Where were you on September 11th...

[Navy for Moms Admin]

Kathy...PNM wrote a blog and I wanted to turn it into a thread- because I think it's a subject we can all talk about. – CC

Tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of September 11, 2001. We will all take time to reflect and think about that horrible day that occurred seven years ago. I'm sure that we all remember where we were when we heard about the attacks and saw those unimaginable images on television. The friday before those horrible events my husband and I had become parents of a sailor...we had been to PIR that Friday before and were basking in the glow of that wonderful weekend of PIR when Septmeber 11th happened. We had gotten home the day before and were still in that wonderful place of pride and joy. We were still exhausted from that trip and my husband was taking a rare day to sleep in and I happen to have the television on and saw these terible events as they occurred I quickly woke my husband to tell him about these awful events. We watched in horror as these events unfolded and then it hit us hard what about our son the son that we had watched at PIR he was to fly out of Chicago that morning to go on to A School and we had not heard from him. This was the first time that we really and truly realized what it was going to be like to be military parents. He finally did call to tell us that he was safe and that he would not be flying to A School but that he would be bused there. I am not proud to admit this but I did ask him if he could get out of the Navy and his words will always ring in my ears when he said "Mom, I am now in the Navy and go where ever they send me this is what I signed up for, to be here for my country". I was ashamed...I was selfish...and then it hit me that there were so many people that were losing their lives that day and here I was being a self centered mom. My young son had it right he was now part of something bigger than himself he was willing to do whatever needed to be done for his country at whatever cost to himself. It was truly a day for my husband and I to reflect about what it was to be military parents..the worry..the pride..and the never knowing from day to day. That was seven years ago that son of ours is now out and working in the civlian world he is a better man for having served his country. Now here it is seven years later and our youngest now serves his country with the same attitude and pride in his country. I thank God everyday that there our men and woman out there working in the community that our willing to put their lives on the line for the rest of us..for me it will be a day to pray and remember those that lost their lives on that day. I thank God everday for this great country of ours where we all take such good care of each other....

[Brenna]

I was at the coast of Texas with my husband and friends for a much needed vacation. Im a firefighter and so were most of the friends that were with me. We were running on the beach and came in just after it all started. We all sat in utter disbelief watching on TV. I wished I was at home with my kids but at the same time, we all wished we were with our brothers at the fire station.

[Shari PNM of Dustin]

I was at work and it was my busiest day of the week doing my consignment when one of the girls turned on the the tv, which was in the same room I was in. I rememeber being so aggervated at her because she kept turning it up but I couldn't help but hear what they were say and was drawn to the tv. I was in shock. For the following week the tv was on and I had to listen to it all day. I just sat and cried. It was very upsetting. I finally had to turn it off. I couldn't listen to it all day anymore.

[gail from Jersey]

I was getting ready for work and was listening to the news. It was just terrible........... It was such a beautiful day. The sky was so blue and clear. My drive to work includes a wonderful view of the NYC sky line, and unfortunately the towers were on fire and smoking. I still feel the loss when I see that empty spot in the sky line while driving to work every day.
Today is the first day that I have watched any of the footage from that day. After the first three days of coverage I couldn't watch it nor any movies from that time. I just could not. Although I live in New Jersey, many people from NJ work in New York and my parents lived there when they were first married. People from my town and many other surrounding towns lost Fathers, Mothers, Children, Brothers, Sisters, friends, etc.
On top of it we had two more attacks in PA and WA on that day.
All I have to say is God Bless all those who sacrificed their lives trying to help those innocent people who did not make it. I just feel for all those who lost loved ones. What bravery those people showed in taking over the cock pit to keep from any further attack.
We live in a country full of very giving and loving people. To witness such a terrible act of terror and see our country pull together it was just incredible. Not only is our country great but, it is a country that truely possesses greatness!

[Linda E./Justin div 161]

INDEED what a reminder you have DAILY missing that skyline~~~Hope all your family and friends and coworkers were all spared". God Bless!

[Barb B]

I was already at work when my brother called and said get to a TV. I didn't believe him until I saw it with my own eyes. We were all crowded in a conference room watching the news and I remember them announcing that there was a "rogue plane heading toward DC." And for whatever reason I was looking outside the windows of the conference room looking for the rogue airplane when the Pentagon was hit. Our offices are on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, and we can see the Pentagon clearly from the back of the building. The fireball from the crash was the most unbelievable site I have ever witnessed. Everyone said I screamed, but I don't remember -- all I remember was pointing to the window and not being able to talk. And when I finally could, I said "they are coming after us, too." And I remember one of the young lawyers looking out the window, and having to lean against the pillar to stand when he saw the fire and smoke. No one said a word, and no one knew what to do. We were literally frozen. Then I remember two fighter jets flying right past our windows and suddenly everyone seemed calm -- our military was there (Andrews Air Force Base). They sent us all home, but many of us couldn't get there because all the roads around the Pentagon were shut down and those of us living south of the city couldn't get back into Virginia. A co-worker from Maryland finally packed a bunch of us in her car and four hours later we finally got into Virginia by going through Maryland. And I remember when we walked outside being stunned at what a beautiful fall day it was -- somehow we didn't expect it.

We drove by the Pentagon every single day for weeks after that and always in total silence and shock. We cheered when the huge American flag was hung from the roof of the Pentagon by the firefighters. We cheered when hundreds of American flags were hung from every overpass on the highway. And we cried when we found friends who had been working at the Pentagon that day and were safe and sound.

Our New York office is at One Liberty Plaza, directly across the street from the WTC. Many of them saw the horror first hand, but we were incredibly lucky. 1,200 employees all got out of the city safely that day. When the towers fell, they fell away from our building. To this day I can't fathom how that building stayed up when EVERYTHING around it didn't. All of the windows on the first 45 floors were blown out and the black marble facade had was pockmarked from debris hitting it. The building reopened that December, and I was at a luncheon in NY and still remember standing in our 39th floor conference room looking at the WTC and again feeling frozen in time. I couldn't take my eyes off the buildings missing entire sides and seeing the offices with desks still in them and papers flying out when the wind blew. The sight was impossible to comprehend. Its still a numbing memory.

I am so lucky, and so grateful that I didn't lose any loved ones, friends or co-workers that day; and sometimes feel guilty for feeling grateful for that. We did lose quite a few long-time clients, people who I had talked to many times over the years and that was hard to take. I cried for the people lost, and for their families. And we simply CANNOT forget, and we simply CANNOT pretend that the evil that caused this is going to go away. I am so proud of my son for his commitment to his country and I feel terror for him too. But all I can say is thank God we have young men and women like them. I will always feel lucky to be born in the USA.

Barb

[Tammy]

Today is my Grandpas 89th birthday. I was at work when some one came down to our area and told us. It was quiet and no one knew what to think. I worked at a meat packing company with about 200 hundred people. We were just in shock!!

[Michdang]

I had just got the kids off to school, a 7 yr old, 8yr old and my now sailor who was 12yr old. I flipped on the tv and there was Katie Courick and a plane flying behind her head, hit the wtc and she was in disbelief, I said, something is not right here. Neighbors started calling me, and by now the news stations were telling us we were being attacked. I actually felt relief. We have been told for years we were going to be attacked, and finally now we knew how, know, I felt we know what their plan is and we can have the full right to protect ourselves and not be at their mercy, waiting. I live in Massachusetts, and as I was watching more on the tv, saying prayers, I heard this immense noise outside. I knew what that sound was-Otis Air Base is not too far from me. But this time it was way louder. Move the house, shake the ground louder. Ran out onto my deck and the F15 (I believe) 3 of them flew right over my house. I swear I could have jumped and touched them. I felt great. I knew our country wasnt going to take anything laying down. Later I found out my brother was the crew cheif that morning that got those planes off the ground ASAP. The phone rang more, more scared neighbors. I told them I was glad, glad we lived in America and we had the ability to have the swiftness we do to defend ourselves, and not be bullied by these guys like so many have for years. I reassured all that called and remained calm. Everyone was taking their kids out of school. I didnt, I felt there was nothing more that I could do for them at home, its best to keep them preocuppied and not be sitting scared. When they got home. I turned the tv off. We had dinner, I gently questioned them, they said they heard some stuff at school. Then I proceeded to tell them today was they proudest day in my life. I told them to say prayers, lots and lots for all the people that were lost and in pain. I told them to feel proud and to most of all feel safe - because they live in the greatest country in the world, and so many, many people are protecting them.

The strangest part of this whole story is we had just come back from a 2 week family trip to disney. We flew American Airlines both ways. The flight down as well as back on 9/9 was empty. My husband and I couldnt believe it. There must have been 60 people on both those planes, including the crew. The plane was a 747 both ways. We kept talking about it, we couldnt believe the waste of space or fuel. Later I found out we got the tickets so cheap $99.00 round trip, because we were some of the last that were booked on it, the flights were sold out. Makes you wonder.

[Nicole]

I was sitting at home watching Dore the Explorer on TV with my 3 year old daughter, I got a call from a girlfriend, she asked me what I was doing, when I told her she said to go into the bedroom and turn on CNN. When I saw what was going on I sat on the phone with her and cried for about a half hour. We were so shocked that we did not say anything to each other. After getting off the phone with her I tried to call my family, my stepmom works not to far from the Towers and my sister goes to school not to far either. When I got the busy signal I panicked, it took me till the next morning to get a hold of anyone. My stepmom said she was in the south tower the day before at the book store. My brother in law was supposed to be in the towers the day they went down for a meeting. I thank God every day that I have my family and my health, nothing else is important. I pray everyday for all the families that have lost a loved one because of this tragedy and all the families who continue to lose love ones because of the after effect of what has happened. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

[Gail Heady]

I remember all too well where I was on this terriable day. I was driving a bus load of students to school, when it came over the radio about the first plane hitting the towers. I got to the school in time to see the second plane hit the tower.
I was heart sick, knowing I had a cousin that worked in one of the buildings.
That was a day I don't want to live over again.
I found out later the next day that she was injured but alive.
Much later on I found out that 5 of my firemen friends that I grew up with parrished in the inferno.
I also feared for my Navy boys, just thinking of the stress that they have to face day in and day out, but am also proud that they chose to be in the Navy.
I thank God that I can live in county that take care of others, no matter where they are.
I too am proud to be an American

[Rose R]

I was home in Ronkonkoma 50 miles from Manhattan. Turned on the News to see pix of the first plane burning, and Jane Hanson obviously distraught by the attack. I watched horrified, as the second plane crashed in to I confirmed what I knew already, this was a deliberate act. I waited to hear from family living in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island to know where they were, were they safe. As I watched the surreal fall of the towers, I knew hundreds of good men , our FDNY,EMS an NYPD died saving people.I felt the cries of the dead call out for justice, and was sickened.

My husband worked in the Bronx teaching, comforting students whose parents worked in the towers.He had to eventually hitch rides to get home, since New York was locked down. I n a blink of an eye, my hometown was critically wounded, become a police state and had Fighter Jets patrolling the skies. I heard a plain fly over head in Ronkonkoma, and initial fear was OMG they are hitting the Brookhaven Labs. Later I realized, it was fighter jets speeding to protect us.
I had to know where every family member was, were they OK, including my son in Portland.Mom and Dad lived across the river, so inhaled those infernal fumes for 4 months that the fires still burned. I wonder if they caused earlier deaths for them.
I had to work that evening, and the TV was off because the parents of my patient's 4 year old sibling wanted to protect him from watching the horror, rightfully so.
My cousin just missed being a casualty, late for work, waiting for the elevator in tower 1 when the plane hit. She ran for her life. Horror watching NewYorkers run for their lives covered in that soot that looked like snow, but contained toxins and human remains,words fail to describe the feelings.
PTSD? Every New Yorker has suffered from it. I cannot watch those buildings go down again, and the thought that the killer mastermind was allowed to go free drives me to hatred of those who allowed this to happen.If Bush was not so busy vacationing, he would have gotten the reports of men training to fly planes without landing, That is if he wanted to know. My vote is out on the conspiracy theories, I cannot even think about them, I count on eternal Judgement to deal with that.
Being in Oregon,this 9/11, I was surprised of the minimal coverage by the media that day. Has the rest of the country forgotten that soon?I NEVER will.