Remembering 9/11...A Must Read!

[gtpoohbear]

Sept. 11, 2001... I was sitting in the parking deck at Georgia State University, I had gotten there a few minutes early and was studying for an Astronomy test (part of my Master's program). The radio was on, and right as I was about to get out, they said there were initial reports that a plane had hit the WTC. They started talking about how a few years ago, a small private plane had clipped it accidentally, and were assuming that this was something similar. I remember specifically thinking, "Well I hope no one was hurt", then I had to go. I went to class, took my test, having no idea still.

Afterwards, I went to the computer lab to do some work for my graduate assistant job. I noticed there was an unusual amount of commotion, and a lot of people crowded around the TV, but still didn't think much of it. Then I remembered the story about the plane from earlier, and thought I would hit up CNN's website to see if there was an update. That's when I found out. There main page had long since crashed, but they had managed to put up a single image that summed of the main events. It said 'Day of Terror" and had an image of the smoking WTC. We all hung out in the lab for a while, mostly watching the TV in shock, until the announcement was made that the campus was closing.

Walking back through downtown Atlanta to my car was surreal. I remember that it was very quiet, but every single person I saw was on their cell phone (including me, I had called DH) And this was before cell phones were so common, so it was very weird. Then driving back on the interstate, all the traffic signs were just displaying that it was a national emergency and all airports were closed. It still makes my stomach drop remembering when I saw that, it was like the very fabric of our society had been attacked. We spent most of the afternoon at a pizza place (actually a "NY Pizza" place, we later realized ironically).

Little did I know that exactly two years later I would be watching speeches and replays on the TV... from a hospital room in the delivery ward. When I first found out I was pregnant in January 2003, my due date was listed as 9/11. Everyone assured me that "babies never come on their due date". Well, sure enough, at 4am on 9/11/03, my DD decided she was ready! She actually hates that this is her birthday, when people ask when it is she tries to get by with just saying "September", but when they push for a date, inevitably she gets a weird reaction. But as one of my friends put it, at least something beautiful was created on this ugly day.

 

[Maxpowers]

I was at school in DC at the time and remember my roommates waking me up. It was scary for a bit, but we were far enough away from the pentagon to feel somewhat safe. I also grew up in a town in NJ that was one of the hardest hit communities (I think it has the highest per capita loss in NJ), but was lucky enough not to loose anyone I personally knew.

I now work at a company that was one the 98th-105th floors of tower two. I did not work there at the time, but often come across older files (or lack of them due to being destroyed) from one of the 176 people the company lost and holes in our data from pre-9/11. I commute into the world trade center everyday (via the path), walk by the memorial everyday, and encounter daily reminders. It is strange to come across this stuff day to day.

Slight side note, I really really really hate the guys selling picture books near the WTC, everyday they are there and everyday they have books opened to the page of the guy falling next to burning towers.

 

[plainoldt]

Sorry, but as someone who worked in 1 WTC, with a husband that was hit with the falling towers, who lost friends, co-workers and neighbors I find these types of threads self serving to those who were sitting on the side lines.

Trust me. We don't forget. We couldn't. We can't even when we try. And to all those people who love to post the pictures of the burning towers, the pictures of people who rather jump to their death than to burn alive....try to remember that you are posting pictures of people's loved ones and how hard it is to have to face the death over and over and over again. Or rather, to have to have the execution of those that the love shoved in their faces over and over.

There are many ways to remember. Try not to choose the ones that are hurtful and offensive to the people who have actually suffered a loss of a loved one that day.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Sorry, but as someone who worked in 1 WTC, with a husband that was hit with the falling towers, who lost friends, co-workers and neighbors I find these types of threads self serving to those who were sitting on the side lines.

Trust me. We don't forget. We couldn't. We can't even when we try. And to all those people who love to post the pictures of the burning towers, the pictures of people who rather jump to their death than to burn alive....try to remember that you are posting pictures of people's loved ones and how hard it is to have to face the death over and over and over again. Or rather, to have to have the execution of those that the love shoved in their faces over and over.

There are many ways to remember. Try not to choose the ones that are hurtful and offensive to the people who have actually suffered a loss of a loved one that day.

I wish I could give you a hug, and let you know that some of do understand. Trust me, I was in New York, those sirens haunt me, the smell of the smoke , the dust coated first responders taking a break. It took me about 5 years to even speak about the trauma of those days.

The stories need to be told, yes those of us who experienced it first hand will never forgot, but there are now teenagers who dont have personal memories, all the babies born after 2001 need to know what happened that day. The stories being told are not ment to disrespect the loss and trauma you suffered. Your story needs to be told too. People need to know just exactly what it was like to know the people who lost their lives.

Share your pain, let us give you support, tell us about the real people behind the images. You have an unique position to help keep their memory alive. Each face had a name, each name was a person, each person lived a life and has a family who miss them

 

[goopysolelady]

 

[Accident]

Being near but not in everything, this is a subject that's difficult for me to talk about, watch on tv, watch the documentaries about it, etc etc. I did enjoy reading this thread and thanks for everyone that posted in it.