunno...vulnerably empty. At the high school, it was odd. No one said anything about what had happened, though I wasn't sure if they actually knew yet (probably did). In any case, when we made it back home we immediately turned on the television and woke my step brother. By then, we'd arrived back home in time to see the second tower collapse.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Dee

[Mr W Phallus]

I was only 9 at the time and I hardly remember it. I think they announced that it had happened in our morning assembly, I very much doubt I really grasped what was going on.

 

It's weird how an event that has pretty much defined our times can be all but completely lost from my memory, and yet at the same time it doesn't feel like 10 years have passed since then either.

[Hot Heart]

I was in sixth form at the time. I'd arrived back in the sixth form centre during lunch and saw everyone gathered around the TV (more people than usual and it wasn't on shitty VH1) and, I may have this wrong, but I think this was live before the second plane hit the WTC. I can almost remember the conversation I had with my best friend.

 

"Hey, what's going on?"

"A plane flew into the World Trade Centre in New York" (I seem to recall him mentioning one but it could have been two)

"What? By accident?"

(sarcasm) "Nooo, on purpose..."

 

Unfortunate thing to say but I never brought it up with him again. The whole thing was really quite shocking.

I remember July 7th over here being a pretty scary time too. The husband of a manager where I worked had been travelling in London that day so she was terrified. Fortunately, he was OK. Can't imagine what it would be like going through that.

[excel_excel]

I was 13 in Science class, at around 3.00pm over the announcement system the principal told us what happened. I just remember being in shock, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I still remember that weird feeling of just bewilderment and confusion, as I walked to the bus after school was over.

Edited September 12, 2011 by excel_excel

[VicariousShaner]

Wow guys, thank you all for sharing your stories in here. From what I have read, everyone here seems to have one kind of shared experience with this tragedy, and it was very informative to read each and every one of your experiences.

 

God bless.

[Connorrrr]

I was in school, eight years old.There was an assembly called where the local priest told us that there had been a plane crash in America, and that they weren't sure whether or not it was an accident yet... I can't remember much more other than that one line, how it might have been an accident. I remember finding it quite odd an "accident" of that magnitude could happen. Of course, I later found out the real situation but I never really understood what was going on, and at eight years of age living in far-away England, I was kinda disconnected from the whole ordeal.

 

That's not to say I didn't care, of course, it's just at that age, and being so far away, it's hard to feel connected. Thinking on it now, more mature and more understanding of what happened, why it happened and the consequences of it, I feel very different, but it's hard to put into words.

 

I think the video below explains how I felt and feel about it. It's a great video.

 

[Enervation]

I actually remember September 11th, 2001 fairly well.

 

I was nine years old at the time, and it was way early in the morning. I got up to start watching cartoons. Everyone else in the house was still asleep, so I thought it'd be nice before I got some cartoons in, since in a couple of hours I'd be heading to school. I turned on the TV at around 8 in the morning. It was on CNN; I contemplated reaching for the remote to change the channel, being simplistic in my drive to watch Buzz Lightyear that day, but after several seconds I decided against it.

 

There was a burning skyscraper on the TV.

 

Now, I thought to myself. Skyscrapers? A BIG one, on fire? That cannot be good. I sat and watched it all happen as my parents started to get up. They also saw what happened on the TV, but made no effort to shield me from it (which I am fairly thankful for). I asked my parents what happened, and they replied truthfully that they don't know. I listened intently to the newscaster as smoke billowed from the windows of the WTC. All I knew that day was that something big happened, and people died.

 

School still happened. Most of the other kids in my grade did not hear about it as school started. I thought about telling the other students about it, but the principal beat me to the punch as he conducted a school-wide assembly to inform my school of the incident.

[Strangelove]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

[Enervation]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

 

Probably not, and frankly I'd be very afraid if it was. Every country has their own damn problems to deal with, and America is no different.

[MasterDex]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

 

I'd hope so! 9/11 marks the day the world changed significantly. Although Americans were the most personally touched that day, there were many people of different nationalities in the WTC. But that's not all. 9/11 emboldened the terrorists and sent a wave of violence throughout the world. Once America was attacked, it was hard to choose anything other than retaliation. America is the stalwart of the west, whether we like it or not and America showing weakness or soft resolve could have caused even more problems. Basically, they could try to root the cancer out or let it fester. They chose the former and, whether the right decision or not, caused more bloodshed and strife, for many nations and nationalities. It should and will be remembered as a turning point in history. Thankfully, I believe some good is starting to come of it as civilians in countries controlled and crushed by despots are beginning to believe in the power of the people and are rising up to overthrow their outdated masters.

 

That's just my own reading on it however so take it with a grain of salt.

[Johnny]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

 

Probably not, and frankly I'd be very afraid if it was. Every country has their own damn problems to deal with, and America is no different.

 

It is, actually. Not so much because of how many people died as for the events that it in turn caused.

 

Besides, I think you're both underestimating how much american culture the rest of the western world imports.

[deanb]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

 

63 brits died, there's a memorial for it outside the US embassy in London. And pretty much everyone refers to it as 9/11, despite the fact in our own dating systems that's 9th November. It's not as big a deal as it is in the US, but it's certainly not ignored. Also most of the people responding to this thread aren't American.

 

I do doubt that you guys make much of 7/7 (we don't much either, even the day right after)

[Mr W Phallus]

Is it actually that big of a deal outside the US? Im seriously asking.

America has such a huge influence on the rest of the world that the fact the US makes such big deal out of it is enough to make it a big deal across the world.

 

Other than that, whilst it's easy to observe from a safe distance tragedies in other war-torn parts of the world, 9/11 shattered the illusion that we in the West were somehow safe from this kind of large scale violence.

[Battra92]

9/11 was tough for me. It's even tough for me to talk about today here on the 13th. Sorry if this is long and preachy and emotional but whatever.

 

September of 2011 was a tough month for me. I was taking two classes in college and one had a professor who never cared to explain things and just wanted to go outside and chainsmoke or ride his Harley. Since his class was also early in the morning I found myself snoozing in his class. I made it through Data Structures I (a class I'd later fail and retake) and then headed off to Forms of Speech. The teacher was a minute or two late to class and asked if we knew what happened. When no one knew she told us about how a plane must've accidentally hit the World Trade Center. We thought it must've been a horrific accident or something. We had no idea.

 

Class went on as normal and I went downstairs to the computer lab. I went to CNN, Fox News and every other news site I could think of. All their servers were down. My friend gave me updates over AIM before Google, Yahoo and others started mirroring the news sites to help ease the server strains. Eventually the picture became clearer and clearer and what I thought was a horrific accident became the defining example of evil. 9/11 was our Hitler, our Stalin or our Mao or Pol Pot. This was the most vivid portrait of the works of Satan that I had ever seen.

 

It was too much. I needed to do something, anything except watch the news feed! I found my way to the Internet Archive and started downloading classroom social guidance films from the 50s. I tried to escape into another time and for a little while it worked. for a little while to distract me I knew that I couldn't run from life forever. My parents picked me up from college (they had had a half day of work anyway) and took me home. I remember remarking at how beautiful it was. It was a warm and clear September morning. In fact, no one could ask for better weather.

 

I got home and the TV was on. I believe one of the towers had fallen by that point. When I saw the people choosing to jump to their deaths rather than perish in the flames I could take no more. I went to my bedroom and sat in bed and turned on my TV. There was no cable service but at that point I had a VCR and I believe a Dreamcast hooked up. I pushed play on the VCR as I had left a movie in there the previous night and figured I may as well watch something. The film was Buster Keaton's The General. Now normally I love this film but 9/11 was no day to watch a film featuring a war. When the scene where everyone goes to enlist it became frightfully clear that I may have to serve in the military. There could be a big draft like WW2. There could be a global war - who knew at that point? I turned off the TV and in my worry and uncertainty fell asleep hoping to awaken with this all as a bad dream.

 

I woke up that evening and the coverage was still going on but now the Pentagon had been hit and Flight 93 had crashed in Pennsylvania. The story had come out about how the passengers defied the hijackers and that the first counterattack to evil had occurred. I saw George W. Bush speaking on television reminding us all of Psalm 23. I thought at how powerless we as mere humans are and that there was a much higher power to life. I especially thought again of those lines "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

 

I remember praying a lot that night: praying for my family and friends; praying for those suffering in the attacks; praying for forgiveness of the evil fallen world that I live in and praying that others who wish to follow this evil that they might see the light and change course. I also prayed for justice although I admit I did not pray for mercy upon others. I confess to wishing vengeance of Fire and Brimstone upon the Palestinians who danced in the streets after the attack and praying that they may never gain any refuge in the Holy Land.

 

I went to work the next morning wondering how much of my world would change. What I didn't realize is just how much I had changed. While the event didn't directly affect me in that I had no friends or family killed on 9/11, I had to confront the very adult world of evil and to put away childish things. At one month shy of 19, I knew it was time to grow up and face the world as an adult. I suddenly gained an interest in politics and current events and never looked back.

 

On a side note, if anyone ever comes to Albany, NY please stop in at the New York State Museum (it's free) and see the amazing 9/11 exhibit. You remember then that it's not about a "national day of service" or about Michelle Obama urging you to clean up a park or something but to remember what happened on that very day. 9/11 showed us the evils that lurk in the hearts of men and yet it also showed us the angelic qualities of duty, bravery under adversity, self sacrifice for others and of the love man can have for their neighbor.

Edited September 13, 2011 by Battra92