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University of Georgia wide receiver Terrence Edwards catches a pass during a September 29, 2001 game with Arkansas, their first after the attacks. Edwards was quoted as saying, "People were playing for a different purpose."
(Photo: UGA sports comm) |
University of Georgia students embrace after organizing a blood drive.
(Photo: The Red and Black) 
9/11 Memorial in Duluth, GA.
(Photo: DuluthGA) |
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in Georgia that day.
"Georgia resident MaryTherese remembers her experience as a local news reporter on 9/11."
1. "I was 34 years-old on September 11th 2001, working as the five o'clock anchor at a local tv news station in Macon, Georgia. It started out as a typical Tuesday news day for a few minutes and then the Associated Press wire was going crazy at about 8:48, letting us know that two minutes earlier a plane had hit the World Trade center. We all thought it was one of the tourist planes that had an accident.
We had a junior journalist named Kevin that day and I was the coach of the junior journalist program. At around 9:00, I went to the lobby to go greet him and his mother. This 12 year-old junior journalist, his mother, and I are watching live TV when Kevin looks and says,
'Oh my gosh, what's that!'
We watched in horror as the second plane hit the World Trade Center. We went on with the junior journalist story because it was important for him to be able to talk to students, I looked at him and said,
'Kevin, you're about to do your first grown-up story. I know you'll do a great job.'
There was much more chaos that happened, as you know, by the time we got to the school. Students were terrified, teachers were scared, and Kevin did a great job. We got back to the newsroom, everything was so chaotic! Phones were ringing off the hook, people were scared, we realized that day how important local television news is to viewers. We had a quarter of a million viewers who were so afraid for their children and for themselves. They wanted answers and we needed to give it to them. We knew that if we ever had to get it right. it was then. So my long news day turned into about a 20-hour news day.
When I went home, I passed by my parents house and saw the lights on so I went in to say hello my father who had been retired 32 years from the Air Force. He was in his closet, trying on his uniform. He had in his duffel bag packed and was ready to go. The most patriotic man I knew in the world was ready to abandon retirement for the country he loved. He said,
'Not my America.'
My dad passed away five months later of a heart attack. I wanted to honor him so on the one year anniversary of 9/11, my station was invited with other CBS affiliates to broadcast from Ground Zero. My family took a patriotic tour for my dad. We took him to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and ended up at Ground Zero. The spirit of America truly came back to life through the tragedy of 9/11.
I know we still have it in us."
- MaryTherese G.
We had a junior journalist named Kevin that day and I was the coach of the junior journalist program. At around 9:00, I went to the lobby to go greet him and his mother. This 12 year-old junior journalist, his mother, and I are watching live TV when Kevin looks and says,
'Oh my gosh, what's that!'
We watched in horror as the second plane hit the World Trade Center. We went on with the junior journalist story because it was important for him to be able to talk to students, I looked at him and said,
'Kevin, you're about to do your first grown-up story. I know you'll do a great job.'
There was much more chaos that happened, as you know, by the time we got to the school. Students were terrified, teachers were scared, and Kevin did a great job. We got back to the newsroom, everything was so chaotic! Phones were ringing off the hook, people were scared, we realized that day how important local television news is to viewers. We had a quarter of a million viewers who were so afraid for their children and for themselves. They wanted answers and we needed to give it to them. We knew that if we ever had to get it right. it was then. So my long news day turned into about a 20-hour news day.
When I went home, I passed by my parents house and saw the lights on so I went in to say hello my father who had been retired 32 years from the Air Force. He was in his closet, trying on his uniform. He had in his duffel bag packed and was ready to go. The most patriotic man I knew in the world was ready to abandon retirement for the country he loved. He said,
'Not my America.'
My dad passed away five months later of a heart attack. I wanted to honor him so on the one year anniversary of 9/11, my station was invited with other CBS affiliates to broadcast from Ground Zero. My family took a patriotic tour for my dad. We took him to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and ended up at Ground Zero. The spirit of America truly came back to life through the tragedy of 9/11.
I know we still have it in us."
- MaryTherese G.
Written Stories
2. "I was a logistics supervisor at a Kmart distribution center in Forest Park, sitting at my desk when my wife called and asked me if I had heard what happened. I had not.
I informed my boss who informed his boss and the three of us went to the satellite TV in our conference room. The connection was not the best and we began to make out that one of the buildings seemed completely shrouded in smoke. The big boss asked out loud,
'Why does that building look like that?'
I will never forget when, a few seconds later, it dawned on me- 'It's because that tower is not there anymore.'
We watched until the the second tower collapsed.
That day, my boss and I had a lunch meeting with an import vendor, a very old man named Lamar. Lamar was something of a legend in his field and we were his only account. We ate lunch at Applebee's and, of course, all the TVs were showing live footage of the aftermath. Lamar shook his head and said,
I informed my boss who informed his boss and the three of us went to the satellite TV in our conference room. The connection was not the best and we began to make out that one of the buildings seemed completely shrouded in smoke. The big boss asked out loud,
'Why does that building look like that?'
I will never forget when, a few seconds later, it dawned on me- 'It's because that tower is not there anymore.'
We watched until the the second tower collapsed.
That day, my boss and I had a lunch meeting with an import vendor, a very old man named Lamar. Lamar was something of a legend in his field and we were his only account. We ate lunch at Applebee's and, of course, all the TVs were showing live footage of the aftermath. Lamar shook his head and said,
Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941.
(Photo: National Archives, Washington, D.C.) |
'This is just like when Pearl Harbor was bombed.'
I asked if he would tell us about that day. Lamar was a 30-something year old shoe salesman in Atlanta on December 7th, 1941. His memory was how of everyone sought out any radio they could find to hear the news and get information- much like we were already doing and would continue doing in the days after 9/11. The next day, we had a meeting at work around the flagpole and the big boss' secretary handed out small US flags for us to have. I still have that flag, sitting in my pencil holder on my desk almost 20 years and three jobs later." - Russell W. |
3. "I was running late to go to a computer class at University of Georgia and had the Today Show on. They interrupted the broadcast after the first plane hit then I watched the second plane hit live. The anchors were all stricken in disbelief.
For some reason I drove to class anyway. On my way there I turned on the radio and listened as the first tower fell. I was like 45 min late when I got to class. I walked in and said:
“Two planes have just hit the World Trade Center and one of the towers has fallen”.
I sat there, totally ashen, waiting on a reaction that I never got. They went back to working, it was surreal.
Their world hadn’t changed because they hadn’t seen it on TV yet. For the rest of that class, I was the only one living in a post-911 world."
- F. S.
For some reason I drove to class anyway. On my way there I turned on the radio and listened as the first tower fell. I was like 45 min late when I got to class. I walked in and said:
“Two planes have just hit the World Trade Center and one of the towers has fallen”.
I sat there, totally ashen, waiting on a reaction that I never got. They went back to working, it was surreal.
Their world hadn’t changed because they hadn’t seen it on TV yet. For the rest of that class, I was the only one living in a post-911 world."
- F. S.
4. "I worked nights in Marietta, so I usually slept until noon and I'm also not a morning person. That morning the phone rings. I ignore it- It rings again... and again. Finally I roll over and answer:
'Hello?'
'Dude, wake up!'
It's one of my friends,
'F*ck you.'
'No, seriously. Wake the f*ck up. We've been attacked by terrorists.'
'Whatever dude. I'm going back to sleep.'
'Wake the f*ck up and turn on the TV now!'
So I grabbed the remote...
'What channel?'
'ANY CHANNEL!! IT'S ON EVERY FUCKING CHANNEL!!'
... and turn on the TV.
'Holy shit... I need to call my girlfriend and let her know. I'm sure she's still asleep.'
My eyes were glued to that TV for the rest of the day."
- Scott
'Hello?'
'Dude, wake up!'
It's one of my friends,
'F*ck you.'
'No, seriously. Wake the f*ck up. We've been attacked by terrorists.'
'Whatever dude. I'm going back to sleep.'
'Wake the f*ck up and turn on the TV now!'
So I grabbed the remote...
'What channel?'
'ANY CHANNEL!! IT'S ON EVERY FUCKING CHANNEL!!'
... and turn on the TV.
'Holy shit... I need to call my girlfriend and let her know. I'm sure she's still asleep.'
My eyes were glued to that TV for the rest of the day."
- Scott
5. "I saw the second tower explode on TV as I was getting ready to go into the office.
My job at the time was in network security as a fraud analyst where I monitored international network activity in real time, for a private company that did work adjacent to law enforcement and other three letter agencies... So our office was always working 24/7, 365. This was a secured floor in a high rise building.
When I went in that morning to work, it was quiet, everyone was busy listening and watching what was happening. We were told by the management company of the building that they were evacuating the building. For the first time ever, my office closed and sent everyone home.
I walked down the block to my apartment and spent the rest of the afternoon with my neighbor, who also worked in the same high rise as me.
We sat around on my couch, talking and crying. I don't remember much of the rest of that day, but I am now married to that man. We've been a couple now for decades. I think 9/11 is when our friendship transcended into something more profound. We bonded over that trauma."
- Anonymous
My job at the time was in network security as a fraud analyst where I monitored international network activity in real time, for a private company that did work adjacent to law enforcement and other three letter agencies... So our office was always working 24/7, 365. This was a secured floor in a high rise building.
When I went in that morning to work, it was quiet, everyone was busy listening and watching what was happening. We were told by the management company of the building that they were evacuating the building. For the first time ever, my office closed and sent everyone home.
I walked down the block to my apartment and spent the rest of the afternoon with my neighbor, who also worked in the same high rise as me.
We sat around on my couch, talking and crying. I don't remember much of the rest of that day, but I am now married to that man. We've been a couple now for decades. I think 9/11 is when our friendship transcended into something more profound. We bonded over that trauma."
- Anonymous
6. "I was driving to work listening to the radio and flipping channels when I hear one of the radio shows talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. I thought to myself,
'This is really something they shouldn't be joking about because one day a terrorist could do something like that.'
I arrived at work a few minutes later and everyone is in shock, asking,
'Have you heard about the World Trade Center!'
I was in disbelief, the rest of the day everyone huddled together watching it on TV. I spent half the day contacting all of my friends in NYC."
- Michael Grossman
'This is really something they shouldn't be joking about because one day a terrorist could do something like that.'
I arrived at work a few minutes later and everyone is in shock, asking,
'Have you heard about the World Trade Center!'
I was in disbelief, the rest of the day everyone huddled together watching it on TV. I spent half the day contacting all of my friends in NYC."
- Michael Grossman
7. "I was a 21 year old surveyor. My partner and I were on our way to a construction site near the ATL airport. We were in an older truck listening to a tape, unaware of what was happening. A buddy of mine called me...
'Hello?'
'Dude... I just watched an airplane fly into a skyscraper on live TV...'
'What!?'
'You don't know?'
'Know what?'
'Turn on your radio.'
He hung up without another word and we turned on 96.1, '96 rocks'
It was the drive time comedy guys. There was no comedy. We listened in disbelief as everything was recounted and updated.
We got to our site, which we had been the week before. The previous week it had been hard to communicate because of airport noise. On the 11th, it was dead silent. Very unsettling. We left the radio on all day. It's burned so deep in my memory."
- Brent Spann
'Hello?'
'Dude... I just watched an airplane fly into a skyscraper on live TV...'
'What!?'
'You don't know?'
'Know what?'
'Turn on your radio.'
He hung up without another word and we turned on 96.1, '96 rocks'
It was the drive time comedy guys. There was no comedy. We listened in disbelief as everything was recounted and updated.
We got to our site, which we had been the week before. The previous week it had been hard to communicate because of airport noise. On the 11th, it was dead silent. Very unsettling. We left the radio on all day. It's burned so deep in my memory."
- Brent Spann
8. "I was in Kindergarten, just a few months after my dad joined the Army. We were stationed at Fort Benning for his training and other early military career stuff.
School sent me home early, everyone went on high alert and everything went on lockdown. Base entry past the checkpoints was really restricted with few exceptions. Life eventually got back to normal, but my parents, both Air Force brats, have talked about how easy it used to be to get on base. As I grew up, the only ways to get on base post-9/11 were if you lived there, were a veteran, or you had a reason (such as visiting family, a few military museums just inside some checkpoints, or the occasional event like the Blue Angels.) All of this still required paperwork!"
- Anonymous
School sent me home early, everyone went on high alert and everything went on lockdown. Base entry past the checkpoints was really restricted with few exceptions. Life eventually got back to normal, but my parents, both Air Force brats, have talked about how easy it used to be to get on base. As I grew up, the only ways to get on base post-9/11 were if you lived there, were a veteran, or you had a reason (such as visiting family, a few military museums just inside some checkpoints, or the occasional event like the Blue Angels.) All of this still required paperwork!"
- Anonymous
9. "I was in the Air Force at the time, stationed in Warner Robins Air Base. I was working second shift and asleep when the first plane hit. When the attacks began, my base started the recall list where one person calls the next person on the list to get everyone in their shop back to base, and then briefings start. So I got my call, and then got to the shop with my gear.
We knew this was a life changing event and that America would be going to war. We started preparing all our aircraft to be serviceable for missions, and in the next couple of days all the ones that could fly missions did end up in the air."
- C. H.
We knew this was a life changing event and that America would be going to war. We started preparing all our aircraft to be serviceable for missions, and in the next couple of days all the ones that could fly missions did end up in the air."
- C. H.
10. "8th grade, first period. I would have never remembered the trailer, the melamine desk, the grit on the floor, or my vantage on the TV if the shock had not occurred here. It was weird to have that TV on; it was a math class. It was weird to see that regimented teacher interrupted and humanized as she silently and urgently turned on the TV that had never been on in that class before. The whole class went silent and we all knew that we all knew that those planes and burning buildings would change everything."
- Crystal C
- Crystal C
11. "I woke up the morning of 9/11 with the beginning of labor pains. My husband and I got our two children ready for school and I began cleaning and getting things ready to go to the hospital when it was time to deliver. My husband got home from taking them to school, just as my sister called and told me to turn on the news. She said a plane had hit one of the towers in New York.
I turned on the Today Show, my husband and I sat in disbelief as the second plane hit the other tower, then the third plane hit the Pentagon. My panic set in because my dad worked as an engineer for Robins Air Force Base. I called him and he did his best to reassure me he was safe but I could hear the worry in his voice. My dad was the strongest man I’ve ever known, one who never panicked, but that day I heard him fight back the tears and fear. He told me,
'If something should happen to always remember how much I love you. I'm proud of you and to take care of my grandchildren.'
We hung up and thankfully the base remained safe. I couldn’t handle the news anymore so we turned it to watch I Love Lucy on TV Land. By that afternoon we were at the hospital, it wasn’t the normal feeling on a labor department that I was used to. Everyone was quiet, somber and red eyed from crying. Fear and sadness was heavy in the air. My doctor would come in to check me, he’d sit on the bed for a while to watch the news with us. We would sit quietly, tears down our faces and praying. He’d had a friend in one of the towers that I would later find out, didn’t make it out. I prayed to the Lord to not let my child be born on such a day of sadness. Thankfully my baby boy was born early the next morning and he was just what my family needed at such a horrible time in history."
- Mandy Herring
I turned on the Today Show, my husband and I sat in disbelief as the second plane hit the other tower, then the third plane hit the Pentagon. My panic set in because my dad worked as an engineer for Robins Air Force Base. I called him and he did his best to reassure me he was safe but I could hear the worry in his voice. My dad was the strongest man I’ve ever known, one who never panicked, but that day I heard him fight back the tears and fear. He told me,
'If something should happen to always remember how much I love you. I'm proud of you and to take care of my grandchildren.'
We hung up and thankfully the base remained safe. I couldn’t handle the news anymore so we turned it to watch I Love Lucy on TV Land. By that afternoon we were at the hospital, it wasn’t the normal feeling on a labor department that I was used to. Everyone was quiet, somber and red eyed from crying. Fear and sadness was heavy in the air. My doctor would come in to check me, he’d sit on the bed for a while to watch the news with us. We would sit quietly, tears down our faces and praying. He’d had a friend in one of the towers that I would later find out, didn’t make it out. I prayed to the Lord to not let my child be born on such a day of sadness. Thankfully my baby boy was born early the next morning and he was just what my family needed at such a horrible time in history."
- Mandy Herring
12. "I was in my 10th grade English class at Peach County High School, when someone asked our teacher to turn the classroom TV on. We as students didn't really understand what was going on, and honestly we weren't paying attention to what was on the TV. I remember the bell ringing, signaling the change of classes, and in the hallways people were talking about bombings and a rumor had been started that Warner Robins Air Force Base was a target. All I knew, was that my mom was at work on the base and I had to talk to her!
I asked my Social Studies teacher if I could call my mom and check on her and she let me go to the schools payphone. I called her work number and her cell phone, over and over and over, and all I got was her voice-mail. That was gut wrenching, so I called my grandparents who had not heard from her either and they promised me she would be okay. So I went back to class with a heavy heart. Eventually my grandmother called the school to let me know that she had heard from my mother and she was ok! They had moved her and her coworkers to a different location, and with all of the chaos and craziness, she had left her stuff at her desk so that was why we couldn't reach her on her cellphone! Luckily, Robins Air Force Base had not been targeted, I was very fortunate that my mom came home that day because I know a lot were not that fortunate."
- Jessica Fuller
I asked my Social Studies teacher if I could call my mom and check on her and she let me go to the schools payphone. I called her work number and her cell phone, over and over and over, and all I got was her voice-mail. That was gut wrenching, so I called my grandparents who had not heard from her either and they promised me she would be okay. So I went back to class with a heavy heart. Eventually my grandmother called the school to let me know that she had heard from my mother and she was ok! They had moved her and her coworkers to a different location, and with all of the chaos and craziness, she had left her stuff at her desk so that was why we couldn't reach her on her cellphone! Luckily, Robins Air Force Base had not been targeted, I was very fortunate that my mom came home that day because I know a lot were not that fortunate."
- Jessica Fuller
13. "I was the principal at Dames Ferry Elementary School. I received a phone call from my husband who worked at Warner Robins Air Force Base at the time.
'Get to a TV as quickly as possible!'
The base had gone on lockdown because a plane had crashed into one of the towers. I ran to the office lobby and switched on our TV. The office staff and I stood transfixed for several minutes watching as the second tower was hit. The phones, which had been eerily quiet, suddenly began to ring non-stop with frantic parents. Our teachers were contacted quietly and asked to keep any news they might hear away from the students until we were advised as to how to respond. We called a faculty meeting that afternoon in order to decompress and make plans for dealing with our students who most certainly would return to school upset. Truly a sad and upsetting time."
- D. Blizzard
'Get to a TV as quickly as possible!'
The base had gone on lockdown because a plane had crashed into one of the towers. I ran to the office lobby and switched on our TV. The office staff and I stood transfixed for several minutes watching as the second tower was hit. The phones, which had been eerily quiet, suddenly began to ring non-stop with frantic parents. Our teachers were contacted quietly and asked to keep any news they might hear away from the students until we were advised as to how to respond. We called a faculty meeting that afternoon in order to decompress and make plans for dealing with our students who most certainly would return to school upset. Truly a sad and upsetting time."
- D. Blizzard
14. "I was in Atlanta working for a T.V. news station. It was my day off. My pager went off with a text that said,
'We are under attack.'
I turned the T.V. on and saw the second plane hit. I went to the T.V. station to try to help. Everyone was running from one assignment to the next so I was tasked to man the phones. A lot of panicked people were calling in.
When I went home, I went straight to church! I lived in the flight path for the Atlanta Airport and if I looked up at any minute of the day, I could see at least one plane above me and hear its engines. It was eerily quiet. Even the news helicopters were grounded. Then I saw two fighter planes go over me and that made me feel safe that our military was taking care of us."
- Bonnie Edson
'We are under attack.'
I turned the T.V. on and saw the second plane hit. I went to the T.V. station to try to help. Everyone was running from one assignment to the next so I was tasked to man the phones. A lot of panicked people were calling in.
When I went home, I went straight to church! I lived in the flight path for the Atlanta Airport and if I looked up at any minute of the day, I could see at least one plane above me and hear its engines. It was eerily quiet. Even the news helicopters were grounded. Then I saw two fighter planes go over me and that made me feel safe that our military was taking care of us."
- Bonnie Edson