Patriot Day

[pyroscott]

Today, Patriot Day, I remember where I was on that terrible day. I remember being in French class at NDSU when the teacher grabbed a TV Cart and the class watched the live coverage in disbelief. This country wasn't torn apart in terror, but instead we honored those who were murdered by terrorists by banding together and defeating the terror organizations on their home turf. I pray for the families of those who were killed or injured in the attacks on September 11th 2001, the families of the first responders who were killed or injured bravely running straight into harm's way to help, and the families of the service members who were killed or injured far from home, protecting the freedoms we enjoy in the comfort of our homes. The terrorists may have succeeded in murdering innocent people, but they can never break our spirit. To quote Lee Greenwood, today I'm proud to be an American, damn proud.

 

[themuffinman]

I was coming out of my statistics class when one of my best friends ran up to me and told me a plane crashed in to the tower. We ran down to the cafeteria area where there is a lounge. As we got there we saw what we thought was a reply but it was live video of the second plane being flown into the second tower. I get chills to this day thinking about it, so very sad. It was amazing how we all put our individual differences aside and came together as a nation in showing our support.

[ballman]

I was driving to work listening to Mike & Mike when the first plane hit. When I got to the office, someone had one of those little handheld TV's and a bunch of us were gathered around it watching as the second plane hit. My brother is a pilot for American and I started freaking out a little as I knew he flew international routes out of JFK at that time and they had identified at least one of the flights as American.

 

About that time, my sister called me and she was a total mess. She said our other brother was flying into NY that day for a meeting somewhere in the financial district and she had been trying to reach him with no success ever since the first plane had hit. It turns out that his flight landed at LGA between the first & second attacks. He and his group ended up taking a cab to Hartford and renting a car to get back to Indy. Once he got away from NYC his cell phone started working enough to get word back to us that he was ok. I was also finally able to reach my other brother's wife to verify that he was ok as well.

 

My folks were on vacation in England at the time and it took us a day or two to get word to them that everyone was ok. They were supposed to fly back a few days later but were forced to spend a little more time in England due to the flights being grounded after the attack.

 

When I think back on it, it all seemed like some surreal nightmare as it was happening.

[Guest 503ducati]

I was coming out of my statistics class when one of my best friends ran up to me and told me a plane crashed in to the tower. We ran down to the cafeteria area where there is a lounge. As we got there we saw what we thought was a reply but it was live video of the second plane being flown into the second tower. I get chills to this day thinking about it, so very sad. It was amazing how we all put our individual differences aside and came together as a nation in showing our support.

Ditto, I was at home got a call from a friend about the first plane in disbelief. I hung up turned on the TV and saw the second plane thinking it was previous video of the first plane.

[tybo31316]

I was at home suspended from school and was asleep with the radio on and all I heard in my sleep was talks of a plane hitting the world trade center and I jumped up turned on the tv and saw the footage of the first plane hitting the tower and a couple minutes later they showed the second plane striking the building live.

[brucebarringer]

In 2001, on Tuesdays I normally had meetings in the Pentagon. But fortunately, on THAT Tuesday, I reported for jury duty in Fairfax County, Virginia. There was a TV in the juror waiting area that was turned on and we watched the events unfold. Jury duty was of course cancelled for that day. I was fortunate and will never again complain about jury duty.

[jefbal99]

I was working at a GM Helpdesk talking to a supplier about a shared drive issue. He told me that a Plane hit the World Trade Center, we were discussing who would fly a small personal plane into a sky scraper. My 2nd phone line beeped and it was my mom, home sick from her job. She was watching CNN and gave me the real story; as we were talking, she saw the 2nd plane hit live.

 

Still get a chill down my spine thinking about that morning.

 

Walking into the office today, it was almost like 9/12 with no airplane trails in the sky, I could only see one off in the distance...

[Mondays In Flames]

I feel like such a little kid. I was in fifth grade when it happened and I was in a portable trailer classroom with Ms. Brown. The principal came on the intercom and announced that all teaching is to be suspended and all televisions will be turned on to the news channel. He mentioned that a terrorist attack had happened in the world trade centers. We watched the news and the stories then my mother came to pick me up. We had to be escorted by the administration staff and I spent the rest of the day home. I remember there were stories that they might crash a plane on other areas. But that's all I remember. This really was a devastating moment in our history.

[S4GRU]

I was living in Reno, Nevada back in 2001. The day before I had just flew home from my sister's funeral in Florida. I had gotten really sick and flew home a day earlier than originally planned. By the time I got off the plane in Reno, I could hardly walk. The night of September 10th I was in the ER for hours. I had a severe internal staph infection and was on an IV for dehydration and antibiotics. If I hadn't gotten sick and flew home early, I would have been flying back on Sept. 11th and likely stranded in Orlando or Atlanta.

 

I got home from the hospital around 3 AM, and my wife and I slept in until after 9 AM Pacific time. I remember walking out into the Living Room and turning on the TV and being confused about what I was seeing. The first thing I saw was what appeared to be a very far away shot of a person who apparently had jumped and the news anchor asking a producer to remove that video because you could make out the image of someone jumping. At first I thought maybe it was a mass suicide of people jumping off the World Trade Center. Maybe like a Heavens Gate thing.

 

In approximately 60 seconds of listening to the news anchor talking, it was apparent what had occurred. By then it was past Noon Eastern time and everyone had concluded that it was an intentional attack and not an accident. I then turned on my phone and I had a dozen voice mails from friends, coworkers and family. I didn't leave the couch that day just watching the news, completely stunned.

 

I am so grateful for all those who work to protect us, save us...on the streets of our towns and in far flung places around the World. Thanks to all of you who currently serve and who have served. Blessings to you all. And may God Bless America.

 

Robert

[MacinJosh]

I was sleeping in my be that morning and my stepdad woke out of a sound sleep yelling that someone crashed a plane into one of the towers. I was waiting for my transcripts from being home-schooled before I could go back to high school for my senior year. After I got out of bed I went out to the living room to see what he was ranting about and right when I got in there the 2nd plane slammed into the other tower. Talk about a shock to the nerves.