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Aftermath of United 93's impact in Somerset County, PA.
(Photo Val McClatchey) 
Investigators work recovery on the crash site on September 16, 2001.
(AP Photo) 
Tower of Voices monument at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
(National Park Service) |
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in Pennsylvania that day.
Following the tragedy of September 11th, a Pennsylvania man remembers trying to spend his anniversary with his wife and the news that changed their lives.
1. "September 11 didn't start out for me as an ordinary Tuesday, it was my thirteenth wedding anniversary. I woke up and went downstairs where I saw my wife sitting on the couch, petting our dog.
'Happy Anniversary.'
I made us breakfast and we went to our respective jobs. When I got to work, my coworkers had pulled out an old TV with aluminum foil on the rabbit ears. They told me a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in New York. A few minutes later, we saw the second tower get hit. Most people had to go home because the schools were closing and they needed to pick up their kids. I had no kids, so I stayed with the big boss until around 2:00 PM.
I got home and my wife was already there. It was a obviously a somber day, but we wanted to quietly celebrate our anniversary so we went out to Red Bull Inn (now defunct) for dinner. It was about one-third full and quiet, so very quiet. We ate and then went to a nearby Walmart for a needed health item.
We got home and my wife used the item. Positive - She was pregnant.
My son has graduated high school now.
It was a day of roller coaster emotions. From happy anniversary to finding out about four terrorist acts, one nearby in Shanksville, to our finding out we were going to be first-time parents.
Our anniversary was changed forever that day."
- Gregory Daubner
'Happy Anniversary.'
I made us breakfast and we went to our respective jobs. When I got to work, my coworkers had pulled out an old TV with aluminum foil on the rabbit ears. They told me a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in New York. A few minutes later, we saw the second tower get hit. Most people had to go home because the schools were closing and they needed to pick up their kids. I had no kids, so I stayed with the big boss until around 2:00 PM.
I got home and my wife was already there. It was a obviously a somber day, but we wanted to quietly celebrate our anniversary so we went out to Red Bull Inn (now defunct) for dinner. It was about one-third full and quiet, so very quiet. We ate and then went to a nearby Walmart for a needed health item.
We got home and my wife used the item. Positive - She was pregnant.
My son has graduated high school now.
It was a day of roller coaster emotions. From happy anniversary to finding out about four terrorist acts, one nearby in Shanksville, to our finding out we were going to be first-time parents.
Our anniversary was changed forever that day."
- Gregory Daubner
Written Stories
2. "I was 18 years old, working in a shop. I heard about the first plane before I left for work and then the next plane while in the car, watched everything else on the shop T.V.
My mother called me crying cause she sent in my draft card without telling me. I went to St. Nick's for a little prayer service. We were so stunned."
- T. W.
My mother called me crying cause she sent in my draft card without telling me. I went to St. Nick's for a little prayer service. We were so stunned."
- T. W.
3. "I was in second grade in Warrington and we had just moved to a new table arrangement in the classroom when my teacher got a call and ran out into the hallway. A few minutes later, she came back into the room a crying mess and told us the World Trade Center was under attack. I didn't know what that was but loved trains and thought she said the World Train Center so I was scared. Courtney, the new girl I was siting next to, started to cry as she knew what it was.
The rest of the school day was weird, some of my best friends had their parents come and pick them up from school. My day went on as planned, I had a play date after school at my friend Jake's house. We had gummy sharks in his kitchen as his Mom was fixated on the TV. She told us not to watch. We went out to dinner at Applebee's that night and all I can remember is the images on the little square TV's mounted on the wall behind our table.
I can still picture it today."
- Dylan Karsch
The rest of the school day was weird, some of my best friends had their parents come and pick them up from school. My day went on as planned, I had a play date after school at my friend Jake's house. We had gummy sharks in his kitchen as his Mom was fixated on the TV. She told us not to watch. We went out to dinner at Applebee's that night and all I can remember is the images on the little square TV's mounted on the wall behind our table.
I can still picture it today."
- Dylan Karsch
4. "I was a 2nd year carpenters apprentice in Philly working at 22nd and Market on a property that is now condos or student housing. The radio was on and when I heard what happened I couldn't believe my ears. I got down off my ladder and walked over to the window where I just looked out aimlessly at society walk about...
Twenty minutes later the Foreman said wrap up and the job was shut down. Philly was gridlocked with people leaving and it was all over the radio, every station.
I turned my radio off only to hear all the cars around me."
- Anonymous
Twenty minutes later the Foreman said wrap up and the job was shut down. Philly was gridlocked with people leaving and it was all over the radio, every station.
I turned my radio off only to hear all the cars around me."
- Anonymous
5. "It was freshman year of college in Philly, I was in a figure drawing class and the professor told us a planes had just hit the twin towers and we could go home if we wanted to. Everyone did except one kid who made the class model stay so he could finish up.
I didn’t have a cell phone and all the land lines were full so I couldn’t get a hold of my folks in Texas to tell them I was okay. I lived in China Town in the middle of downtown and the city was going crazy. Sirens everywhere and people running around. I didn’t know a plane had gone down in PA until I got back to my apt and saw the news.
I hung out with a couple of friends and got f**ked up while we watched the news. It was really surreal. Being so close to NY and a lot of my classmates and close friends being from there and not being able to get a hold of family was pretty intense. We all knew it was going to change everything. It’s weird knowing what the world was like before that day and seeing it change so drastically from then on."
- S. B.
I didn’t have a cell phone and all the land lines were full so I couldn’t get a hold of my folks in Texas to tell them I was okay. I lived in China Town in the middle of downtown and the city was going crazy. Sirens everywhere and people running around. I didn’t know a plane had gone down in PA until I got back to my apt and saw the news.
I hung out with a couple of friends and got f**ked up while we watched the news. It was really surreal. Being so close to NY and a lot of my classmates and close friends being from there and not being able to get a hold of family was pretty intense. We all knew it was going to change everything. It’s weird knowing what the world was like before that day and seeing it change so drastically from then on."
- S. B.
6. "I was 21, in college and would go to my car to listen to the radio and smoke cigarettes between classes. I had heard nothing of it during my morning classes.
At around 11 in the morning I go out to my car and turn the radio on. They were doing a quick recap on it all and I pretty quickly decided it was time to go home.
I'll never forget the news on EVERY single channel. There were a handful of exceptions, I think Disney maintained normal programming, but MTV was CNN, TLC was BBC, etc. No commercials either, for days. Just non-stop news.
We live under a few busy flight corridors and it was absolutely surreal seeing nothing in the sky for days, save for a random medical chopper or military. You can look up any time and see contrails in the day and nav lights at night, but there was just an empty sky.
It was a weird day."
- F. L.
At around 11 in the morning I go out to my car and turn the radio on. They were doing a quick recap on it all and I pretty quickly decided it was time to go home.
I'll never forget the news on EVERY single channel. There were a handful of exceptions, I think Disney maintained normal programming, but MTV was CNN, TLC was BBC, etc. No commercials either, for days. Just non-stop news.
We live under a few busy flight corridors and it was absolutely surreal seeing nothing in the sky for days, save for a random medical chopper or military. You can look up any time and see contrails in the day and nav lights at night, but there was just an empty sky.
It was a weird day."
- F. L.
7. "9 years old in Western PA. My teacher was a huge fan of Harry Potter and spent the morning free period reading the books to us. During her reading, another teacher came into the room, whispered something to her, and then went back to turn on the old TV. It was a broadcast of the one tower smoking, but we had no idea what was going on because the TV didn't have sound.
A couple of minutes later, we watched the second plane hit and my teacher turned off the TV then tried to go back to reading Harry Potter. Key word tried.
A couple of minutes later, we watched the second plane hit and my teacher turned off the TV then tried to go back to reading Harry Potter. Key word tried.
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Not long after this, kids started getting called to the office to go home. Me, my sister, and three of my cousins were picked up from school by my aunt who lived a few minutes from the school and I spent the next few hours playing Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64 with cousins until my mom could pick us up.
I had no idea what was going on and I didn't realize the gravity of the situation until a few years later. The reason my memory of that day is pretty clear is because the adults around me had an air about them that scared me. They were all wound up and jumpy. For a kid, that's scary enough." - H. W. |
8. "I was in 8th grade, about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia and was in social studies class when the news started coming in. Classes stopped and everyone was glued to the TVs throughout the school. I vividly remember seeing teachers crying.
A boy in one of my classes had a parent that worked in one of the Twin Towers and they didn't make it. They decided to let us go home early that day.
That evening, every single TV station including Nickelodeon was broadcasting coverage of the events. My family huddled in our living room and watched the horrific scenes on the TV. My parents debated whether we would go to school the next day, but they ultimately decided to send us. It was such a scary and sad day."
- Anonymous
A boy in one of my classes had a parent that worked in one of the Twin Towers and they didn't make it. They decided to let us go home early that day.
That evening, every single TV station including Nickelodeon was broadcasting coverage of the events. My family huddled in our living room and watched the horrific scenes on the TV. My parents debated whether we would go to school the next day, but they ultimately decided to send us. It was such a scary and sad day."
- Anonymous
9. "I was in the 3rd grade in western Pennsylvania. They moved our recess up to an earlier part of the day, but strangely enough we had to have it indoors because of 'a bee infestation on the bleachers.' I remember thinking what a stupid reason that was for having to stay inside, we could just avoid the bleachers, after all.
Of course, none of us knew what was really going on - the teachers were actually gathering in the staff room to watch the news as this all unfolded that morning. They called school early that day and parents came to pick us up.
It wasn't until I was home that night that I found out what had actually happened."
- Mike
Of course, none of us knew what was really going on - the teachers were actually gathering in the staff room to watch the news as this all unfolded that morning. They called school early that day and parents came to pick us up.
It wasn't until I was home that night that I found out what had actually happened."
- Mike
10. "I was 45 years old living in Allentown and I'd just spent the previous two years homeless on the streets of NYC after a devastating fire in 1999.
I was born in Brooklyn and had lived there all my life except for 6 years in the military. My family ran a small construction company and when I wasn't working there I was an EMT with a private company and with the local volunteer ambulance company. I drove ambulances in NYC for a total of 14 years before retiring in 1999 with PTSD.
The morning of 9/11 found me sitting in a local bank. I was chatting with the branch manager as I put the bags and papers into my briefcase when one of the tellers came running over and said,
'You're from NY, right? A plane just hit the World Trade Center!'
I hurried back to my store and put on the radio. When the second plane hit I knew this was going to be horrific, and I also knew that two of my brothers (one NYPD and one FDNY) were probably there. What I didn't think about at the time was that many of my old friends and partners from the ambulances would be there too.
When the towers fell my mind went pretty numb. There'd been no customers in the store yet which was a good thing as I was turning into a basket case. I was 99% certain that I'd just listened to my two brothers being killed and I could all too well picture the massive death and destruction. In tears, I called my boss and asked for permission to close my store for the day and go home. She refused (I gave my 30-day notice a month later, mostly because of this) and I sat there for the rest of the day, numb, listening to the radio and asking customers to come back another time.
I tried getting information about my brothers for several weeks afterward but could not reach any of my family (the home number had changed to non-published and the business had closed when dad died the year before) and neither NYPD nor FDNY would believe I was related to my two brothers (their mother was my dad's 5th wife and they were Hispanic with Spanish last names while mine is very German). I found out 6 months later that they both were safe, having both been on vacation at the family home in Puerto Rico.
When the names of the first responders who died were announced there were seven names on the list that I knew well. They were all friends from my EMT days, and four of them were former partners. That hurt me deeply because you really do develop a strong bond with your partner. You spend 40-60 hours a week together and you either bond like siblings or hate each other after a while. It also hurts me that I wasn't with them. I remember them every year when I lower the flag in my yard, and then I come inside and lift a cup to their memory, coffee, not alcohol because that's what we drank on the job. Hot, bitter, and strong, like my tears."
- B. B.
I was born in Brooklyn and had lived there all my life except for 6 years in the military. My family ran a small construction company and when I wasn't working there I was an EMT with a private company and with the local volunteer ambulance company. I drove ambulances in NYC for a total of 14 years before retiring in 1999 with PTSD.
The morning of 9/11 found me sitting in a local bank. I was chatting with the branch manager as I put the bags and papers into my briefcase when one of the tellers came running over and said,
'You're from NY, right? A plane just hit the World Trade Center!'
I hurried back to my store and put on the radio. When the second plane hit I knew this was going to be horrific, and I also knew that two of my brothers (one NYPD and one FDNY) were probably there. What I didn't think about at the time was that many of my old friends and partners from the ambulances would be there too.
When the towers fell my mind went pretty numb. There'd been no customers in the store yet which was a good thing as I was turning into a basket case. I was 99% certain that I'd just listened to my two brothers being killed and I could all too well picture the massive death and destruction. In tears, I called my boss and asked for permission to close my store for the day and go home. She refused (I gave my 30-day notice a month later, mostly because of this) and I sat there for the rest of the day, numb, listening to the radio and asking customers to come back another time.
I tried getting information about my brothers for several weeks afterward but could not reach any of my family (the home number had changed to non-published and the business had closed when dad died the year before) and neither NYPD nor FDNY would believe I was related to my two brothers (their mother was my dad's 5th wife and they were Hispanic with Spanish last names while mine is very German). I found out 6 months later that they both were safe, having both been on vacation at the family home in Puerto Rico.
When the names of the first responders who died were announced there were seven names on the list that I knew well. They were all friends from my EMT days, and four of them were former partners. That hurt me deeply because you really do develop a strong bond with your partner. You spend 40-60 hours a week together and you either bond like siblings or hate each other after a while. It also hurts me that I wasn't with them. I remember them every year when I lower the flag in my yard, and then I come inside and lift a cup to their memory, coffee, not alcohol because that's what we drank on the job. Hot, bitter, and strong, like my tears."
- B. B.
11. "My father was having surgery at Presbyterian Hospital in Philly. My mother and I were in the waiting room and all around us you could hear the normal hospital sounds - Nurses were talking and laughing.
It just suddenly went quiet and someone came in to tell us that a plane a crashed into the World Trade Center. We turned on the TV and watched as everything happened. I just couldn’t stop crying.
I remember one of the nurses telling us that all the Philadelphia hospitals were prepping for an influx of causalities. Those never arrived."
- D. S.
It just suddenly went quiet and someone came in to tell us that a plane a crashed into the World Trade Center. We turned on the TV and watched as everything happened. I just couldn’t stop crying.
I remember one of the nurses telling us that all the Philadelphia hospitals were prepping for an influx of causalities. Those never arrived."
- D. S.
12. "I had just gone back to work at a grocery store after taking my 20th birthday off the day before. A lady came in and mentioned that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.
About an hour later I received a phone call from my sister saying,
'You need to come home right now!'
I don't remember why she said I needed to come home but I started to cry and I left work. I picked my son up at daycare and went to my mom's.
My stepfather was about 20 miles away from the crash in Shanksville working on a roof. He wanted his family home to know they were safe.
He said he saw the plane before it crashed."
- Anonymous
About an hour later I received a phone call from my sister saying,
'You need to come home right now!'
I don't remember why she said I needed to come home but I started to cry and I left work. I picked my son up at daycare and went to my mom's.
My stepfather was about 20 miles away from the crash in Shanksville working on a roof. He wanted his family home to know they were safe.
He said he saw the plane before it crashed."
- Anonymous
13. "I was in 8th grade band class. My friend was crying because her father usually worked there, thankfully he was okay.
We were very surprised were weren't sent home early as there was a train that ran directly into the city that could be a target. When I got home, I remember being weirded out that all the channels like MTV and Fuse were out. At that age, I don't think it resonated the way it would have now.
I still find it really surreal that I had been alive for an event like that."
- R. R.
We were very surprised were weren't sent home early as there was a train that ran directly into the city that could be a target. When I got home, I remember being weirded out that all the channels like MTV and Fuse were out. At that age, I don't think it resonated the way it would have now.
I still find it really surreal that I had been alive for an event like that."
- R. R.
14. "I was in 3rd grade and remember the teachers whispering to each other.
'Should we tell them?'
'No, some of them have parents that work there...'
I went home and just wanted to play and watch TV. My parents were watching news nonstop.
I didn’t truly understand until months later."
- A. E.
'Should we tell them?'
'No, some of them have parents that work there...'
I went home and just wanted to play and watch TV. My parents were watching news nonstop.
I didn’t truly understand until months later."
- A. E.
15. "I was just a kid, I was a fifth grader in Mount Union. I had gone to school that day, but my brother was sick and my mom stayed home with him. My class, which was both 4th and 5th graders, had a substitute teacher; our regular teacher had gone somewhere in Ohio to watch a Sade concert. We weren’t expecting him back for a couple days. That day, we were standing outside the restrooms waiting to go back to class when our teacher came in. I vividly remember him asking the sub if she had told us what happened. All we knew, at this point, probably around lunch time, was that we weren’t allowed outside for recess (and we were all confused because it was a beautiful day). The sub replied that they had been instructed not to tell us what had happened. Our regular teacher led us back to our classroom and explained there had been a terrorist attack and how everything was probably scary for us. Then we went about our day as prescribed.
The full gravity didn’t hit me until I got home and my mom was watching the news. I remember her saying she had taken my brother to the ER because the doctor’s office had closed. Apparently the doctor had family in the DC area and they were terrified. We watched the news everyday for what seemed like an eternity both at school and at home. It’s a trauma I have honestly never dealt with. Every year on the anniversary, I am a wreck. And even if I watch TV shows that have memorial episodes, I cry. I just remember being so little and so scared."
- Candt Price-Winnick
The full gravity didn’t hit me until I got home and my mom was watching the news. I remember her saying she had taken my brother to the ER because the doctor’s office had closed. Apparently the doctor had family in the DC area and they were terrified. We watched the news everyday for what seemed like an eternity both at school and at home. It’s a trauma I have honestly never dealt with. Every year on the anniversary, I am a wreck. And even if I watch TV shows that have memorial episodes, I cry. I just remember being so little and so scared."
- Candt Price-Winnick
16. "I was in 8th grade social studies class, we were the youngest class they let watch. I definitely didn't understand what was going on or why this was bad other than a lot of people died. School got cancelled, but we were right outside of Philly and this was New York? Young me didn't understand how this had anything to do with me.
Well years later, I was playing League of Legends and when we got Bin Laden. I told my friends when the news announced it, and found out that a mutual friend's father died in the towers. I never knew. A few more years go by and I married that man.
I never dreamed as a 9th grader that 9/11 would affect me. And now my future son isn't growing up with his biological grandfather. Remembering 9/11 is a family tradition and we are praying our son isn't born that day.
We go to the memorial often to talk to his father.
We have been to Guantanamo Bay and saw the masterminds face to face in their court room.
After 9/11, a star was donated to my father-in-law and his family received a flag that had gone to the moon. Our son's nursery is space themed and I am so excited he will have these items hung and just something connected to his grandfather. Turns out 9/11 has had a huge impact on my life and my future.
I never would have dreamed."
- J. D.
Well years later, I was playing League of Legends and when we got Bin Laden. I told my friends when the news announced it, and found out that a mutual friend's father died in the towers. I never knew. A few more years go by and I married that man.
I never dreamed as a 9th grader that 9/11 would affect me. And now my future son isn't growing up with his biological grandfather. Remembering 9/11 is a family tradition and we are praying our son isn't born that day.
We go to the memorial often to talk to his father.
We have been to Guantanamo Bay and saw the masterminds face to face in their court room.
After 9/11, a star was donated to my father-in-law and his family received a flag that had gone to the moon. Our son's nursery is space themed and I am so excited he will have these items hung and just something connected to his grandfather. Turns out 9/11 has had a huge impact on my life and my future.
I never would have dreamed."
- J. D.
17. "I was in 10th grade math class in Wexford when it happened. No idea what was being taught that day. We had TV’s in all our classrooms because our school subscribed to a program called 'Channel One.'
Our history teacher swung open the door and said something was happening. A plane just flew into a World Trade Center tower in New York!
I’ll never forget our teachers reaction. He shrugged, like 'Just another day! Planes fly into towers all the time! No big deal' and went on with his lesson.
The history teacher comes back a bit later screaming,
'Turn on the TV, the other tower was just hit!'
We turned on our classroom TV and watched the towers fall.
The rest of the day was a blur to me. I remember trying to find any news or information I could. In keyboarding class, I finally had access to the internet and no class work was completed as I was too busy researching. I had to know what was going on. It was then that I learned about the plane that went down in Somerset, PA. That was so much closer to us than the NY crashes. Very unsettling.
- Anonymous
Our history teacher swung open the door and said something was happening. A plane just flew into a World Trade Center tower in New York!
I’ll never forget our teachers reaction. He shrugged, like 'Just another day! Planes fly into towers all the time! No big deal' and went on with his lesson.
The history teacher comes back a bit later screaming,
'Turn on the TV, the other tower was just hit!'
We turned on our classroom TV and watched the towers fall.
The rest of the day was a blur to me. I remember trying to find any news or information I could. In keyboarding class, I finally had access to the internet and no class work was completed as I was too busy researching. I had to know what was going on. It was then that I learned about the plane that went down in Somerset, PA. That was so much closer to us than the NY crashes. Very unsettling.
- Anonymous
18. "I was a senior in a small high school, my graduating class only had 81 people.
We were pulled into an assembly by 10 am. Rumors were already flying,
'The Pentagon got hit! Someone attacked the Pentagon!'
They sat us down and told us about the attacks. We live five hours from DC and only two hours from NYC, some students had parents who commuted up to NYC. They said we could use our cell phones that day, which would normally be a detention-able offense.
We went from class to class in a daze, only one teacher tried to continue as normal. My social studies teacher put on the news. We watched the second tower fall while the French class crowded in. When that happened, I watched the French teacher turn away in horror... and I hugged her. She hugged me back. That was when I realized something was very wrong because hugging teachers was absolutely forbidden.
I remember grabbing a world almanac and circling the different cities that the planes were from, just to try to understand in some vain way why this had happened. Lunch was hushed, but by the end of the day things were back to normal or so, my friend was angry as we got on the bus because of 'kids abusing their cell phones while people are trapped under rubble.'
That night I was dying my hair and I heard thunder rumbling but there was no rain. I remember standing there, naked and covered in purple dye, and thinking,
'Great, I am going to die here.'
Because I legitimately thought that the dry lightning was the sound of our area being bombed.
On September 12th, I, a hard core liberal, came to school dressed in my parents full military fatigues. I was not the only one in camo that day.
I had always planned on going into the military after high school, but by the end of the school year it had already become a war for oil, bombing Iraq, which had nothing to do with the attacks.
My parents, being military, always taught me even as a young child: 'Do not obey illegal orders.'
And the war, in the eyes of international law, and in the eyes of morality, was illegal. And I could not follow illegal orders.
And that is how my plans after high school were ruined by September 11th."
- Kat F
We were pulled into an assembly by 10 am. Rumors were already flying,
'The Pentagon got hit! Someone attacked the Pentagon!'
They sat us down and told us about the attacks. We live five hours from DC and only two hours from NYC, some students had parents who commuted up to NYC. They said we could use our cell phones that day, which would normally be a detention-able offense.
We went from class to class in a daze, only one teacher tried to continue as normal. My social studies teacher put on the news. We watched the second tower fall while the French class crowded in. When that happened, I watched the French teacher turn away in horror... and I hugged her. She hugged me back. That was when I realized something was very wrong because hugging teachers was absolutely forbidden.
I remember grabbing a world almanac and circling the different cities that the planes were from, just to try to understand in some vain way why this had happened. Lunch was hushed, but by the end of the day things were back to normal or so, my friend was angry as we got on the bus because of 'kids abusing their cell phones while people are trapped under rubble.'
That night I was dying my hair and I heard thunder rumbling but there was no rain. I remember standing there, naked and covered in purple dye, and thinking,
'Great, I am going to die here.'
Because I legitimately thought that the dry lightning was the sound of our area being bombed.
On September 12th, I, a hard core liberal, came to school dressed in my parents full military fatigues. I was not the only one in camo that day.
I had always planned on going into the military after high school, but by the end of the school year it had already become a war for oil, bombing Iraq, which had nothing to do with the attacks.
My parents, being military, always taught me even as a young child: 'Do not obey illegal orders.'
And the war, in the eyes of international law, and in the eyes of morality, was illegal. And I could not follow illegal orders.
And that is how my plans after high school were ruined by September 11th."
- Kat F
19. "I was in seventh grade, about two hours from where United-93 went down in Pennsylvania.
I have a few very crystal clear memories from that day, some of which are mean things and others which are just part of the subtle background noise of everything going on.
I remember several announcements that they were doing 'technology checks' which meant that the teachers couldn't have the TVs in their rooms on at all, presumably to avoid seeing the news until an announcement was made. Once they made the announcement, some teachers still left their TVs on so that the kids could see the news.
I remember my French teacher doing this and not caring she wasn't supposed to - this was too important.
A girl in lunch asked if I thought we were going to get into a war. I don't remember her name, her face, the color of her hair... but I remember how sad she sounded after I said that I thought we would. I wonder if she had family in the military. I hope I didn't make her cry.
I came home and hung out with my best friend in the small shed we'd fashioned into a fort in his backyard, complete with an extension cord that let us watch TV. They were playing a news clip of the second tower falling, not bothering to censor or edit when the person recording loudly cried 'Oh my fucking God!' as it started to collapse.
That's how it feels... a scattered series of moments as we struggled at being at the age just old enough to begin understanding the impact of what had happened, but still too young to truly understand the scope of it all and how it would change things."
- Daniel K.
I have a few very crystal clear memories from that day, some of which are mean things and others which are just part of the subtle background noise of everything going on.
I remember several announcements that they were doing 'technology checks' which meant that the teachers couldn't have the TVs in their rooms on at all, presumably to avoid seeing the news until an announcement was made. Once they made the announcement, some teachers still left their TVs on so that the kids could see the news.
I remember my French teacher doing this and not caring she wasn't supposed to - this was too important.
A girl in lunch asked if I thought we were going to get into a war. I don't remember her name, her face, the color of her hair... but I remember how sad she sounded after I said that I thought we would. I wonder if she had family in the military. I hope I didn't make her cry.
I came home and hung out with my best friend in the small shed we'd fashioned into a fort in his backyard, complete with an extension cord that let us watch TV. They were playing a news clip of the second tower falling, not bothering to censor or edit when the person recording loudly cried 'Oh my fucking God!' as it started to collapse.
That's how it feels... a scattered series of moments as we struggled at being at the age just old enough to begin understanding the impact of what had happened, but still too young to truly understand the scope of it all and how it would change things."
- Daniel K.
A page from The New York Times' "Portraits of Grief" (2003)
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20. "I was 4 years old, living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and my mom picked me up from Kindergarten to tell me what happened. I thought this a local thing, and was as surprised as a 4 year old could be that I couldn't see the building on fire in downtown Lancaster. I don't think I knew that there were different cities then.
When I got home, the TV was on. We had a giant black 60 inch projector TV with big speakers built into the bottom and it was playing scenes from Ground Zero. I definitely saw a tower collapse but I don't think it was live because nobody reacted like it was. I had lots of toy wooden blocks and toy airplanes, and I started building towers out of the blocks and hit them with the toy planes. I distinctly remember being very confused why nobody wanted to play with me. The innocence of youth is a wonderful thing. - I don't think I knew what had happened that day until years later. My mom lost a law school friend in the towers - he was firefighter and never got out. During most of 2008-2009, I spent every night before bed going through the entirety of the Portraits of Grief book that the NY Times made. It didn't have any impact on me at the time, but as the years have gone by I find it harder and harder to pick up that incredibly dog eared book and read through it. 9/11 has started affecting me more the further past it is I guess." - Joseph Zadeh |
21. "I was in sixth grade, and that was much too young for children to be told what was happening. We saw teachers whisper, a few of them crying at our early lunch period. Our normally rude music teacher had us watch movies. It felt weird, a kid actually guessed a teacher died or something. Everyone's parents were taking them out of school left and right. My mom left work so she could pick me up, it was weird because she usually picked me up very late since she could never afford to take off work.
I sat in the car and listened to her awkwardly explain, letting the news fill in. We had family in New York and no one heard from them due to the tied phone lines. They ended up being just fine, thank goodness.
I was terrified, I didn't want to sleep in my attic bedroom it was the top of our house. Buildings were on fire, people jumped out of them. I slept on my baby sisters floor and kept the blinds up so I could watch for planes, I hardly caught a wink of rest.
The two weeks after 9/11, I last saw my best friend; her family was from Pakistan. Her last day she cried and said she hated everyone who was being mean, that she wanted to go back home to Pakistan. She told me about all the elephants she was going to see when she got there. I missed her so much I faked sick every chance I could. The scale of 9/11 then was too big for me to understand, but not the ache of losing my best friend from people who blamed her family because of ethnicity. I wish I had her phone number as a kid. I hope she told her mom I loved the pears she packed in her daughters lunch for me."
- J. A.
I sat in the car and listened to her awkwardly explain, letting the news fill in. We had family in New York and no one heard from them due to the tied phone lines. They ended up being just fine, thank goodness.
I was terrified, I didn't want to sleep in my attic bedroom it was the top of our house. Buildings were on fire, people jumped out of them. I slept on my baby sisters floor and kept the blinds up so I could watch for planes, I hardly caught a wink of rest.
The two weeks after 9/11, I last saw my best friend; her family was from Pakistan. Her last day she cried and said she hated everyone who was being mean, that she wanted to go back home to Pakistan. She told me about all the elephants she was going to see when she got there. I missed her so much I faked sick every chance I could. The scale of 9/11 then was too big for me to understand, but not the ache of losing my best friend from people who blamed her family because of ethnicity. I wish I had her phone number as a kid. I hope she told her mom I loved the pears she packed in her daughters lunch for me."
- J. A.
22. "I was in 1st grade and I don’t remember too much out of the ordinary until I got to school and only about a third of the students were there, which was odd. After a little while, my teacher gets a call saying that my dad was there to pick me up, double odd because he always worked and why was he picking me up in the morning? My teacher walked me to the office where he picked me up. I remember telling my teacher,
'Maybe I have a dentist appointment that I forgot about.'
She just nodded and said, 'Maybe.'
I get in the car and my older sister and neighbor are in the car. Things are getting super weird. We drive home, I walk into the house and my mom is standing in front of the TV sobbing her eyes out, I looked at the TV and seeing mostly smoke/ash. My parents told me what happened but I had no idea what that meant. I don’t remember the rest of the day."
- Libby Garner
'Maybe I have a dentist appointment that I forgot about.'
She just nodded and said, 'Maybe.'
I get in the car and my older sister and neighbor are in the car. Things are getting super weird. We drive home, I walk into the house and my mom is standing in front of the TV sobbing her eyes out, I looked at the TV and seeing mostly smoke/ash. My parents told me what happened but I had no idea what that meant. I don’t remember the rest of the day."
- Libby Garner
23. "I was a senior at Ursinus College in Collegeville, driving to class when Preston Elliot of the Preston and Steve Show on Y100 (Philadelphia) announces that a plane had flew into the World Trade Center. It was unclear at that time what had happened and I went to class.
After class let out, there were rumors of a second plane hitting. I went to the faculty offices of the chemistry department (my major) and listened to the radio for a bit with my research advisor. By that time it was clear what had happened. I left and went to the commuter’s lounge to see my friends and we continued listening to the radio.
The President of the University and his staff were making rounds of the campus to see how everyone was doing. Classes were cancelled for the day. We sat around until mid-afternoon at which time I drove home. Everything seemed different.
I don’t remember watching TV coverage or even talking about it with my dad. Maybe I worked my part time job that evening.
I just vividly remember listening to the radio with several people without saying a word."
- A. S.
After class let out, there were rumors of a second plane hitting. I went to the faculty offices of the chemistry department (my major) and listened to the radio for a bit with my research advisor. By that time it was clear what had happened. I left and went to the commuter’s lounge to see my friends and we continued listening to the radio.
The President of the University and his staff were making rounds of the campus to see how everyone was doing. Classes were cancelled for the day. We sat around until mid-afternoon at which time I drove home. Everything seemed different.
I don’t remember watching TV coverage or even talking about it with my dad. Maybe I worked my part time job that evening.
I just vividly remember listening to the radio with several people without saying a word."
- A. S.
24. "I was in 10th grade math class in Wexford. I have no idea what was being taught that day. We had TV’s in all our classrooms because our school subscribed a school news program called Channel One. Our history teacher suddenly swung open the door.
'A plane just flew into a World Trade Center tower in New York!'
I’ll never forget our teacher's reaction. He shrugged, like it was just another day! Like planes fly into towers all the time! He went on with his lesson.
The history teacher came back a bit later, screaming,
'Turn on the TV, the other tower was just hit!'
We turned on our classroom TV, just in time to see the towers fall.
The rest of the day was a blur to me. I remember trying to find any news or information I could. In keyboarding class, I finally had access to the internet. No class work was completed. I was too busy researching. I had to know what was going on. It was then that I learned about the plane that went down in Somerset, PA. That was so much closer to us than the NY crashes. Very unsettling."
S. A.
'A plane just flew into a World Trade Center tower in New York!'
I’ll never forget our teacher's reaction. He shrugged, like it was just another day! Like planes fly into towers all the time! He went on with his lesson.
The history teacher came back a bit later, screaming,
'Turn on the TV, the other tower was just hit!'
We turned on our classroom TV, just in time to see the towers fall.
The rest of the day was a blur to me. I remember trying to find any news or information I could. In keyboarding class, I finally had access to the internet. No class work was completed. I was too busy researching. I had to know what was going on. It was then that I learned about the plane that went down in Somerset, PA. That was so much closer to us than the NY crashes. Very unsettling."
S. A.
25. "I was in junior high school and my school opted to hide the fact of it from students: I only caught wind when I went to the nurses office for some medication and heard it being discussed over the radio. I assumed it was a historical thing: like they were talking about the Trade Center bombing from the 90s.
It was only after I got home and my mom told me what had happened that I understood. We managed to get a news channel on our crappy antenna based TV. Mom spent the evening arguing with my 17 year old brother, a volunteer fire fighter, telling him that he was too young to go to New York and help."
- Anonymous
It was only after I got home and my mom told me what had happened that I understood. We managed to get a news channel on our crappy antenna based TV. Mom spent the evening arguing with my 17 year old brother, a volunteer fire fighter, telling him that he was too young to go to New York and help."
- Anonymous
26. "I have maybe the closest thing to a light-hearted 9/11 story. Two weeks before 9/11, I visited the Twin Towers. I was 10 years old and busy playing my Gameboy the entire time. The only thing I really remember was a large set of stairs leading down to the lobby. I was so into my game that I nearly fell down them! A nice man who worked there cracked up and helped me off the floor. For years, I wondered if I made up that memory because it was so... goofy.
I was recently looking through some documentaries about 9/11 and found a photo of the exact stairs I almost wiped out on. I had finally connected my dorky child memory with this tragic event. The memory was no disturbing and not funny anymore. That nice guy cracking up as he helped me... he was probably in there two weeks later. It makes me sick to think about it. "
- Ronnie Groller
I was recently looking through some documentaries about 9/11 and found a photo of the exact stairs I almost wiped out on. I had finally connected my dorky child memory with this tragic event. The memory was no disturbing and not funny anymore. That nice guy cracking up as he helped me... he was probably in there two weeks later. It makes me sick to think about it. "
- Ronnie Groller
27. "I was in 9th grade and my uncle worked in World Trade Center
The school called me into the office before I knew anything about the day's events and told me that my uncle was safe. At that point in my life, all I knew was that he worked in NYC. I was self absorbed and didn't understand why they would call me and tell me that he was okay.
They made the announcement to everyone on my way back to class.
It's a day most will never forget."
- S. P.
The school called me into the office before I knew anything about the day's events and told me that my uncle was safe. At that point in my life, all I knew was that he worked in NYC. I was self absorbed and didn't understand why they would call me and tell me that he was okay.
They made the announcement to everyone on my way back to class.
It's a day most will never forget."
- S. P.
28. "I was a junior in high school. My history teacher received word that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers. She turned the TV on and we sat speculating about why this had happened when the second plane crashed in real time.
We all immediately knew it was no mistake.
We watched coverage of people jumping out of the burning towers. We watched people covered in dust and debris walking out and police and firemen running in. We watched at least one of the towers fall.
On the anniversary of 9/11, every year, I reflect on my memories as they serve as another example of what extreme hatred (from any group) can do and walk around with a lump in my throat all day. It all still makes me emotional - especially the thought and sound of the jumpers."
- A. D.
We all immediately knew it was no mistake.
We watched coverage of people jumping out of the burning towers. We watched people covered in dust and debris walking out and police and firemen running in. We watched at least one of the towers fall.
On the anniversary of 9/11, every year, I reflect on my memories as they serve as another example of what extreme hatred (from any group) can do and walk around with a lump in my throat all day. It all still makes me emotional - especially the thought and sound of the jumpers."
- A. D.
29. "I was a wedding planner near Pittsburgh, on the phone to order some film from my supplier in NYC. The lady I was talking to said,
'Plane just flew into the World Trade Center!'
I was thinking it was probably a little Cessna or something like that until she told me,
'No, a jetliner flew into the building. Are you near a television?'
I got to the TV and saw the second plane hit. It’s a day I will never forget."
- Anonymous
'Plane just flew into the World Trade Center!'
I was thinking it was probably a little Cessna or something like that until she told me,
'No, a jetliner flew into the building. Are you near a television?'
I got to the TV and saw the second plane hit. It’s a day I will never forget."
- Anonymous
30. "9/11 is actually my earliest memory, I was 4 years old at the time and don't remember much of the days or weeks afterwards.
For whatever reason, I was sleeping in my mother's bed the night before (you know how four year-olds do -- always scared of something and wanting to hog the covers in a big bed), and I remembered waking up at around 9 A.M. and her not being there. I heard something downstairs and when I came down, my mother was perched in front of the TV -- we still had one of those gigantic wooden console television sets from the 80s -- and she's sitting on our coffee table right up in front of it, absolutely riveted to it and weeping. That's the first time I'd ever seen her cry.
I don't remember much after that, wasn't old enough to go to school so I didn't have any perspective for how other people's behavior had changed, but I'll always remember seeing my mother crying for the first time. She must've thought the world was coming to an end.
In a way, it had.
- Anonymous
For whatever reason, I was sleeping in my mother's bed the night before (you know how four year-olds do -- always scared of something and wanting to hog the covers in a big bed), and I remembered waking up at around 9 A.M. and her not being there. I heard something downstairs and when I came down, my mother was perched in front of the TV -- we still had one of those gigantic wooden console television sets from the 80s -- and she's sitting on our coffee table right up in front of it, absolutely riveted to it and weeping. That's the first time I'd ever seen her cry.
I don't remember much after that, wasn't old enough to go to school so I didn't have any perspective for how other people's behavior had changed, but I'll always remember seeing my mother crying for the first time. She must've thought the world was coming to an end.
In a way, it had.
- Anonymous
31. "Was 23 years-old living in Crafton, PA and my ex wife was pregnant with our first child. I was working security at a hotel and had worked the graveyard shift the night before. I was in bed half asleep when I heard Bush say,
'It appears to be an act of terrorism.'
By the the time I got my head together and went out to see what was happening. they were showing a replay of the second plane hitting. My wife said,
'Are you seeing this shit?'
Still in the haze of sleep, my immediate thought was what I was looking at was an reenactment. I remember thinking,
'Wow, they put that together fast.'
When it hit me that it was the actual footage I think I just said 'Oh shit' for about ten minutes.
Later that day I went on the porch to talk to my dad. Living in Crafton, and directly under a flight path it was typical to hear planes every few minutes. Nothing. And there wasn't anybody outside. Probably because they were glued to the TV with the rest of the world . It was creepiest silence I've ever experienced."
- Marvin Mallory
'It appears to be an act of terrorism.'
By the the time I got my head together and went out to see what was happening. they were showing a replay of the second plane hitting. My wife said,
'Are you seeing this shit?'
Still in the haze of sleep, my immediate thought was what I was looking at was an reenactment. I remember thinking,
'Wow, they put that together fast.'
When it hit me that it was the actual footage I think I just said 'Oh shit' for about ten minutes.
Later that day I went on the porch to talk to my dad. Living in Crafton, and directly under a flight path it was typical to hear planes every few minutes. Nothing. And there wasn't anybody outside. Probably because they were glued to the TV with the rest of the world . It was creepiest silence I've ever experienced."
- Marvin Mallory
32. "I was working alone, waiting tables in the coffee shop of the Kaufman House in Zelienople (Butler Co.) on the morning of 9/11.
A man came in and he was a little frazzled. He said he was meeting someone. I gave him coffee and left him alone to wait.
A little while passed and I went over to ask if he still wanted to wait, and he went off on me. He said,
'I'm waiting on a friend who is coming from the airport, and don't you know that planes are crashing, and I don't know what's going on!'
Just then I looked around and realized that we where completely alone in the coffee shop. Where were my co-workers?
I went looking for everybody and they were all in the bar watching the TV's. I arrived right before the second plane hit and we all watched it. I will never in my life forget that moment.
I returned to the coffee shop a few minutes later, shell shocked. The customer had received a call from his friend. He had landed and was safe.
What I remember the most after that was transitioning over to lunch that day. We opened the dining rooms and it was like nothing had happened. I felt like we should all go home and try to wrap our heads around what had just happened...
But, no. Groups of old ladies took precedence over terrorism that day."
- F. H.
A man came in and he was a little frazzled. He said he was meeting someone. I gave him coffee and left him alone to wait.
A little while passed and I went over to ask if he still wanted to wait, and he went off on me. He said,
'I'm waiting on a friend who is coming from the airport, and don't you know that planes are crashing, and I don't know what's going on!'
Just then I looked around and realized that we where completely alone in the coffee shop. Where were my co-workers?
I went looking for everybody and they were all in the bar watching the TV's. I arrived right before the second plane hit and we all watched it. I will never in my life forget that moment.
I returned to the coffee shop a few minutes later, shell shocked. The customer had received a call from his friend. He had landed and was safe.
What I remember the most after that was transitioning over to lunch that day. We opened the dining rooms and it was like nothing had happened. I felt like we should all go home and try to wrap our heads around what had just happened...
But, no. Groups of old ladies took precedence over terrorism that day."
- F. H.
33. "I was working at a telecommunications company. We bought and sold time over telephone lines. When it hit we were all shocked. Even the men looked like they wanted to cry. We didn't let one of our female Muslim coworkers go to or from work without an escort for a few days just in case.
Then the aftershock took out our server in NY city. We were in Erie, PA. Too far away to reset it and the person whose job it was to keep the server running was evacuated from the area. It took him two weeks before he was allowed to go back and hit the power button on the server. The company lost so much money it closed. All for lack of hitting one button.
My dad told me that Verizon rented out an entire floor of that building. He had gotten to work with them many times over the years. No one survived.
We stayed at home that night and just enjoyed being close to each other."
- W. B.
Then the aftershock took out our server in NY city. We were in Erie, PA. Too far away to reset it and the person whose job it was to keep the server running was evacuated from the area. It took him two weeks before he was allowed to go back and hit the power button on the server. The company lost so much money it closed. All for lack of hitting one button.
My dad told me that Verizon rented out an entire floor of that building. He had gotten to work with them many times over the years. No one survived.
We stayed at home that night and just enjoyed being close to each other."
- W. B.
34. "I was in Mrs. Sherman's fourth grade class, in a small rural school district in south-central PA. The first moment we knew something unusual was happening was when there was a line of parents' cars, waiting to pick up their children by 10 or 10:30 A.M., which we could see from our classroom's window. The front office kept paging student after student for 'early dismissal.'
Mrs. Sherman was in and out of the room, presumably talking with teachers or administrators in the hallway. The agreement was, probably, to not tell the students what had happened. We still knew something was wrong, but Mrs. Sherman assured us we were safe at the school.
I went home on the bus at the normal time at the end of that day. When I got home, I put down my backpack and my mother sat with me on her lap, both silent, as we watched NBC's breaking news coverage. As I began to understand the facts of what happened, my nine-year-old mind wondered,
'Didn't they know so many people would die? Didn't they know they themselves would die? Didn't they know it would destroy the planes?'
I couldn't wrap my head around why someone would do something so terrible.
I grew up in a very 'before' and 'after' world."
- Kerri K.
Mrs. Sherman was in and out of the room, presumably talking with teachers or administrators in the hallway. The agreement was, probably, to not tell the students what had happened. We still knew something was wrong, but Mrs. Sherman assured us we were safe at the school.
I went home on the bus at the normal time at the end of that day. When I got home, I put down my backpack and my mother sat with me on her lap, both silent, as we watched NBC's breaking news coverage. As I began to understand the facts of what happened, my nine-year-old mind wondered,
'Didn't they know so many people would die? Didn't they know they themselves would die? Didn't they know it would destroy the planes?'
I couldn't wrap my head around why someone would do something so terrible.
I grew up in a very 'before' and 'after' world."
- Kerri K.
35. "Though living in south New Jersey, I worked in Philadelphia, PA. I had just arrived at work and went up the escalator to the 2nd floor where there was a coffee vendor. Over 100 people were in that tight space in front of a ceiling-mounted television and I joined them. I didn't understand what I was watching - I kept thinking why would someone turn the TV to a disaster movie?- then the TV replayed the plane flying into the Trade Tower.
I could not believe what I was watching - I had clients in New York. I checked in with my boss and told him I was leaving and going to pick up my son at school, who was 15 at the time, thinking his classroom would be showing this horrifying news on the TV and I wanted to be with him. I got back to the school and had my son pulled out of class. When we got into the car, he burst into tears, saying he thought I was dead, especially when he was called out of class. Then I realized he was equating the NYC Trade Towers to the Liberty One and Two Tower buildings in Philadelphia, which is where I worked on the 44th floor, and he thought that Philadelphia may have also been a target. The city profiles of the tower buildings are very similar.
We went home and watched TV for a couple hours, then turned it off and did other things as I could see him becoming more traumatized. In later days, I learned all my New York clients were alive, but had had to walk for hours covered in dust and debris until they were evacuated at the riverfront. A few years ago, we visited NYC and Ground Zero. Neither of us could stop crying. We were lucky - all of our family and friends were OK, but we will never forget that day and I am sorry my son had to live through 9/11 at such a young age."
- Karen Moore
I could not believe what I was watching - I had clients in New York. I checked in with my boss and told him I was leaving and going to pick up my son at school, who was 15 at the time, thinking his classroom would be showing this horrifying news on the TV and I wanted to be with him. I got back to the school and had my son pulled out of class. When we got into the car, he burst into tears, saying he thought I was dead, especially when he was called out of class. Then I realized he was equating the NYC Trade Towers to the Liberty One and Two Tower buildings in Philadelphia, which is where I worked on the 44th floor, and he thought that Philadelphia may have also been a target. The city profiles of the tower buildings are very similar.
We went home and watched TV for a couple hours, then turned it off and did other things as I could see him becoming more traumatized. In later days, I learned all my New York clients were alive, but had had to walk for hours covered in dust and debris until they were evacuated at the riverfront. A few years ago, we visited NYC and Ground Zero. Neither of us could stop crying. We were lucky - all of our family and friends were OK, but we will never forget that day and I am sorry my son had to live through 9/11 at such a young age."
- Karen Moore