My son is working on a school essay, he asked me “daddy, I have to interview you about 9/11 for school, I need to know how you and mom remember it”. Well to be completely honest, 9/11, the day itself is mostly a faded memory. I can only remember snippets of that day. I can still feel the emotions, and I have little clips of the day, but mostly it’s just a blur.
The day started like any other, I have no recollection of anything happening until the point that I was exiting the F train station and I passed by a large screen tv in my old building. I saw everyone crowded around the television and I decided to take a look. That’s when I saw the footage of the first tower being hit. Living in NYC, we have a feeling that our buildings are indestructible, that nothing can hurt us. That being said I recall thinking “Oh, that’s nothing, the people will be fine”. Then I saw the second plane hit, this happened while we were still watching the first plane on repeat. Again, nothing, this is NYC, the towers will stand. Again, I thought, “inevitably, some have died, but we will be fine overall.”
Was I ever more wrong in my life? Once I saw the first tower fall, I remember the defeat I felt and I realized then, and only then, “Oh man, we are not going to be fine, many are going to die now”. I’ll never forget having to continue forward and go to work to setup the firm’s command center for the soot covered Managing Directors that came to the Midtown office from the downtown area. I’ll never forget the uncertainty as I heard reports of the other “last” plane that was flying in the sky. I recall the insult being added to injury as they hit the pentagon. I remember the anger I felt when I heard about some individuals in New Jersey that were being reported as celebrating over this success over the infidels. I remember the sadness as I heard about the plane that went that in the field as the brave passengers fought to stop the terrorists.
Many of us remember 9/11 in different ways. I could write for hours and hours on what I felt and saw that day, but I try not to open that would too deeply. If any of you are willing, please share your memories of then with us. Pay tribute to any friends or family lost, or just vent. We are here to listen to you and your story if you will share it.
Rest in peace to all those that lost their lives during these attacks, to those injured or killed in the line of duty, and to those left behind or otherwise affected by the terrible events of this day. God bless you all.
Just a life long New Yorker sharing the journey through my lens. Please take note of a post’s date. The views I express here are subject to change and evolving as I grow and learn.
I remember having a baby I got up early to feed and turning the TV on as routine. Watching the first plane hit on the news and not coming to right away. After listening to the news a few moments I came to. I was in complete disbelieve. Complete disbelieve, then the second plane hit while watching tv the second plane hit. I ran to my room and woke my husband up and we watched together. When the towards feel, omg again the disbelieve and denial. wow. i watched the tv all day and it felt like 2 hrs. I remember trying to reach ya'll and no lines into NY. I finally got mom and she confirmed all of ours were okay. Relief
I recorded my notes of the day here: http://campbellcentral.org/rick/wtc.html
I find myself turned off by much of the memorializing, though that fades with the years. For all of the horror of 3000 deaths that day, as a country we responded by murdering over 100,000 civilians in Iraq alone, plus more coalition soldiers have died than people were killed on 9/11.
For every death on 9/11, our response has killed two soldiers and 36 civilians. And we attacked the wrong country! The deaths that we memorialize were used as a cruel pawn by corrupt politicians to further there own ends by playing on the sympathy of an injured nation. Those politicians disgust me even more than the 19 who hijacked the planes.
Rick, I agree with you buddy. We never had any business in Iraq. I left the military as that initiative began. I'm glad I was able to remain here with my son and my family, but I feel deeply for my brothers and sisters that were sent away, many of which never returned. I also feel for the people of the country. I like to think that something good came to them out of our entering the country, but I simply can't see it.