2019 New Hampshire 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Fisher Cats Stadium in Manchester, NH.
(Photo Jeff Hastings) |
New Hampshire Public Radio's hosted a special call-in program for citizens to share their thoughts on the attacks. Click the image to listen.
9/11 Memorial in Salem, NH.
(Photo: New Hampshire Union Leader) |
Written Stories
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1. "I was in 8th grade. We were in homeroom when the announcement came over the intercom that there was a very important assembly in the gym and we all had to go. We had gotten a few warnings that the principal wasn't happy with our adherence to dress code, and I was wearing cargo pants which were not allowed, so I was terrified that the assembly was about that and I would get in trouble.
There was a lot of confusion as the principal tried to explain what was really going on. This was right after the second plane hit when it was clearly not an accident, but nobody knew anything else. The teachers wheeled in a TV and we watched the news. Most of the kids didn't understand what everything meant, it was too distant from us, some just kept joking around. A couple girls acted terrified and emotional, but we just thought they were being dramatic. When we went back to homeroom one of the quiet kids had his head down on his desk, clearly crying. His dad was in NYC on business and he hadn't heard from him. That made it a little more personal. - I. O. |
2. "I was in my sophomore year of high school. I was only 15, so I didn’t even fully understand what was going on. I was usually disinterested in the news and didn’t ask many questions, so terrorism was not even a blip on my mental radar.
My sophomore geometry teacher turned on the live news during period B, and we all watched in horror as the second plane hit. I was so scared and confused.
I immediately left period B and found a pay phone, pushed in a quarter with a shaky thumb, and called my dad at work in Boston. He couldn’t take my call, so I left him this shaky message I still can hear echoed in my brain to this day,
'Hi, Dad. I don’t know if you’ve seen the news or anything, but there are planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York, and I’m scared. I love you and I’ll talk to you soon.'
I went to my mentor teacher’s classroom, where she dimmed the lights, hugged us all, and we watched the billowing smoke on the screen while she cried and cried. It was so raw, and heartbreaking in a way I cannot explain. I knew then that something much bigger than I can fathom was going down before my eyes.
It was a sad, somber day. I can’t remember the rest of the day, or going home, talking to my dad, or learning more details. This is all I can remember from that day- that shaky, uncertain, scared feeling where you realize that the world can be much, much bigger, scarier, and more complicated than you think. It sobered me into adulthood, and I’ve carried it with me forever.
Together, every 9/11, my husband, three kids and I gather to remember those who were lost and cry about the tragedy. As an adult, I’ve never tried to shield my kids from the scary things that can happen in the world, which can be a challenge. But when they gather with me while I’m watching the morning or evening news, and they ask me questions, I answer them. In whatever way they can understand, I tell them about the terrible things that can happen in the world outside of our own bubble. I never want them to feel scared and confused about a world news event and not have anyone to coach them through - I want them to have to tools to do so themselves, and to be the leaders we need to make a change and difference.
It’s a bittersweet reality."
- C. M.
My sophomore geometry teacher turned on the live news during period B, and we all watched in horror as the second plane hit. I was so scared and confused.
I immediately left period B and found a pay phone, pushed in a quarter with a shaky thumb, and called my dad at work in Boston. He couldn’t take my call, so I left him this shaky message I still can hear echoed in my brain to this day,
'Hi, Dad. I don’t know if you’ve seen the news or anything, but there are planes crashing into the World Trade Center in New York, and I’m scared. I love you and I’ll talk to you soon.'
I went to my mentor teacher’s classroom, where she dimmed the lights, hugged us all, and we watched the billowing smoke on the screen while she cried and cried. It was so raw, and heartbreaking in a way I cannot explain. I knew then that something much bigger than I can fathom was going down before my eyes.
It was a sad, somber day. I can’t remember the rest of the day, or going home, talking to my dad, or learning more details. This is all I can remember from that day- that shaky, uncertain, scared feeling where you realize that the world can be much, much bigger, scarier, and more complicated than you think. It sobered me into adulthood, and I’ve carried it with me forever.
Together, every 9/11, my husband, three kids and I gather to remember those who were lost and cry about the tragedy. As an adult, I’ve never tried to shield my kids from the scary things that can happen in the world, which can be a challenge. But when they gather with me while I’m watching the morning or evening news, and they ask me questions, I answer them. In whatever way they can understand, I tell them about the terrible things that can happen in the world outside of our own bubble. I never want them to feel scared and confused about a world news event and not have anyone to coach them through - I want them to have to tools to do so themselves, and to be the leaders we need to make a change and difference.
It’s a bittersweet reality."
- C. M.
3. "I had just gotten to work when a colleague grabbed my arm and asked if I’d seen the news. We rushed into the break room and were glued to the TV along with the rest of the company. No one could focus on work or anything else.
A couple of people were making frantic phone calls to people they knew in NY, but I don’t remember what happened with that. I remember the shock of the second plane hitting. As we watched the buildings burn, coworkers were saying,
'How are they going to put the fires out? Why aren’t there choppers picking up those people up there!'
I still get goosebumps writing this. The whole room gasped and many of us burst into tears, myself included, as the first tower came down. We were all sent home - I lived relatively far so I went to a colleague’s house who lived a few blocks away from the office. We watched the news all day and when the second tower came down it was just surreal. More tears, anger, disbelief, horror, agony for the people trapped inside. I’ll never forget that day. I hope Bin Laden and his cronies are burning in the thousand hells.
On another note, I ended up marrying the colleague whose house I went to that day! 17 years happily married."
- Y. D.
A couple of people were making frantic phone calls to people they knew in NY, but I don’t remember what happened with that. I remember the shock of the second plane hitting. As we watched the buildings burn, coworkers were saying,
'How are they going to put the fires out? Why aren’t there choppers picking up those people up there!'
I still get goosebumps writing this. The whole room gasped and many of us burst into tears, myself included, as the first tower came down. We were all sent home - I lived relatively far so I went to a colleague’s house who lived a few blocks away from the office. We watched the news all day and when the second tower came down it was just surreal. More tears, anger, disbelief, horror, agony for the people trapped inside. I’ll never forget that day. I hope Bin Laden and his cronies are burning in the thousand hells.
On another note, I ended up marrying the colleague whose house I went to that day! 17 years happily married."
- Y. D.
Gosport Stone Church on Star Island.
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4. "I was on a retreat on Star Island in the Isles of Shoals. Communication with the mainland was sketchy, but someone was able to get a call in via satellite phone. We had so little real information, but a lot of rumors and conjecture. That night, in the dark, we each took a lantern and climbed to the Old Gosport Stone Church on the Island and held a service. It all seemed unreal until our solemn drive home past one New England town after another - all with their buildings draped with flags.
In that silence, it felt as if the world died." - T. F. |