MISSOURI
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in Missouri that day.
A Missouri resident reflects on how the local Catholic middle school kept the horror of the attacks from their students.
1. "I was in middle school at a Missouri catholic school. That morning the principal made an announcement asking everyone to pray in unison, but gave no further details. In the next class our teacher was in tears, we all asked what was wrong and got the standard ‘everything is fine and normal’ response. This went on throughout the day and we still didn’t know what was going on.
When it was time to go home we were given notes for our parents mentioning how ‘we are all aware of the terrible events that happened today.’ I don’t remember the rest of the note but think it had something about a special church service.
I remember getting in my mom's truck and asking her what was going on. She didn’t really have an answer for me either but tried to give me one.
When I got home I was finally able to see TV news reports. It still angers me how we were valued so little that they hid the events from us."
- L.P.
When it was time to go home we were given notes for our parents mentioning how ‘we are all aware of the terrible events that happened today.’ I don’t remember the rest of the note but think it had something about a special church service.
I remember getting in my mom's truck and asking her what was going on. She didn’t really have an answer for me either but tried to give me one.
When I got home I was finally able to see TV news reports. It still angers me how we were valued so little that they hid the events from us."
- L.P.
Written Stories
2. "I was a freshman in high school, I had just walked into my civics class when another student came up to me said,
'Did you see the news? We are going to war, the Pentagon and New York City have been attacked.'
The teacher turned on the TV and we just watched the news. We did that the whole day, when we switched classes we just sat down and the teachers said something about the events and left the news on."
- Steven B.
'Did you see the news? We are going to war, the Pentagon and New York City have been attacked.'
The teacher turned on the TV and we just watched the news. We did that the whole day, when we switched classes we just sat down and the teachers said something about the events and left the news on."
- Steven B.
3. "My grandparents were flying home from Croatia and set to land in New York. The plane was rerouted near the end of the flight and forced to turn back around to Austria. Another plane had to fly in next to their flight and refuel them.
For 18 hours my mom waited and thought they were dead until my grandma was able to call her and say,
“We are in Austria, but I can’t tell you exactly where. Goodbye.”"
- D. S.
For 18 hours my mom waited and thought they were dead until my grandma was able to call her and say,
“We are in Austria, but I can’t tell you exactly where. Goodbye.”"
- D. S.
4. "I was working nights as an RN in a local Emergency Department (ED). I was sleeping when my wife woke me up and said,
'Something’s happening in New York.'
I turned on the news, it was before the second plane had hit so it was still uncertain why this had happened. I was in this groggy, morning state trying to process what I was seeing when the second plane hit. To say it was surreal is an understatement.
My wife wondered if we should get our daughter out of school, but we decided not too. We were in a small town south of St. Louis, so really no real risk, and we didn’t want to scare her.
It was a strange feeling watching everything happen - It was real, but it wasn't - It was far away, yet also felt close to home.
Working in the ED I knew quite a few first responders; and seeing the images of NYFD, EMS, and NYPD moving to the scene I started thinking about how they were going to manage that many patients. The news cut to a shot outside one of the local hospital EDs waiting for the mass casualty victims and I of course though about how I would respond in that situation.
When the first tower fell it dawned on me that those first responders were likely still on site or in the building. It was this combination of disbelief, dread, and hope that maybe the responders recognized what was happening and got out.
The other image that sticks with me was the news showing the hospital ED again, and the staff were outside waiting for patients... but none came. Nurses, physicians, techs all outside the doors to the ED, standing by empty stretchers to receive patients; but nothing.
I’ve thought about that a lot over the years given my work background. How I would have felt, being there, ready and willing - wanting to help - but unable."
- Wade
'Something’s happening in New York.'
I turned on the news, it was before the second plane had hit so it was still uncertain why this had happened. I was in this groggy, morning state trying to process what I was seeing when the second plane hit. To say it was surreal is an understatement.
My wife wondered if we should get our daughter out of school, but we decided not too. We were in a small town south of St. Louis, so really no real risk, and we didn’t want to scare her.
It was a strange feeling watching everything happen - It was real, but it wasn't - It was far away, yet also felt close to home.
Working in the ED I knew quite a few first responders; and seeing the images of NYFD, EMS, and NYPD moving to the scene I started thinking about how they were going to manage that many patients. The news cut to a shot outside one of the local hospital EDs waiting for the mass casualty victims and I of course though about how I would respond in that situation.
When the first tower fell it dawned on me that those first responders were likely still on site or in the building. It was this combination of disbelief, dread, and hope that maybe the responders recognized what was happening and got out.
The other image that sticks with me was the news showing the hospital ED again, and the staff were outside waiting for patients... but none came. Nurses, physicians, techs all outside the doors to the ED, standing by empty stretchers to receive patients; but nothing.
I’ve thought about that a lot over the years given my work background. How I would have felt, being there, ready and willing - wanting to help - but unable."
- Wade
5. "It was my senior year of high school. My 2nd hour class was study hall so I got a pass to go to the library. When I walked in I noticed the TV wasn't on announcements like usual so I went to ask one of the librarians why,
'Well a plane has flown in to the World Trade Center.'
Both of us thought it was an accident. I go and start shelving some books and all of a sudden a hear somebody yell
'HOLY SH*T!'
I looked up startled at another student like 'did you hear that?' We actually laughed about it and went back to what we were doing until the bell rang. I didn't realize it at that time but that yell came from our security guard seeing the second plane hit.
I went to AP Chem for 3rd hour and my teacher had it on the TV and we talked about it. She put it on mute and tried to have us focus on Chemistry, but that was not happening."
- S. B.
'Well a plane has flown in to the World Trade Center.'
Both of us thought it was an accident. I go and start shelving some books and all of a sudden a hear somebody yell
'HOLY SH*T!'
I looked up startled at another student like 'did you hear that?' We actually laughed about it and went back to what we were doing until the bell rang. I didn't realize it at that time but that yell came from our security guard seeing the second plane hit.
I went to AP Chem for 3rd hour and my teacher had it on the TV and we talked about it. She put it on mute and tried to have us focus on Chemistry, but that was not happening."
- S. B.
6. "I was 19, it was a beautiful day here in Missouri as well. I was working as a Greens Keeper at Persimmon Woods Golf Course in Weldon Spring. Every morning each of us had to cut our designated greens and I as usual was the first one done, it was always a competition between us mowers.
When I got back to the shop, cleaned up my mower, put it away, then went to chat with the our mechanic Mike. While we were talking the radio reported that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. They were not very descriptive, just said it was a plane. At the time, I thought it was an accident to told Mike some moron in a Cessna probably flew into the building.
Within a few minutes our superintendent Rob's white Jeep Wrangler pulled up in the parking lot. He got out the car and looked like he had seen a ghost.
'Do you guys know what the f*ck is going on?'
When I got back to the shop, cleaned up my mower, put it away, then went to chat with the our mechanic Mike. While we were talking the radio reported that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. They were not very descriptive, just said it was a plane. At the time, I thought it was an accident to told Mike some moron in a Cessna probably flew into the building.
Within a few minutes our superintendent Rob's white Jeep Wrangler pulled up in the parking lot. He got out the car and looked like he had seen a ghost.
'Do you guys know what the f*ck is going on?'
'Yeah, some idiot flew his plane into the World Trade Center.'
Rob looked back at me eyes wide open and said,
'Oh no, it was a passenger plane. One of the big ones.'
Suddenly, the radio chirped in and announced a second plane had struck the Trade Center. All we of us stared at each other in horror and Mike said,
'We're under attack.'
I wanted to park by the radio for more information, but Rob said to get back to work so I proceeded with my morning chores on the course. During the rest of the day Rob radioed to keep us updated on what was going on, he mentioned they grounded all flights in the US until further notice. It was very eerie to not see a plane flying in the sky.
When I got home from work, I was just glued to the television for the rest of the day."
- S. B.
Rob looked back at me eyes wide open and said,
'Oh no, it was a passenger plane. One of the big ones.'
Suddenly, the radio chirped in and announced a second plane had struck the Trade Center. All we of us stared at each other in horror and Mike said,
'We're under attack.'
I wanted to park by the radio for more information, but Rob said to get back to work so I proceeded with my morning chores on the course. During the rest of the day Rob radioed to keep us updated on what was going on, he mentioned they grounded all flights in the US until further notice. It was very eerie to not see a plane flying in the sky.
When I got home from work, I was just glued to the television for the rest of the day."
- S. B.
7. "I was in elementary school and didn't know about it until after school. Some kids said that their teachers brought a television in the classroom to watch but that didn't happen for me.
I didn't realized how serious the situation was at the time. I was so young that it didn't really hit me, I was interested in it the same way I was interested in watching a horror film.
- J. M. H.
I didn't realized how serious the situation was at the time. I was so young that it didn't really hit me, I was interested in it the same way I was interested in watching a horror film.
- J. M. H.
8. "I was 29, living in St. Louis and working at an international PR agency in a tall building downtown by the St. Louis Arch. Word spread quickly about the first plane and so many of us were watching live online when the second plane hit. It was so shocking and while we were trying to wrap our minds around what was happening, we were asked to evacuate the building. At that time, they said the whereabouts of five airplanes were unknown. Given our building's proximity to a national monument and a FBI building they feared an attack could hit here next.
Rushing to the elevator and through the parking lot was incredibly nerve-wracking. I was so grateful just being able to spend the rest of the day at home, calling loved ones and checking on friends in the NYC area.
I write this with tears in my eyes, still remembering the deep sadness and shock of that day... the loss of lives, watching the towers, collapse... so much waste in the name of hate."
- Jeny Dowlin
Rushing to the elevator and through the parking lot was incredibly nerve-wracking. I was so grateful just being able to spend the rest of the day at home, calling loved ones and checking on friends in the NYC area.
I write this with tears in my eyes, still remembering the deep sadness and shock of that day... the loss of lives, watching the towers, collapse... so much waste in the name of hate."
- Jeny Dowlin
9. "I was driving to work, and between songs the DJs on the radio station started talking about a plane that hit the towers. The definite tone, and my assumption as well, was that it was a small Cessna-like plane maybe one-person or two in it. There was no sense of anything major happening until I made it to the parking lot, when one of them reads in a clearly shocked voice that it was a passenger plane.
I walk into work and everyone is already talking about it, pretty soon the TVs were brought out of the conference room to one of the floor areas. I think both planes had already hit before the TVs were on, pretty much everyone was just standing and watching. Honestly, I couldn't stand to watch after the coverage of people jumping. I was just listening, checking in and trying to keep busy. Then the reports start talking about the integrity of the buildings, which hadn't occurred to me and the newscasters thought they were going to hold. It shattered our hope when the towers came down. The second one was just as big a shock as the first.
I was scheduled off the next day; all I did was sit home and watch the coverage and weep; more decreasing hope because yes, they thought there might be significant numbers of survivors in the rubble. Even so far away, I don't think I've ever felt so unsafe just by being American. I still cry whenever I retell this story."
-T. L.
I walk into work and everyone is already talking about it, pretty soon the TVs were brought out of the conference room to one of the floor areas. I think both planes had already hit before the TVs were on, pretty much everyone was just standing and watching. Honestly, I couldn't stand to watch after the coverage of people jumping. I was just listening, checking in and trying to keep busy. Then the reports start talking about the integrity of the buildings, which hadn't occurred to me and the newscasters thought they were going to hold. It shattered our hope when the towers came down. The second one was just as big a shock as the first.
I was scheduled off the next day; all I did was sit home and watch the coverage and weep; more decreasing hope because yes, they thought there might be significant numbers of survivors in the rubble. Even so far away, I don't think I've ever felt so unsafe just by being American. I still cry whenever I retell this story."
-T. L.
10. "I was a senior in high school - English class to be exact. I remember my teachers crying as they rushed in those TV on carts. We all watched in horror as the second plane hit. I remember feeling like I went from being a 'kid' to an adult that split second as I watched something we never could imagine happening - happen right in front of us on live TV."
- J. B.
- J. B.
11. "My workplace had a field trip to Atchison and Weston scheduled that day. I was supposed to bring a cooler full of cans of pop, which was pretty heavy to drag from the parking place to the place where vans would pick us up. No one thought of cancelling or not going on the work field trip, we were going to eat lunch at Lewis and Clark State Park.
I saw the news as I got ready, and had just enough time to grab a portable battery-operated TV so the whole group was able to keep up a little bit with what was going on. We were still proceeding all systems go, which felt pretty absurd because the tip seemed so frivolous now.
We saw the planes coming in for landings as we headed out to Atchison, and people on the street were standing and watching all the planes. At lunchtime at Lewis and Clark State Park, we saw an airplane flying overhead from southeast to northwest and I said,
'How come he gets to fly?'
That plane was Air Force One, carrying President Bush to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
- P. T.
I saw the news as I got ready, and had just enough time to grab a portable battery-operated TV so the whole group was able to keep up a little bit with what was going on. We were still proceeding all systems go, which felt pretty absurd because the tip seemed so frivolous now.
We saw the planes coming in for landings as we headed out to Atchison, and people on the street were standing and watching all the planes. At lunchtime at Lewis and Clark State Park, we saw an airplane flying overhead from southeast to northwest and I said,
'How come he gets to fly?'
That plane was Air Force One, carrying President Bush to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
- P. T.
12. "I was in my 8th grade social studies class at Bode Middle School in St. Joseph. I remember my principle Mr. Lentz coming over the intercom in a monotone, depressed, and somewhat broken up voice.
'I would like everyone to turn on your TVs because there’s something you need to watch.'
We had these weird bleachers in the classroom where we would usually watch Channel One News (kids news station) every day and everyone ended up there watching it. It was quiet and somber, kids were laying down on the bleachers. The teachers wouldn't have allowed this any other day because typically you’re not engaged with what you’re watching. This time they didn’t care because we were all watching in confusion.
'I would like everyone to turn on your TVs because there’s something you need to watch.'
We had these weird bleachers in the classroom where we would usually watch Channel One News (kids news station) every day and everyone ended up there watching it. It was quiet and somber, kids were laying down on the bleachers. The teachers wouldn't have allowed this any other day because typically you’re not engaged with what you’re watching. This time they didn’t care because we were all watching in confusion.
My silly, young self thought somehow a pilot messed up and accidentally flew into the towers. I think we saw the second plane hit live. We didn’t change classes like usual, we didn’t continue with the lessons of the day, we kept watching. I feel like they ended up letting us out of school early that day and possibly cancelled school the next day. I asked my Mom what the deal was and that was when I first heard about the concept of terrorists that would senselessly kill others."
- K. P.
- K. P.
13. "I was 19 years old and nursing my three week old baby. His father came into the room and said,
'Come watch the news! Come watch it! The country is under attack!'
He rushed back to the living room and I remember thinking that whatever was happening couldn’t have been that serious. I carried my baby into the living room about 15 minutes later, looked at the television, and saw someone jump out of the window of one of the burning towers.
My heart skipped a beat. I looked down at my baby and for some reason felt overcome with guilt. I just kept looking at him and thinking about how horrible I was because I’d brought this sweet innocent baby into a world that was falling apart.
I’ll never forget seeing that man jump out of a burning high rise building. I’m tearing up now remembering it. My son has asked me about what it was like to watch what was happening so many times.
I’ve never been able to bring myself to describe seeing that to him.
- Amy
'Come watch the news! Come watch it! The country is under attack!'
He rushed back to the living room and I remember thinking that whatever was happening couldn’t have been that serious. I carried my baby into the living room about 15 minutes later, looked at the television, and saw someone jump out of the window of one of the burning towers.
My heart skipped a beat. I looked down at my baby and for some reason felt overcome with guilt. I just kept looking at him and thinking about how horrible I was because I’d brought this sweet innocent baby into a world that was falling apart.
I’ll never forget seeing that man jump out of a burning high rise building. I’m tearing up now remembering it. My son has asked me about what it was like to watch what was happening so many times.
I’ve never been able to bring myself to describe seeing that to him.
- Amy
14. "I was at work at the county courthouse. My husband worked next door at our local sheriff's department as an administrator. His family is from NYC and his sister worked in Manhattan less than a block from the WTC.
When the first plane hit, I heard it on the radio.
'How weird. How does a plane hit a building that size? It must be some horrible accident.'
So I went to my husband's office to tell him about this strange and awful thing that was happening. By the time I got to his office and was telling him about it, another deputy came in and said,
'It's two planes.'
'What? What the f*ck are you talking about, Elmer. Two planes can't hit both towers? That's crazy.'
'No, it's two planes. It's an attack.'
'Who the f*ck attacks people with planes?'
But of course, it was true. Then came the third and fourth planes and then the towers fell.
I remember so clearly watching people run out of the Pentagon. All different uniforms - Navy, Air Force, Army and civilians in all kinds of clothes. They ran until they got a good distance away and then they ran back. They all ran back to see if they could help and that image among the more horrifying ones, stays with me. All those people at once, spontaneously running toward the fires.
By that time, we had televisions on all over the building. No work got done, we just stood there watching TV in different offices. People who came into the courthouse for business stopped to watch television. By noon, no one was coming in so it didn't matter.
The mood in all those rooms was fear. Overwhelming, paralyzing fear. When would it stop? Which building would be next? That afternoon, we all started going to the gas stations to fill up our tanks. I don't know why. We weren't really expecting to go anywhere and the prices had already risen by a dollar or more per gallon. I guess we were just trying to do something to prepare for the unknown. I remember a man in front of me at the pumps filling up his pick up and four 5 gallon containers in the bed. The mood there was grim. Everyone had their radios on and was listening to the news.
And, of course, we were trying to call my husband's family but the lines were all dead by then. We tried all day and finally at around 11 pm got through to his mother who lived just outside of the city. His sister had arrived to her house just after ten, covered in dust and exhausted. She just said,
'I don't want to talk about it. I'm going to bed.'
She took a shower and then went right to bed.
Later, we learned that she watched the second plane hit from a conference room window. They saw the first tower burning and people jumping. After the second plane hit, her building evacuated. It was actually seriously damaged in the collapse and had to be demolished. She was on the street walking to find an open subway station when the towers started to fall. She had to start running and ran about thirty blocks before they were safe but she was covered in ash and debris. She had to wait hours for the trains to start running again. The company moved to NJ but she didn't want to commute that far so she moved back in with my mother-in-law and got a much lower paying job in White Plains. It would be years before she returned to Manhattan, for any reason.
We found out later that the son of a local family was killed at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was a nice young man, I met him once. They never found his body, or any part of it or any personal effects. His parents have a small 9/11 memorial in their yard and I see it when I pass by for work."
- Rachel McNamara
When the first plane hit, I heard it on the radio.
'How weird. How does a plane hit a building that size? It must be some horrible accident.'
So I went to my husband's office to tell him about this strange and awful thing that was happening. By the time I got to his office and was telling him about it, another deputy came in and said,
'It's two planes.'
'What? What the f*ck are you talking about, Elmer. Two planes can't hit both towers? That's crazy.'
'No, it's two planes. It's an attack.'
'Who the f*ck attacks people with planes?'
But of course, it was true. Then came the third and fourth planes and then the towers fell.
I remember so clearly watching people run out of the Pentagon. All different uniforms - Navy, Air Force, Army and civilians in all kinds of clothes. They ran until they got a good distance away and then they ran back. They all ran back to see if they could help and that image among the more horrifying ones, stays with me. All those people at once, spontaneously running toward the fires.
By that time, we had televisions on all over the building. No work got done, we just stood there watching TV in different offices. People who came into the courthouse for business stopped to watch television. By noon, no one was coming in so it didn't matter.
The mood in all those rooms was fear. Overwhelming, paralyzing fear. When would it stop? Which building would be next? That afternoon, we all started going to the gas stations to fill up our tanks. I don't know why. We weren't really expecting to go anywhere and the prices had already risen by a dollar or more per gallon. I guess we were just trying to do something to prepare for the unknown. I remember a man in front of me at the pumps filling up his pick up and four 5 gallon containers in the bed. The mood there was grim. Everyone had their radios on and was listening to the news.
And, of course, we were trying to call my husband's family but the lines were all dead by then. We tried all day and finally at around 11 pm got through to his mother who lived just outside of the city. His sister had arrived to her house just after ten, covered in dust and exhausted. She just said,
'I don't want to talk about it. I'm going to bed.'
She took a shower and then went right to bed.
Later, we learned that she watched the second plane hit from a conference room window. They saw the first tower burning and people jumping. After the second plane hit, her building evacuated. It was actually seriously damaged in the collapse and had to be demolished. She was on the street walking to find an open subway station when the towers started to fall. She had to start running and ran about thirty blocks before they were safe but she was covered in ash and debris. She had to wait hours for the trains to start running again. The company moved to NJ but she didn't want to commute that far so she moved back in with my mother-in-law and got a much lower paying job in White Plains. It would be years before she returned to Manhattan, for any reason.
We found out later that the son of a local family was killed at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was a nice young man, I met him once. They never found his body, or any part of it or any personal effects. His parents have a small 9/11 memorial in their yard and I see it when I pass by for work."
- Rachel McNamara
15. "It was another normal day as I walked in the halls of Kirkwood Middle School, headed to my 8th grade social studies class. While opening my lockers I overheard some girls whispering,
'Did you hear what happened?'
Another student was saying that his mom called his cell phone, a rarity during that time. I didn't think much of it as I headed into social studies. Typically the teacher would greet us, make small conversation, and the atmosphere was lively. That day, he sat behind his desk reading something somber. When the bell rang and everyone took their seats, he walked to the front of the room and paused as if to make out his words,
'I don't want to alarm anyone but something happened just now and it seems serious. We're not going to have our normal lesson but instead turn on the news.'
The large tub TV that was mounted in the corner of the class turned on showing live feed of an airplane crashing into the twin towers. The teacher offered all students who wanted to go home the chance to leave. During class, he took me to the side and said,
'I don't know how people are going to react. Do you want to leave?'
In Kirkwood, there were only three other Muslim students, one of them happened to be my older brother. I decided to stay in school and didn't appreciate the gravity of what happened. The rest of the day went by as normally as it could. In every classroom the TVs were on news stations with live updates of the ongoing attacks.
During the bus ride home, other students made reference to the date and its correlation to calling 9-11 along with general speculation. After being dropped off the bus, I had an uneasy feeling about how things would be different. My dad had the news on and was taking it in just like everyone else. Later, we would come to know that the attacks were done by Muslims deviants. Unfamiliar words for me like the Middle East, Osama Bin Laden, Afghanistan, the Taliban, War on Terror would become household names. Since I immigrated to America in 1992, we never knew or cared much for the news of the world or politics. The only significant piece of news I can remember is Bush vs Gore and the endless comedians who made jokes of four-more years of back and forth to see who the President would be. All of that would change as I along with nearly every Muslim in America would be looked at to defend our faith and be political pundits despite our age, level of knowledge, or occupation."
- Faizan Syed
'Did you hear what happened?'
Another student was saying that his mom called his cell phone, a rarity during that time. I didn't think much of it as I headed into social studies. Typically the teacher would greet us, make small conversation, and the atmosphere was lively. That day, he sat behind his desk reading something somber. When the bell rang and everyone took their seats, he walked to the front of the room and paused as if to make out his words,
'I don't want to alarm anyone but something happened just now and it seems serious. We're not going to have our normal lesson but instead turn on the news.'
The large tub TV that was mounted in the corner of the class turned on showing live feed of an airplane crashing into the twin towers. The teacher offered all students who wanted to go home the chance to leave. During class, he took me to the side and said,
'I don't know how people are going to react. Do you want to leave?'
In Kirkwood, there were only three other Muslim students, one of them happened to be my older brother. I decided to stay in school and didn't appreciate the gravity of what happened. The rest of the day went by as normally as it could. In every classroom the TVs were on news stations with live updates of the ongoing attacks.
During the bus ride home, other students made reference to the date and its correlation to calling 9-11 along with general speculation. After being dropped off the bus, I had an uneasy feeling about how things would be different. My dad had the news on and was taking it in just like everyone else. Later, we would come to know that the attacks were done by Muslims deviants. Unfamiliar words for me like the Middle East, Osama Bin Laden, Afghanistan, the Taliban, War on Terror would become household names. Since I immigrated to America in 1992, we never knew or cared much for the news of the world or politics. The only significant piece of news I can remember is Bush vs Gore and the endless comedians who made jokes of four-more years of back and forth to see who the President would be. All of that would change as I along with nearly every Muslim in America would be looked at to defend our faith and be political pundits despite our age, level of knowledge, or occupation."
- Faizan Syed
16. "I was in 5th grade an one of the teachers came barreling in, telling us to turn on the news. We sat and watched the aftermath of the first plane and then saw the second plane hit. My mom was the school secretary and I usually never saw her during the day as the office was far away from my class. On September 11th, she came in just to give me a hug.
'Are you okay?'
I knew after she asked that this was serious. My dad had the TV on 24/7 every day for a very long time, I don't think our TV was set on anything but the news. I just remember him telling me and my brother that this was not good.
'Things are going to change.'"
- Anonymous
'Are you okay?'
I knew after she asked that this was serious. My dad had the TV on 24/7 every day for a very long time, I don't think our TV was set on anything but the news. I just remember him telling me and my brother that this was not good.
'Things are going to change.'"
- Anonymous
17. "I was in 7th grade at an alternative high school so it was a one room school in the middle of a shopping center. I remember two classmates Pierre and Tony just running through the place, yelling,
'We’re being bombed! We’re being bombed!'
I had no idea what they were talking about. I turned to the teacher who was helping me with math and I asked her if they meant our area and she had no idea either.
Not long after that, we were all ordered back to our seats and the director of the school brought out a radio for us to listen to. My brother worked for TWA so my Mom came to get me early because we didn’t know if he would be going into work or if he would even have a job anymore. At that time, no one knew anything. I just remember going home and watching it all day."
- Matthew Ingmire
'We’re being bombed! We’re being bombed!'
I had no idea what they were talking about. I turned to the teacher who was helping me with math and I asked her if they meant our area and she had no idea either.
Not long after that, we were all ordered back to our seats and the director of the school brought out a radio for us to listen to. My brother worked for TWA so my Mom came to get me early because we didn’t know if he would be going into work or if he would even have a job anymore. At that time, no one knew anything. I just remember going home and watching it all day."
- Matthew Ingmire
18. "I was a high school sophomore in 1st hour Spanish class when an announcement came over the intercom for teachers to turn on their classroom TVs and watch the news. My Spanish teacher did not, he continued with his lesson.
2nd hour I went to history class, and that teacher of course was playing the news for us. I don't remember if I watched the buildings fall or not -- it felt so surreal, like a movie that had nothing to do with us but was terrible anyway. We lived in a very rural community and it just seemed so far away. I'm not very smart, though, so maybe that's why I didn't understand the importance and implications of that event at the time.
I DID remember being smart enough not to start hating Muslims and not wanting to go to war, like a lot of the town and country started to do."
- C. A.
2nd hour I went to history class, and that teacher of course was playing the news for us. I don't remember if I watched the buildings fall or not -- it felt so surreal, like a movie that had nothing to do with us but was terrible anyway. We lived in a very rural community and it just seemed so far away. I'm not very smart, though, so maybe that's why I didn't understand the importance and implications of that event at the time.
I DID remember being smart enough not to start hating Muslims and not wanting to go to war, like a lot of the town and country started to do."
- C. A.
19. "I was a freshman in high school, walking down the hallway to my first block class - wood shop. That's where I found out the first plane had hit.
Not really exciting, but I do remember it."
- I. O.
Not really exciting, but I do remember it."
- I. O.
20. "I went to a Christian school and remember all the teachers whispering and gasping, freaking us all but also refusing to say anything. They called parents/rides to pick up early, still without telling us anything.
I had to figure it out by watching WB 11 (KPLR-TV) when I got home.
It’s infuriating to look back on."
- P.
I had to figure it out by watching WB 11 (KPLR-TV) when I got home.
It’s infuriating to look back on."
- P.
21. "I was in Catholic grade school, walking down the hallway when one of the teachers pulled me into her classroom where they had the news on the TV. I was only in 4th grade but I vividly remember it. It was after both towers had been hit. Once the first tower fell she turned it off and sent me back to my class."
- F. M.
- F. M.
22. "I worked midnights. Nothing on the radio when on the way home. But between the car and the house, the first plane hit. I thought it was an accident.
I ran next door to tell the parents and by the time we got the TV on over there we saw the second plane hit."
- M. M.
I ran next door to tell the parents and by the time we got the TV on over there we saw the second plane hit."
- M. M.
23. "I was driving from northern Michigan down to St. Louis that day and I can still tell you how empty the freeways were. The annoying part was that I couldn’t make use of the wide open lanes because cops were on overpasses, exits and emergency lanes rather consistently for the entire drive."
- C. G.
- C. G.
24. "I was an 8th grader in my 2nd hour class, which was science.
It was real bizarre. Someone came in the room and told the teacher in private, then she turned on the radio. We just sat and listened, but I still didn't really get it. 3rd hour was mostly the same.
When I went home that night, my mom was talking about how there was tons of traffic at gas stations because people were stocking up on water and stuff.... I had no idea why."
- E. P.
It was real bizarre. Someone came in the room and told the teacher in private, then she turned on the radio. We just sat and listened, but I still didn't really get it. 3rd hour was mostly the same.
When I went home that night, my mom was talking about how there was tons of traffic at gas stations because people were stocking up on water and stuff.... I had no idea why."
- E. P.
25. "11th grade is when all Americans take their 'American History' course.
I've always found it strangely fitting that that was the class I was in when I saw the second plane hit."
- Anonymous
I've always found it strangely fitting that that was the class I was in when I saw the second plane hit."
- Anonymous
26. "I was in 2nd grade. We were not told anything by our teachers, who tried to keep the day going as it normally would. I assume this was because of our age and don’t blame them for that decision. I can imagine how hard it must have been to keep your composure so the kids don’t panic. Despite their best effort, I knew something was wrong because more and more of my classmates were being randomly pulled out of school by their parents with every passing hour. I finished out the school day and my parents explained what was happening when we got home. I remember flipping through every channel of our old sun room TV and seeing live helicopter footage of the place where the towers once stood now billowing black and gray smoke.
It was inescapable."
- Frank Williams Jr
It was inescapable."
- Frank Williams Jr