SOUTH CAROLINA
"Where were you on 9/11?" as remembered by those in South Carolina that day.
South Carolina resident Dawn reflects on the moment she learned of the first plane's impact on the north tower of the World Trade Center. The building where her brother Brian Warner worked.
1. "I was in Columbia, South Carolina on September 11th 2001. I was getting my kids ready for school that morning and I was driving my son to preschool while I was listening to the radio. They were talking about some planes flying into some buildings and I was wondering if I was listening correctly because I didn't think that happened here in the United States.
When I got to preschool, I went in to see the TVs that were on and realized that the World Trade Center had been hit. I just stared at that TV and said,
'Yeah, I think my brother works there.'
So, I watched a little longer and saw that the one building had fallen then all of a sudden I got this dread and said,
'You know, I really don't want to go home.'
I really just wanted to stay where I was and pretend it didn't happen because I didn't want to know what had happened to my brother. When preschool was done, they kind of said I had to go. I picked up my son, drove home, and when I walked in the door I noticed I had received several voice messages. My voice box was getting pretty full and before I even listened to what any of them said, I knew that my brother was in the buildings."
- Dawn
In memory of Brian G. Warner
When I got to preschool, I went in to see the TVs that were on and realized that the World Trade Center had been hit. I just stared at that TV and said,
'Yeah, I think my brother works there.'
So, I watched a little longer and saw that the one building had fallen then all of a sudden I got this dread and said,
'You know, I really don't want to go home.'
I really just wanted to stay where I was and pretend it didn't happen because I didn't want to know what had happened to my brother. When preschool was done, they kind of said I had to go. I picked up my son, drove home, and when I walked in the door I noticed I had received several voice messages. My voice box was getting pretty full and before I even listened to what any of them said, I knew that my brother was in the buildings."
- Dawn
In memory of Brian G. Warner
Written Stories
2. "I was 16 and attending a very small school in Indian Trail, NC. I remember making fun of my brother because he had to drop me off and immediately go to the local courthouse to deal with a speeding ticket that morning.
At the tail end of first period our school secretary, who listened to NPR everyday, came into the room and told us something happened at the World Trace Center. I could see the fear in her eyes, and I will never forget it.
Not being from NYC I remember my initial thought was to try and remember what the building looked like. We went into the lunchroom and put the news was put on around 8:55 a.m.
I remember the confusion of, 'was it an accident, or intentional?' as soon as we saw the second plane hit we all knew.
We were told parents will be contacted to come and get us. I knew both mine were busy working, so I went outside and tried to call my brother on my cellphone, but the cell phone towers were overwhelmed with callers.
My brother showed back up at my school at 12 to pick me up, he never got a fine for speeding all cases were dismissed at the court that day.
The rest of the day I just watching TV all day, butterflies in my stomach, knowing that the implications of all this is going to be beyond imagination.
I shut the TV off around 11:30 p.m., feeling completely exhausted and dazed. The next morning the first thing that came to my mind was to turn the TV on and maybe it was all just some sort of bad dream.
To my extreme disappointment it was most definitely real."
- Douglas M.
At the tail end of first period our school secretary, who listened to NPR everyday, came into the room and told us something happened at the World Trace Center. I could see the fear in her eyes, and I will never forget it.
Not being from NYC I remember my initial thought was to try and remember what the building looked like. We went into the lunchroom and put the news was put on around 8:55 a.m.
I remember the confusion of, 'was it an accident, or intentional?' as soon as we saw the second plane hit we all knew.
We were told parents will be contacted to come and get us. I knew both mine were busy working, so I went outside and tried to call my brother on my cellphone, but the cell phone towers were overwhelmed with callers.
My brother showed back up at my school at 12 to pick me up, he never got a fine for speeding all cases were dismissed at the court that day.
The rest of the day I just watching TV all day, butterflies in my stomach, knowing that the implications of all this is going to be beyond imagination.
I shut the TV off around 11:30 p.m., feeling completely exhausted and dazed. The next morning the first thing that came to my mind was to turn the TV on and maybe it was all just some sort of bad dream.
To my extreme disappointment it was most definitely real."
- Douglas M.
3. "South Carolina, very far removed. I was in 3rd grade. I remember the teachers were watching the video of the explosion on the news and a few minutes later one of them realized that they shouldn't be showing that to the kids and turned it off. I didn't understand what it meant. I remember we all got to go home early and my mom came and got us immediately, and we didn't go to school the next day either. She was worried for our safety since we're Indian and could be mistaken for Arab. she gave us explicit instructions to remember we were not Muslim, we were not Arabs, if anyone asked.
I'm still angry that she was so afraid for that reason."
- B. T.
I'm still angry that she was so afraid for that reason."
- B. T.
4. "Ft Jackson, SC on my second to last week of basic training.
We were given an hour for conducting personal hygiene, eating breakfast, and fixing the camouflage on our foxholes. Our platoon was called to formation, and our drill sergeants gave us the news that the Twin Towers had fallen, the Pentagon had been hit, and there were more planes unaccounted for.
We thought it was an exercise to see how we'd handle the stress of suddenly going to war, like adding a layer of realism to the training we were already doing. Alpha 1/61."
- P. M.
We were given an hour for conducting personal hygiene, eating breakfast, and fixing the camouflage on our foxholes. Our platoon was called to formation, and our drill sergeants gave us the news that the Twin Towers had fallen, the Pentagon had been hit, and there were more planes unaccounted for.
We thought it was an exercise to see how we'd handle the stress of suddenly going to war, like adding a layer of realism to the training we were already doing. Alpha 1/61."
- P. M.
5. "I was a junior in high school in a very military town. I happened to be in art history class with a teacher who let us watch The Today Show on mute every morning because he felt civilized people should not start their day before 9 am. I don't remember what I was doing besides sort of half watching an interview, then I thought they were cutting to commercial.
Instead, the subtitles show Matt Lauer is saying something about a plane. The teacher did later turn up the volume and after Lauer began considering the possibility of terrorism, the second plane moves into frame. Classmates were saying,
'PULL UP! - TURN!'
Someone just screamed and I thought,
'Two isn't an accident.'
Then I thought
'This isn't funny, this is sick! SNL/ The Late Late Show/whoever isn't making the satirical statement they think they are and how did they get Matt Lauer to play along?'
Instead, the subtitles show Matt Lauer is saying something about a plane. The teacher did later turn up the volume and after Lauer began considering the possibility of terrorism, the second plane moves into frame. Classmates were saying,
'PULL UP! - TURN!'
Someone just screamed and I thought,
'Two isn't an accident.'
Then I thought
'This isn't funny, this is sick! SNL/ The Late Late Show/whoever isn't making the satirical statement they think they are and how did they get Matt Lauer to play along?'
It took way too long for the reality to really hit.
Cellphones were barely a thing but most of my classmates were military kids, so their phones started ringing immediately. My sister stayed home that morning and told me she saw pilots haul ass out of all the nearby houses, so she knew something was going on but thought a plane might have crashed on base. She turned on the news thinking local news might still be on and then saw one of the endless replays.
I think that was almost the last time I was surprised by anything bad."
- N. R.
Cellphones were barely a thing but most of my classmates were military kids, so their phones started ringing immediately. My sister stayed home that morning and told me she saw pilots haul ass out of all the nearby houses, so she knew something was going on but thought a plane might have crashed on base. She turned on the news thinking local news might still be on and then saw one of the endless replays.
I think that was almost the last time I was surprised by anything bad."
- N. R.
6. "I was in first grade when another teacher ran into our classroom to tell my teacher what was happening. She turned on the news and we watched as smoke billowed from the first tower.
I watched live as the second plane hit.
I watched live as people jumped from the towers.
I couldn't eat my lunch that day.
I saw my teacher last year and thanked her for letting my, at 6 years old, watch that day. It gave me a true understanding of what happened. It is honestly something I will never forget."
- K. D.
I watched live as the second plane hit.
I watched live as people jumped from the towers.
I couldn't eat my lunch that day.
I saw my teacher last year and thanked her for letting my, at 6 years old, watch that day. It gave me a true understanding of what happened. It is honestly something I will never forget."
- K. D.
7. "I was in the Navy, finishing up my C school. We were studying for our final exams, when our class leader came in calmly; without speaking, and wrote on the board:
A PLANE HAS HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
And she left.
A few minutes later she came back in, again with no words, and wrote:
A SECOND PLANE HAS HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
And once again left. After they found out about the Pentagon, our class' NCO came in and briefed us on what they knew and that classes were cancelled. Everyone was confined to base and went back to the barracks to crowd around in the common areas either watching TV and calling loved ones."
- Jeremy Davis
A PLANE HAS HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
And she left.
A few minutes later she came back in, again with no words, and wrote:
A SECOND PLANE HAS HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
And once again left. After they found out about the Pentagon, our class' NCO came in and briefed us on what they knew and that classes were cancelled. Everyone was confined to base and went back to the barracks to crowd around in the common areas either watching TV and calling loved ones."
- Jeremy Davis