I still have my fastpass from 9/11/01!! Just sharing

[lovetoscrap]

I will always remember that day, and I also remember exactly where I was when Ronald Reagan was shot and the Oklahoma City bombing.

On the morning of 9/11 I met a friend for breakfast as we often did at Perkins. Our older kids were in Kindergarten and our little ones were about 18 mo old. We went to Perkins alot and were friends with most of the staff. As we were paying our waitress came out and said "You won't believe this, a plane has hit the WTC". I was planning to run some errands and then take my dd to her 18mo Dr. checkup, but I looked at my friend and said said let's go to my house (it was close by). I got in the car and called DH and all I said is "What the h*$$ is going on". He was pretty somber and said he didn't really know, he just knew that a plane had hit the building and they didn't think it was an accident. We were listening to the radio as we drove and the news that the 1st tower had collapsed started the tears.

At my house we watched in shock while the babies played. I remember so clearly that when the 2nd tower fell, so did I. My knees just went out from under me and I fell to the floor. It was so awful. And I have no connection to NY or the anyone that worked there.

I had to tear myself away and take DD to her Dr appt. At the office, most of them were unaware of what was really happening. They had just heard there was an accident with a plane.

I hurried home after the appt and turned on the TV. Friend's were calling to ask if I was going to pick up DD from school. Some did, but we lived in the middle of nowhere so I figured we were safe--no Americans have heard of it, so certainly no Terrorists would target our area!!! I wanted to be able to watch the news and wouldn't be able to with her home. And I did feel she was safe and better off not having her day disrupted. By best friend at the time was from NY (Syracuse) so she was pretty hysterical. She picked up her dd from school immediately.

One of my vivid memories of the TV coverage that day was from Fox News. Ashleigh Banfield was reporting from the streets (she had been a local anchor in Dallas when we lived there years ago). She was interviewing a woman with a small baby in a front carrier when something else collapsed later in the day and a smoke and dust cloud came toward them. Stuff was falling on them and the woman was trying to cover her baby and Ashleigh was trying to help her. It was such a surreal moment.

Also, when the news that the Pentagon had also been hit came on I called DH in a panic because DFIL works in defense contrating and sometimes has meetings at the Pentagon. They live outside DC. It was a long day trying to get in touch with them. They had a terrible time trying to leave their offices because of the people getting out of the city.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

Just wanted to share that I too was at work that day and received a call from my mom on to what was going on. Other co workers were getting calls as well. I remember being in a blur about it. It didn't hit me what had happened until I got home later and actually saw what had happened. I worked in a 14 floor bldg at a bank and it was rumored that we may not work the next day because we didn't know if all tall bldgs were being targeted. My Ds's at the time were 2 & 4. We lit candles that evening but of course they had no clue to what went on.

A month later we flew down to WDW. We had a lot of friends and family who could not believe that we wouldn't cancel our trip and weren't we afraid to be in a plane etc. I told them that if anything did happen I was with my family and close in the air to God. Flying out I was okay it was the coming home because down in Orlando they had the "GI Joes" out with the rifles and then on the plane we happened to be sitting in the back of the plane. Of course all I could think of was the plane in PA and what those poor people saw and thought. That still bothers me to this day.

My DS's are now 9 & 7 and just on Sunday I thought I would discuss it with them more and I thought it would be mentioned in school as well. My 7 year old stump be with a question because he asked if we had to pray for the bad people. That was hard for me to answer. I just told him that Jesus tells us to love all. I did tell him that it was up to Jesus when the bad people got there to decide where they will go. He was satisfied with that answer and that was the end of the discussion.

A to everyone and may our world continue to strive to be a safer place for our children.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

That very disturbing day...I was sleeping when the towers got hit, my mom woke me up about 5 or ten minutes after the second plane hit.

I was six and homeschooled and I watched all the footage live. It really disturbed and upset me. I loved buildings so when my mother said 'the WTC has been hit' I instantly knew what they meant. It was just...horrible.

I've been really paranoid every since that day, and it really matured me.

 

[my2boys]

isyt....my husband, too, worked at 7 World Trade and WAS there that day.

My son had just gotten off to school and I was walking my dad out to his car (he had stayed over for he is from MD and had a meeting in our area that day). My phone rang at 8:48 AM....I'll never forget looking at the time....we have caller ID and I saw it was my husband's cell. I answered and all he said was , "There was some kind of an explosion at the Trade Center. I'm getting out. Just want you to know I'm OK." and he hung up abruptly. I remember thinking, foolishly looking back, "oh, another problem at the Trade Center. What now?" Needless to say as soon as I put on the TV I realized it was much bigger than I could ever imagine. I tried in vain to get my husband again on his cell. I watched in horror on live TV as the second plane hit. I almost passed out when I saw those buildings fall. I had no idea where my husband was. I was unable to talk to him until 3:00 that afternoon! By 5:00, his building had collapsed and he had walked all the way from downtown Manhattan to mid-town......a very LONG walk for those of you not familiar with Manhattan. He did not get home to NJ until 8:00 that night. He was soaking wet because he had to be "decontaminized" by the authorities before they would let him out of Manhattan.

Growing up in Staten Island, we knew so many people who worked downtown. It is in very close proximity of the ferry and very convenient for many. I , myself , worked there many years, at one time doing temp work for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor. A lot of our friends are civil servants. One of our closest friends, a firefighter, lost his life that day leaving a wife and 10 month old son. My husband lost three of his fraternity brothers. It is almost impossible to live so close and not know somebody.

I live my life so different now. I know we don't have forever and I know how quickly it can all be taken away. I just have to look at my friend and her son and I know how precious life is! Enjoy every moment with your families and friends!!

 

[Becky521]

To those of you who were so closely involved, my heart goes out to you.

Like all of you I too remember getting that news. I was out of work on bereavement time and had just gotten out of the shower when I was told. I remember thinking "Well, Ethan (my 11 year old whose funeral we had the day before) get ready because here we all come". I have to say I was already in shock and not able to comprehend everything right away. I do remember seeing on TV when the towers actually collapsed. I truly thought the world was coming to an end.

When our son died people told us that things happen for a reason. We decided that God needed a good Boy Scout to help all those people across on the 11th and that is why he chose our son a few days earlier.

We have a friend who works in the city and he was very involved in the clean up. When the last steel beam was removed he was in the front of the picture. He has made crosses out of pieces of Tower 1. On September 11 I always call him and thank him. 2 years ago he presented us with one of his crosses. It is just amazing to hold it and think of all that it means.

WE definitely live every day as it could be our last. Family and friends are the most important things we have.

 

[nigel-bigel]

Oh, Becky, your post really did me in. I have been staring into space for these past fifteen minutes since I read it. I am so sorry for your loss, and touched by your image of Ethan the Boy Scout. He must have been a very thoughtful boy.

Like you, I also thought the world was coming to an end that day - and expected it still for months after. I still expect it, on some level.

Nicole

 

[raspberrysharpei]

It's hard not to recall those deep feelings of that terrible day.
I remember feeling extremely helpless. I was on assignment on a government facility, in the south pacific. Mail came twice a week & the only way on and off the island was air traffic twice a week. We were considered international even though we were a US territory.

It was 4am local time when the phone in the hallway rang....our group was on assignment to depart on 9/12. We were delayed a week. International travel back to the mainland seven days later was a humbling experience.

9/11/01 NEVER FORGET. ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

 

[2buzzboys]

...sitting with 2 yr old letting him watch his morning shows on PBS and then saying 'mommy wants to see what is happening on the today show'. Flipped it over and saw the first tower burning. Then live saw the 2nd one hit...took every breath I had out of me. Then, I felt the kick......I was 8 months pregnant and the little one inside me brought me right back to reality. I started crying and just held my little man so tight...of course he had no idea...one of God's blessings there.

I remember thinking after seeing the day unfold of the world my new baby would come into was totally different as of that day.

I have watched all of the tributes today and cried again with so many, esp those little ones that came along about the same time as my new little guy and they never met their daddy or grandad or grandma, etc.

My prayers are with them all everyday!

That was my exact morning. My son was 2 at the time also,put on the Today show and the 2nd plane hit. I was 4 months pregnant and wondering what kind of world am I bringing this innocent child into. I too hugged my son so tight that day while watching all day.