9/11! Rememberance, looking back 5 years ago

[sparks19]

yes - I meant them all.

If, buts and who's who, who dun it and all that - I was just sparing a thought for the innocents that died in the result of this so called "war".

This is not the correct thread for pointing the blame, and I'm sure we COULD get into a lovely debate about it - but there IS a time and a place for everything.

Whoa Whoa Whoa. i am not placing blame on anyone. I am not trying to debate ANYTHING.

My point is that I think we should spare a thought for the whole world. the Aussies are losing people, the Canadians are losing people, the US and UK are losing LOTS of people. All the innocents that have died between now and then. the world has lost A LOT of people. But the best thing we can do for those that we have lost is to stand tall and eliminate this threat for everyone.

Something has died in all of us. After 9/11 we will never be the same. Spare a thought for the families that have lost loved ones. spare a thought for those that narrowly escaped with just injuries.

I mourn the whole world today.


forgive the lack of clarity in my posts. i just got out of bed

 

[smkie]

I had just walked into GG's kitchen, tired, and grumpy and worn out when she said.."Have you seen what happened?" and when i said no she pointed to the tv. I walked out into a world that looked different to me. I don't know anyone else that thought "well this is it" as i did. I heard about people going to extremes, but around me life went on as always. Except for the television of days and days of repeated airing that you couldn't not watch no matter how hard you tried. Now those families have gone on, changed forever more, their children old enough to ask questions. I have no idea how they handle the answers. I can't believe it has been five years. I was just shocked when i heard that.

 

[Zoom]

I also remember freaking out about the people I knew who were directly affected by the attacks, a good friend of mine was a new EMT in NYC and I couldn't get ahold of her to ask if she was ok because the cell towers were gone. She was, it just took a while for an email to get through. Since she was so new, she wasn't allowed to be a first responder, which probably saved her life.

A very good friend of mine who was in the Army was doing a TOD in Saudi Arabia and I was flipping out about him, wondering just how big of a coordinated attack this was and if there were more stages to be initiated. He also turned out to be fine, though he was very, very ansty.

My best friend Lizzo was freaking out over her dad, because he works across the street from the Pentegon for the DEA and she was having trouble getting ahold of him. Luckily he turned out to be fine as well.

 

[sparks19]

Wow Zoom. I couldn't imagine the feeling

I did not know anyone directly involved in 9/11. I don't know if I could have handled that. I think I would have just cracked .

I am glad the ones close to you turned out to be safe

 

[Whisper]

Wow. . .I can't believe that September 11th was 5 years ago today.

 

[fastpitchchic]

I was always proud to serve my country in the military. But after 9/11 I couldn't have been more proud to serve. 9/11 effected the world. Our country showed the strength and resolve that we have to overcome the worst.

 

[Angel Chicken]

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was my first year of high school.

I had English I first period, then a 15 minute break before second. While I was at break, I heard someone talking about a plane hitting the WTC. Everyone thought it was just an accident.

Second period was AFJROTC (Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps). Anyone who knows about ROTC, knows that usually retired service men are the ones who teaches the class. Well, we had Colonel Denny.

I came in just after the second plane hit the other tower. We watched the news coverage as it went on, and I remembered I looked back at Colonel Denny, who I looked up to, and saw him crying. I consoled him and he just said "How could someone do this to such a great country?".

Then, we heard about the Pentagon. Going to thrid period, I notice my Earth Science teacher is frantic, calling someone about every 5 minutes. She told us her sister worked at the Pentagon, and she couldn't get ahold of her. We found out later that day that her sister was near the Pentagon, and watched that last plane hit it.

AFJROTC held a memorial service that next day for those lost in the attacks, and I remember how proud I was to be wearing that uniform, and glad to be apart of such a great country, that came together to help out in everything. I was damned proud. I cried silent tears when they played "Proud to Be An American".

I'll never forget that day, and the tears that were shed, and the lives that were taken. It is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

 

[IcePrincesss17]

I remember 9/11 like it was yesterday as well. I was in my Sophmore year of college, and in the shower. When I got back in the room my roomate told me my cellphone was ringing off the hook, I checked it and had 48 missed calls, all from my mom. I was in Albany, NY, the capital of the State, and she was freaking out because she didn't know if anything was going to happen here.

I had no idea what was going on, so I called her back and she was crying and hysterical and all she could manage to get out was are you okay and turn on the tv. I turned it on and watched the 2nd plane hit. I watched the news flabbergasted and got ready for class. Walking across campus was a ghost town. I went to the building where the classrooms are and all you could hear echoing through the halls was the newscast.

I found my bestfriend who was absolutley hysterical because her sister worked 5 blocks from the towers and she couldn't get ahold of her. Her sister ended up being fine, we got in contact with her later that night. Our classes were cancelled for the rest of the week and everyone just clung together and cried and worried and prayed.

It was pretty scary for me because I'm only three hours from the city. When I was in 6th grade we took a field trip to NYC, and I stood before the towers and marveled at their greatness. I have yet to bring myself to the city to stand before where they once stood. I don't know if I'll ever be able to do it.

I have a child in my preschool class,(9/11 happened before she was born), but her brother was in a daycare several blocks from the towers and her father was telling me about the terror that he went through getting to his son and getting out of there. Needless to say, after 9/11 they moved up to Albany. It's very hard watching someone relive the terror they went through on that day. The distant look in their eyes as they relive it, is bone chilling.

A friend of mine from high school, her mother worked at the Pentagon, and was severely burned from the crash, but made it out alright. Each and every day is a struggle for their family, but they are all thankful she made it out alive.

God bless us all and those we have lost.

 

[Brattina88]

It really does feel like yesterday. I did a lot of thinking / feeling before I could post here.

I was in an algebra class when I first found out. It was really early (math in the morning *yuck*) and I was trying to do a worksheet. I was sitting in the back, because quite frankly I was afraid of the teacher. (He used to sit behind me and go "Hello Clarice" like Hannibal...)

I remember Mr Karr opening the door and closing it behind him. I was easily distracted from my work - he used to come in all the time and chat. Mr Karr was the coolest teacher in the world; I remember wishing he was my teacher . . . lol . . .

He walked briskly over to Mr Kothe and got real close to him, and spoke in his ear, which was weird in itself. I watched as Mr Kothe's face fell from 'hey, what's up' to total and complete horror and disbelief. This was not a man who usually shoud a lot of facial expression / emotion. I didn't know what was going on but I felt a total feeling of fear and dread wash over me. He looked around at the class: our eyes met and I saw fear. At this point my heart was already racing and I felt like I was going to puke.

He then got his yard stick (he was a short fellow) and turned on the TV. We all watched the news in horror; confused (we thought it was an accident at first, and we thought it was a bomb before we heard it was a plane), scared, worried, unsure, ect...

We watched live, in horror, as the second plane hit at what 9:02 or something. *chills* My teacher looked over the class, and I wanted so badly to go home, to get away from him (sry) and everybody else because I have this thing about crying in front of people. Our eyes met and my eyes started watering really bad - he came over and gave me a hug, and as horrified and scared as I was I totally appriciate that he did that to this day.
He then told the class that everything was going to be ok
Then the principal came on the announcements and instructed all of the teachers to turn off the TVs. We were too horrified to watch, but also scared not to watch. When I went to english (i practically ran) she had the TV on anyway (she got in big trouble for it later, too) and we stayed in that period / class until it was time to go home. The bus ride seemed long, and by then we all felt kind of numb. I remember getting home and turning on the TV and calling my mom... but I dont remember what either of us said . . .

It was good to get that out... so chilling to hear every1 elses experiance

I can't believe its been that long!!!

 

[LabBreeder]

I had just started doing security on 9/7th at the Holiday Inn by Baltimore-Washington International Airport. I was getting home after a midnight - 7am shift and was flipping through the channels before going to bed. I saw it on 3 different channels but didn't realize it was the news. I thought it was a new t.v. movie...so I turned it off and went to bed. When I woke up at noon ( I could never sleep all day. ) I saw all of my (then) bf's family around the t.v. upstairs. I asked what was going on and they just kept saying, "The World Trade Centers gone!" over and over. I didn't realize how bad it was til I turned and watched another replay of the planes crashing into the buildings. It was so....unreal. BF didn't believe me when I tried to wake him up and tell him. He was like, "Yeah, right. Sure. Wake me up again and I'll hurt ya." So I let him find out on his own when he woke up later.

It hit me later that night just how bad things were when there wasn't a single airplane in the sky. Nothing in or out of BWI airport. Within 9 months I was working for the Dept of Transportation as a T.S.A. worker. They showed us footage of people jumping, hitting the ground and bouncing 10 + feet back up...just to get out of the building. There is a song, that I still can't listen to to this day because it makes me cry, that was played as they showed us the video and the names of all those that died. I still get choked up and teary eyed when I think about it...and I didn't even lose anyone that day.

 

[LabBreeder]

Dizzy, how could you say, "I would also like people to spare a thought for the thousands of inncocent men, women and children who have died at the hands of the US and the UK in iraq, afganistan (etc etc)."?? If we hadn't been attacked in the first place we wouldn't have to be mourning OUR innocent lost lives on this day! Yes, it sucks that innocent people in the middle east have to die because of their terrorist groups, organizations and evil people in general that hate America....BUT this day is about the U.S. and the losses we suffered on 9/11/2001.

I mourn the loss of all of those that were in the WTC, the Pentagon, the plane that went down in the field, the families that are left behind, the firemen/policemen/rescuers that died to try and save others that day AND the men/women of the armed forces that have died doing their darndest to PROTECT us from another attack by quelling the terrorists. If you want to place any sort of blame, blame the middle eastern terrorist for the deaths of the innocents over there. If you want to mourn the loss of the middle eastern innocents, fine...I just don't think it should be on this thread. It's JMO and it may sound callous and harsh...but if it hadn't been for the middle easterners attacking us, their innocents would still be alive.

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

Thanks Everyone for sharing

Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad the day is almost over, it has been a very emmotional one . 9/11 has changed my whole outlook on life and how we are here one minute and gone the next. Appreciate everday you wake up and walk on this earth. GOD BLESS US ALL

 

[Zoom]

That was the biggest thing about after 9/11...no planes anywhere in the sky. I'm so used to seeing/hearing a number of planes everyday, both there in college and here at home where I'm only 30 minutes from KCI and 15 minutes from a number of smaller regional airports. There was NOTHING.

 

[blue]

I remember an Email from my cousin in Jersey. She works across the river and she was very emotional over the empty spot where the WTC used to be.

 

[mrose_s]

i remeber i was 11. I woke up to my mum saying "somone crashed a plane into the pentagon" and i thought "what the hell is the pentagon" i learnt a lot over the next week. it was really amazing to be only learning about the WTC and the pentagon and such for the first tim bcause they had been targetted

 

[yoko]

i remember how scared i was that day.

when i was in third grade. i'll never forget the OKC bombing. one of my families close friends and my baby sitter died in it. when she died i was really confused and i didn't get that she had died and it took me a while and when i figured it out i was crushed.

when i was a sophmore the WTC was hit. i was in biology and someone ran in and told us. all day we watched. when we saw the second building hit my friend kelly ran into my class and said she couldn't get ahold of our youth pastor who worked the airport and we couldn't get ahold of her mom who was a flight attendant. and then i got a phone call that was my mom saying my dad's work *some major oil line or something* was on lockdown and they didn't know when he'd be able to come home. all my friends knew someone or had family members who had died in the bombing in OKC and we were freaking out the whole day. we could never get a hold of my youth pastor and my friends mom and we stayed together all day and cried. slowly everyone's parents came to check them out and that's when it turned into being scared and sad to pure panic. when everyone realized they were being seperated from their friends and the school went crazy. i think that was one fo the scariest parts of the day. the panic in everyones faces when they realized that a friend of the family or family member came to make them leave their group of friends. no one knew how widespread the attack was.

it turns out they were ok. but the memories of OKC started panic at my school

 

[Dizzy]

Dizzy, how could you say, "I would also like people to spare a thought for the thousands of inncocent men, women and children who have died at the hands of the US and the UK in iraq, afganistan (etc etc)."?? If we hadn't been attacked in the first place we wouldn't have to be mourning OUR innocent lost lives on this day! Yes, it sucks that innocent people in the middle east have to die because of their terrorist groups, organizations and evil people in general that hate America....BUT this day is about the U.S. and the losses we suffered on 9/11/2001.

I mourn the loss of all of those that were in the WTC, the Pentagon, the plane that went down in the field, the families that are left behind, the firemen/policemen/rescuers that died to try and save others that day AND the men/women of the armed forces that have died doing their darndest to PROTECT us from another attack by quelling the terrorists. If you want to place any sort of blame, blame the middle eastern terrorist for the deaths of the innocents over there. If you want to mourn the loss of the middle eastern innocents, fine...I just don't think it should be on this thread. It's JMO and it may sound callous and harsh...but if it hadn't been for the middle easterners attacking us, their innocents would still be alive.

You might notice I didn't say I think YOU should. I said I would like to.

 

[BigDog2191]

Dizzy, how could you say, "I would also like people to spare a thought for the thousands of inncocent men, women and children who have died at the hands of the US and the UK in iraq, afganistan (etc etc)."?? If we hadn't been attacked in the first place we wouldn't have to be mourning OUR innocent lost lives on this day! Yes, it sucks that innocent people in the middle east have to die because of their terrorist groups, organizations and evil people in general that hate America....BUT this day is about the U.S. and the losses we suffered on 9/11/2001.

Actually Bush said recently that the war in Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, so the argument is invalid.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I was sitting in my 7th grade English class when they announced on the PA system that the towers had been hit. I just remember my body go into full panic mode because I knew my aunt had a meeting in one of the towers. It was right before lunch and I remember walking out of class to see my mom waiting to take me home. My dad was on the road and my brother and sister both came to our house with their kids.

We used to live near and airport and so you would always see planes or jet streams in the sky but it was completely empty and quiet that day. I hated it it was so just not right. My aunt survived she walked out and away from the buildings 5 minutes before the first plane hit.

I will always remember where I was and the look on my family members faces that day.