Comment Highlights:
“I was right across the river in Hoboken working. We watched from the window as plane #2 struck. It felt like we were watching a surreal movie, especially when they started to fall. We were in a panicked shock as we watched.” -John Lauber
“In Los Angeles there is a constant hum from planes and helicopters. That night. Silence. Except the occasional military jet streaking across the sky. It was eerily silent for L.A. and everytime one of those jets did go by, I had to get up and watch more news…just in case.” -Matt Stigliano
“I visited ground zero on Oct 25th 2001. It was by far the most surreal experience of my life. The area was jammed with people, the carnage was unbelievable, signs for the missing were everywhere and it was as silent as a remote field in the country. Really, there are no words to articulate how I felt…’that’ type of emotion has no name…” -Jeff Corbett
“A day or two later, Kevin and I were on a roof, sort of in a daze, sort of doing an inspection. I said, “Do you hear that? It’s a plane.” We sat and listened to this solo plane crossing our airspace. Airspace – a new word to my everyday vocabulary.” -Vicki Moore
“As the horror unfolded throughout the day I kept thinking it couldn’t be real, how could this happen – in America?” -Jack Leblond
“Watching items fall from the sky only to be identifiied as live people jumping from the tops of those towers still haunts me to this day, and I’m glad it does, because as I said, I never want to forget- I won’t forget.” -Benn Rosales
“Now conspiracy theorists make me even sadder the way they somehow can’t accept that there is inexplicable evil that exists in the world – and that the simple, sad explanation is the real one.” -Randy
“People across the nation were scared they were next, it wasn’t just us- everyone could justify a reason as to why their city could be victimized next.” -Lani Anglin-Rosales
“Amazing how I can remember each moment of 9/11 with uncanny acuity. I just hope everyone who’s blessed to be an American will always remember.” -Antoinette Scognamiglio
“We live an hour outside of Washington, DC, a lot of parents work at the pentagon. That is when everyone started to freak out. We were not let out of school, they shut off all the computers and would only let us leave if our parents came and got us.” -Drew Fristoe
“I didn’t make it back to NYC until this last January. I had a friend that lived there and he met me at Ground Zero. It was very emotional. I was sad, and really pissed off. People were standing, staring at that hole in the ground and crying, right along with me.” -Jay Thompson
“Quite an odd feeling to be inundated with such joyous occasions and then awake to the world on fire.” -Austin Aaron
“Silence………..Everyone got up………..went home to their families.” -Missy Caulk
“I was at my first home inspection, about two months into my real estate career. My client was bored, so I pulled the television from the bedroom into the living room. I remember watching the Pentagon get hit and the planes flying into the towers – both were incomprehensible events.” -Jim Duncan
“People just wanted to get away from NY. I can’t tell you how many heart-wrenching accounts of 9/11 I heard driving people around showing homes. I had to pull over more than once because the emotions overcame my ability to navigate the car.” -Lisa Sanderson
“I think we stood in front of that tv for three hours; as the golfers came in off the course to make the ‘turn’ (between nines), none of them went back out to finish their round. They either stayed with us to watch or went directly home.” -Heather Elias
“Diane Sawyer had a camera on the first building as it was burning, and was trying her best to stay composed. As i sat there, watching with millions others, the second plane hit.” -Heather Rankin
“I recognized one guy immediately – the one on the Hawaii flight. I completely lost it at that point. Cant see the screen as i type this.” -Bob Wilson
“As a foreigner we look up to this country because of it’s safety and power and it made me realize how small and vulnerable we all are.” -Ines Hegedus-Garcia
“I stayed home with my kids that day and just cried.” -Jamie Geiger
“I called my Dad, who lived in Brooklyn & worked in building 6(?) of the trade center. OF course, I could not get through. All lines were down/busy from the flood of desperate friends and family members trying to find their loved ones.” -Mariana Wagner
“The only school day EVER where all we did all day was watch the news.” -Jason Sandquist
“I have remained a little on edge every day since it happened.” -Dan Connolly
awesome post Lani… God bless America!
I was driving to work when the report came over the radio about the first plane. I remember thinking it must have been some bone-head in a Cessna. When I got to my office and turned on the TV, I was shocked to see what was actually happening. As the horror unfolded throughout the day I kept thinking it couldn’t be real, how could this happen – in America? Unfortunately it did happen and many thousands were affected. My heart goes out to all of the people and families who’s lives were forever changed on 9/11.
We need not fear the future, if we learn from the past.
Nicely done. As I posted on my blog, I fear people are forgetting. We can’t ever forget.
An amazing display, Lani. This is a bad memory I never want to forget.
peace and light.
[...] Others remember: Agent Genius [...]
I was in college at the University of Texas for my BA in English when it happened. I was leaving an English class (that Jenna Bush attended sometimes, by the way) and was passing the main UT tower where protesters and crazy people hang out year round. A lone man who looked homeless was yelling insanely about a plane hitting and a major attack which I ignored (they yell crazy crap all the time). I got to the Student Union in the Tower and saw people crowded around televisions and as I was asking someone what was going on, we saw the second plane hit on live television.
Everyone’s hearts were in their throats and we were all terrified and confused. I picked up my cell phone to call my friend Christine who went to St. John’s just blocks from the WTC and couldn’t get through. I tried calling my parents to tell them I was okay and couldn’t get through. Everyone in the building was thinking the same thing as the story unfolded, we could be next, the perfect revenge attack would be on the UT tower where the President’s daughter goes to school, where he governed and lived in the Governor’s mansion blocks away and where he’s from.
People across the nation were scared they were next, it wasn’t just us- everyone could justify a reason as to why their city could be victimized next. Our vigilance should never end- that silence that we all experienced that day as people dropped everything they were doing should never be forgotten. The thousands of lives lost in this tragedy should always be honored and the heroes who gave their lives in the rescue efforts as well. The military men and women that continue to give their lives across the globe to protect ours should be praised. The drama people create in our daily lives is so unimportant when we pause to remember this day.
I was carpooling with my brother into Austin but playing hooky from work when we stopped into a caddilac dealership on the way in. We went over to sit and wait in the lobby and were watching tv just after the first tower was hit. My brother said accident, and I said no way, there’s no way that’s an accident, meanwhile you could make out on the television what appeared to be another plane circling in towards the tower, and then it hit.
We sat in the dealership for what must have been 2 hours with fellow Austinites watching the coverage- there must have been 50 folks. We prayed with strangers, we held hands, we all cried, as we saw the firefighters enter the buildings, only to watch those same buildings collapse down upon them. That was when it became real, that’s when I became angry, thats when I felt the most helpless.
Watching items fall from the sky only to be identifiied as live people jumping from the tops of those towers still haunts me to this day, and I’m glad it does, because as I said, I never want to forget- I won’t forget.
One of the victims was Donald Gavagan of Cantor Fitzgerald. Donald and I had been friends when we worked together at a public relations firm, Fleishman-Hilliard. We had lunch together, gossiped, went to see Rattle & Hum when it came out. I remember when a bunch of us went to a show at The Ritz in NYC, forget who was playing. He fixed me up with a friend of his, whose name I don’t even remember anymore. Nice enough guy, sent me roses the next day at work; we just didn’t ‘click.’ I lost touch with Don as we “grew up,” changed jobs or total careers, got married, had families. I just found out from a mutual friend two years ago that Donald was lost in 9/11 and left behind a beautiful marriage, complete with children. It just wasn’t fair how so many lives were torn apart that day. So many really nice people, very talented and bright people, just wanting to give their all, keep their families happy and provide for them as much as they could. Rest in peace, Don. You were such a doll…made me laugh my ass off on a fairly constant basis. I pray for you and the loved ones you left behind.
My cousin worked for a brokerage firm as well, and his wife also, but his wife worked in Tower II. Diego worked in the building across the street which was to collapse hours later after the initial crashes. They were vacationing on some island and just as a fluke, decide to stay another day and extend their vacation. They were due back to work on September 11. His father had just passed away the year before. My comare’ (godmother) said as we sat having coffee the next afternoon, that his father must have swayed him to keep relaxing for a bit more.
Every September as the weather provides an absolutely perfect day, puffy white clouds, brisk air and cornflower blue skies, just like that day, I’m always taken back to that morning, pulling out of my driveway, getting to my job and then the phone ringing and the news coming in. Then, the news coming on. Amazing how I can remember each moment of 9/11 with uncanny acuity. I just hope everyone who’s blessed to be an American will always remember.
Striking memorial, Lani. Really beautifully done. Thank you.
I was a Senior in High School. I had left my wallet in my truck and I wanted to buy lunch. I got a hall pass from my Calculus teacher to go down to the office. On my way down I saw my friend and she told me that planes had flown into building in NYC. I just brushed it off and went on to the office. When I got into the office, all the administrators were running around, I went out and got my wallet, went back to my calculus class and told the class about it. The bell rang we all went to lunch, that is when there was an announcement that informed everyone that planes had flown into the towers and that one had just flown into the Pentagon. We live an hour outside of Washington, DC, a lot of parents work at the pentagon. That is when everyone started to freak out. We were not let out of school, they shut off all the computers and would only let us leave if our parents came and got us. It was one of the most surreal days of my life and I will never forget it.
I was living in Los Angeles and my wife (then girlfriend) had just come from England to the US to stay. We experienced an earthquake soon after she arrived and having never been in one, it shook her up a bit. She told me not to mention it to her parents or brother as they would worry. Three days later, we were asleep and my phone kept ringing all morning. This was back when I was a full time musician, so my phone never rang that early. I finally got up, annoyed, and started listening to the messages as I made coffee. First message was from her brother saying “We heard what happened, hope you’re alright.” Second, from her parents, same basic message. Third one I listened to was my dad in Pittsburgh saying, “I don’t know if you heard what’s going on, but they’re evacuating downtown Pittsburgh, just wanted to call and tell you we’re alright.” No one specifically mentioned what was “happening,” but they all referenced it. I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. There it was. I sat for hours glued to that TV. Being in the music business I had a lot of friends in NY, so I had a lot of calls to make. I made most of them to friends of those friends, knowing I’d never get through to the people in the city. President Bush urged Americans to go about their business. I had a appointment to open a bank account that day and I kept it. Withdrew all my money from Bank Of America and put it into a different bank (I wasn’t a big fan of my bank). Watched TVs in both banks as I completed the transactions. Set up some things to enable me to purchase my first ever home. Still remember all the little details of the day.
I remember laying in bed that night. In Los Angeles there is a constant hum from planes and helicopters. That night. Silence. Except the occasional military jet streaking across the sky. It was eerily silent for L.A. and everytime one of those jets did go by, I had to get up and watch more news…just in case.
My wife woke me up saying a plane had hit the WTC. My immediate reaction was “that can’t be an accident.” I was getting ready for work and saw the second plane hit live. I called in sick and stayed glued to the TV. Francy and I tried to figure out how we were going to explain this to our kids, one of whose tenth birthday was that very day.
At 10 and 8, they had a difficult time understanding how someone could do something like this. Understandable as I was having the same struggle at 40… Still do seven years later.
I lived in Brooklyn in 1970 – 72 when the towers were being built. I remember when dad got transferred I was sad because I wouldn’t get to see the towers finished. I didn’t make it back to NYC until this last January. I had a friend that lived there and he met me at Ground Zero. It was very emotional. I was sad, and really pissed off. People were standing, staring at that hole in the ground and crying, right along with me.
I was asleep after quit an evening at the Mandalay Bay pool in Las Vegas. I actually didn’t even learn of the incident until 3 hours after it happened. Quite an odd feeling to be inundated with such joyous occasions and then awake to the world on fire. Drew said it best . . . surreal.
I think this very second is a fantastic time to call those you love and remind them of the fact.
Well as I said on my post this AM, we are too quick to forget. We remember on days like this, but do we really think about the implications of what happened that day and how important it is to remember our history. If we do not remember our history we are doomed to make pasts mistakes.
I was in a company office meeting, My brokers cell phone was blowing up, as was another agents. Jim got up and left the room when he walked back in, set a radio down on the conference room table.
Silence………..
Everyone got up………..went home to their families.
I was at my first home inspection, about two months into my real estate career. My client was bored, so I pulled the television from the bedroom into the living room. I remember watching the Pentagon get hit and the planes flying into the towers – both were incomprehensible events. I called my wife, picked up the kid from school and just watched tv for the next few days.
I was right across the river in Hoboken working. We watched from the window as plane #2 struck. It felt like we were watching a surreal movie, especially when they started to fall. We were in a panicked shock as we watched. Emergency vehicles crowded the train station next to our building in case they brought people across the river. I had to work my way by car and foot to Jersey City,again across from the WTC, to my hotel where I promptly gathered my stuff and checked out. The smoke followed me down the NJ turnpike as I drove back to PA.
When I arrived back in PA I just sat there in shock. I took my kids to the park to play.
I couldn’t believe I had to go back up 2 days later. Driving towards the Holland tunnel was smoke instead of towers. It was a bit freaky to say the least. I will never forget that day and what I saw.
I was in my first year of college, English class I think. Talk about a weird series of events after that.
All of us at Onboard — we’re New Yorkers, after all — are getting our thoughts down on this thread here:
http://blog.onboardinformatics.....comment-28
My remembrance is the first comment.
-rsh
I was at home in Mississauga, Ontario working on several projects with companies throughout Manhattan. I had been watching TV after reports of a small plane had hit the tower, nothing could prepare myself nor anyone else as we watched live as the second plane crashed into the other tower. I was chatting through MSN to a company in the area just north of the Towers, and it seemed I was getting way more information than them – despite the absolute horror of the situation that was occurring at the World Trade Center – the terror was upped a notch when word came that the Pentagon had been hit and that there was another missing plane out there somewhere and no one knew where it was coming. Luckily, no one I knew was killed in the tragedy – but everyone and their business was affected in some way or another. For the next year or so, I would get shivers just seeing a plane in the sky. Still don’t like to see plane and building within the same viewpoint.
The big news in Canada was the grounding on the airplanes from all over the world, airport runways were jammed from coast to coast with stranded passengers. People in my hometown of Halifax were driving to the airport to help strangers and take them into their homes for the several days before things could be sorted out – within the horror of the days events, seeing people come together to share their feelings and support was inspiring.
Now conspiracy theorists make me even sadder the way they somehow can’t accept that there is inexplicable evil that exists in the world – and that the simple, sad explanation is the real one.
cheers everyone from Toronto
Sympathy is good. Patriotism is good. Critical thinking is better.
I was working that day…in the office before everyone else. One of my associates came in and said ‘did you hear a plane hit the WTC?’. I said ‘no way, how does THAT happen.’ In came my client and we were off to look at homes. We watched the first tower fall in a stranger’s living room, standing in front of the tv dumbfounded. That client ended up working on the rescue & recovery efforts for weeks after the attack.
The Poconos is home to many people who commute to NY for work. I remember seeing one of my recent buyers on the news that night-she was stuck with a bus full of people just outside the city. And here is an essay written by one of my neighbors in my community about her close call: http://poprl.com/08C
I too had a lot of trouble explaining why to my then 9 & 7 year old daughters. They came home from school that day very scared and worried for their friends whose parents worked in the City.
The real estate market here really took off after that day. People just wanted to get away from NY. I can’t tell you how many heart-wrenching accounts of 9/11 I heard driving people around showing homes. I had to pull over more than once because the emotions overcame my ability to navigate the car. We have lots of survivors around here and lots of brave rescue workers, many of which still suffer physical and mental ills because of that day.
9/11 will not be forgotten. Ever.
I was at the golf course with my husband Mike; at the time I owned the restaurant/grill room there and was covering it alone that morning. Our twins were going to preschool two days a week, but this wasn’t one of the days and they were there with us. I had the TV turned on as I worked, as usual. Was prepping for lunch and glanced up to see the beginning of the coverage..I yelled for Mike to come over from the pro shop…I think we stood in front of that tv for three hours; as the golfers came in off the course to make the ‘turn’ (between nines), none of them went back out to finish their round. They either stayed with us to watch or went directly home.
I remember feeling so grateful for the fact that my three year old twins were *with me*…that I could wrap them in my arms to keep them safe; if they had been at their preschool (directly next to the FAA building) I would have lost my mind until I could get to them…
Being 30 miles from DC..I remember watching through the wall of windows in the pro shop for the fighter jets that were being scrambled and sent to DC..and I remember driving the Capitol beltway in the coming weeks, watching those jets circling, circling the airspace around DC, the only planes in the sky.
We got pregnant with our third child about three or four months later, and I can’t tell you how many people came up and told me how brave we were to bring a child into ‘this new world’…I’m so glad that pervasive fear has subsided, but we do need to hold on to the memory of that day and the days that directly followed; I wish the clarity of priorities everyone had then would have lasted longer…
I woke up with a headache that morning, which is rare. Instead of doing my morning exercises I decided to turn on the tv – a rare thing. Diane Sawyer had a camera on the first building as it was burning, and was trying her best to stay composed. As i sat there, watching with millions others, the second plane hit.
I was working at a secure government facility, Glen Canyon Dam, as the tour guide supervisor. I drove the 15 miles to the dam, just to make sure… sure it was ok, sure my friends and coworkers were ok. The visitors center at the dam was closed for a week. Tourists by the droves were stuck in the Page Lake Powell area with no flights out. Rental cars we all gone by 10:00 am.
My band, Sage, was also under contract to perform at the Rainbow Room at Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell three nights a week until the end of October. Everything here just stopped. Boats, music, tourism, recreation for the rest of the year. It was like winter hit here overnight.
Missy is right, people tend to too easily go back to their lives, jobs, families, and the memory fades.
[...] put together an image tribute on AG and everyone is sharing their stories of where they were when the planes hit. Please go share [...]
I had just gotten into my office at 9am, wasn’t listening to the radio on the way in cause I was on the phone.
As I passed my secretary she asked if I saw the plane run into the WTC, I turned on the TV in my office which was showing both towers burning, the 2nd plane had just hit.
I told everyone to go home to their families, closed my office door, called my mom told her I loved her and watched it all unfold until 10pm from my office couch, which seemed like 30 minutes instead of 12 hours. I didn’t eat or drink a thing…never crossed my mind. All I remember was waves of emotion, rolling from extreme sadness to extreme anger…feeling helpless, wanting to do something, anything…
I visited ground zero on Oct 25th 2001. It was by far the most surreal experience of my life. The area was jammed with people, the carnage was unbelievable, signs for the missing were everywhere and it was as silent as a remote field in the country. Really, there are no words to articulate how I felt…’that’ type of emotion has no name…
In May we were in Hawaii. We were able to delay our flight and took a red eye back to San Diego instead. We were stuck in the last row of seats that didnt recline. While most slept, I spent most of the five hours talking to the flight attendant. A married guy with a couple of kids. Real nice with a friendly smile that put you at ease immediately.
On 9/11 I couldn’t sleep and was up earlier than normal. I went into my home office at 6 am, fired up the laptop and turned on the small set on my desk to the Today Show. When the first plane hit, they showed the footage thinking it was an accident. I called my wife and said you gotta see this, and then the 2nd plane hit. I knew immediately. I went numb and stayed that way. Later when they flashed the pictures of some of the crew. I recognized one guy immediately – the one on the Hawaii flight. I completely lost it at that point. Cant see the screen as i type this.
I was watching the news while getting dressed in the morning and just froze in disbelief, I called Rick to see if he was OK, then my mom and when the second plane hit I was already in tears. I took off to pick up my kids from school fearing the horror would not stop there. I was numb for such a long time and to this day cannot believe something like that would happen in the U.S. As a foreigner we look up to this country because of it’s safety and power and it made me realize how small and vulnerable we all are.
Now I can’t believe they are building some deconstructivist project in its place – I always imagined a somber and powerful project – I know I’m not alone in feeling this, but also understand it’s impossible to please everyone.
Senior at Eagan High School. I was in between classes, chatting with friends, walking up the stairs that I walked up so many times before. When I got to the stairs, it was chaos. Students and faculty members where running around saying so many things it was hard to believe what really happened until I, myself was able to see witness the horrific tragedy. The only school day EVER where all we did all day was watch the news.
For those that lost their lives, gone… but not FORGOTTEN
The first word that I learned to read on my own was “MANHATTAN” … as a small child who would ride the subways with my Mom.
This was our first day in real estate – 9/11/08. I was still at my previous job at a local HS (doubling up RE agent/SPED teacher for the 1st few months). Secretary knew I grew up in NYC and called me in to tell me that a plane crashed into one of the twin towers. I went online and found nothing, then found a room that had a TV and turned it on just in time to see the 2nd plane hit.
I called Derek, who was putting on his new suit and getting ready for walking into and office instead of an auto body shop for the first time. I told him what was happening. His RE office was closed … all mall stores were shut down.
I called my Dad, who lived in Brooklyn & worked in building 6(?) of the trade center. OF course, I could not get through. All lines were down/busy from the flood of desperate friends and family members trying to find their loved ones. It took me 5 hours to get through only to find out that my Dad (who’s self-employed) woke up that morning and since he didn’t feel “up to snuff”, he decided to go into work a few hours late … a few hours that could have potentially saved his life.
I am blessed. There is at least 2 degrees of separation between me (who has dozens of close friends and family members in and around Manhattan) and all those who lost their lives that day.
We must NEVER forget.
A person that used to work for me had just visited the twin towers, the week prior. I was at home, when I got a call to turn on the TVs, just as the second plane was hitting the towers. I stayed home with my kids that day and just cried.
I was driving to work listening to Howard stern, whn I heard him say “A plane hit the World Trade Center?” Minutes later I was in my office looking at the film of the planes striking the towers.
With family in living and working Manhattan and Washington DC, we were on the phone most of the morning locating everyone with a sense of grief and surrealism that still haunts me.
The strangest event of the day was the story of my son’s college roomate who had gone to the WTC for work, saw the chaos and ran back back home, locking his apartment door and shaking from what he had witnessed.
I happened to flip on the news on TV right after the first plane hit and saw the second plane hit on live TV. I was mesmerized and remained glued to the television and internet for days. Was shaken to the core. I have had to check the news every morning since to see if something terrible has happened while we slept. I don’t want to leave the house or start working without a quick check to see`if the other shoe dropped, I have remained a little on edge every day since it happened.