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What were you doing on September 11,2001?

Original post by allure

I remember the day so clearly.
I was out getting bagels for Rick & I and it was a Tuesday so it was unusal that Rick was off and i walked in at 9:30 am and he said look at the TV i new instantly something was wrong I am deeply sorry for those that have lost a loved one in such a tragedy
Thanks to all the people who came out and helped in such a trying time
I am proud to be an AMERICAN
Sunny Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was on my way to my first day at my new internship. He sent me home, and I spent the rest of the day alone trying to track down my family.

MrsBtoBe2005 Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was on the LIRR heading to work, we were right before the tunnel and you could see the smoke. (I think we were one of the last trains that got in at that point. It was awful. A woman that happened to be sharing one of those 5-seaters with me and a friend of mine, burst into tears because her husband was already at work in the WTC. I'll never forget the look on her face when she said 'Oh My God, my husband is working in that building' We walked to our building in Midtown and that's when we found out what happened and that it was an act of terrorism, etc. The company released us, but unfortunately everything was shut down at that point and I personally coudln't go anywhere if I tried, so a few of us just decided to stay in the building and wait to see when Penn Station would open up again rather than walk there and not be let in and be stuck on the street. Besides, we had food, water, and someplace to stay if need be. One of the partners has TV in his office, so we crammed in there to watch CNN in between the phones ringing off the hook from everyone's family members checking on them etc. Finally, the broadcast was made that Penn Station was open (this was about 3PM) we walked to Penn and squeezed on a train. I got home around 6 pm after all was said and done. Needless to say, we got the next day off; however we were back at work that Thursday, only to get sent home after a bomb scare at Grand Central (my building was across the street).

butterfly20 Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

i was sleeping

eroxgirl Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001'

I had just started working downtown about a month before, so I was still getting to work early (instead of 9:00 on the dot) and got off the train to see Tower 1 burning. I called my dad because his girlfriend worked in the building as I walked to my office. I called him again when I got into my office to confirm that his girlfriend was safe (she left the building 5 minutes before it got hit) and we were talking about what could have possibly happened for a plane to hit the WTC when the second one got hit. After the first building fell, a few of us from my office finally decided to leave and made it down to the street right as the second building was falling so we had to run and hide from debris. And then we all walked over to the Manhattan bridge in silence with everyone else.

LizD Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001'

I was at work. Mark called and said 'you won't believe what just happened', that was when the 1st plane hit. Than a co-worker heard it on the radio and said it was terrorists. I said no-way! Mark qnd I were still on the phone when the second plane hit. He said 'I have to go' (he's a cop) and I said 'No, don't go), he hung up and made some calls and called me back to say he was leaving to go there. I hung up, left work and raced home to try to catch him before he left, but it was too late. I did not hear from him again until about 11pm that night. I was so scared. I will never forget anything about that day. (We were listening to WPLJ at work and a guy on one of the upper floors kept calling in and talking to them. They asked him if he was going to leave and he said 'no, I will wait here', he called quite a few times. Unfortunatly, he did not make it out, I still cry everytime I think about it. I can still remember his voice)
mlp924 Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

My best friend and I had just taken the kids to school and were having bagels. We had decided to drive into Woodside to go to the Irish grocery stores when my landlord yelled up the stairs to turn on the tv. I couldn't breathe for about a half hour because my BIL worked there (local 3). Thank God the Nextels still worked and we found out he wasn't there that morning. My hubby drove to the Queens side of the 59th st bridge and drove his brother and 6 other guys home to LI.

And it was my son's 1st birthday
MSCJLK Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001'

I was on the phone with my aunt and we were joking around and then about 10 sec onds later she called me back and said a plane hit the world trade center i kept telling her she was lying but she told me to go online and see. So i went to the copy machine in my office and said' a plane hit the world trade center'
and we all went to get online. I remember my friend and I walked over to 37th and 5th because you can see all the way downtown and all I remember seeing this HUGE hole buring in tower 1 . We then went back to the office and they made an annoucment that we were not to leave the building becasue i work only 4 blocks from the empire state building. All i rememebr is listening to PLJ and they had ABC news on and when the second plane hit you knoew if was terriosts. I walked to my Aunt Apt and left the next morning. I had not seen mitch was over 48 hours because he works in NJ and we were living with my parents. I was very upset about that becasue we had only been married 4 months. I did not go to work the rest of the week becasue my office closed. Wed it was closed and thurs was optional and we had a bomb threat so they closed it friday also . All i rememebr is that i was awaiting the birth of my nephew and he was born 2 days later. I still can not believe that this was already two years ago. This days is still so clear in my mind...
Chloegirl Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was eating breakfast at my desk when someone came running in saying one of the towers was in flames. I went onto 6th ave a few miles away from downtown.....and just as I looked up the second plane hit. I had no idea what was going on. People dropped to their knees and cried that this is war. I was stunned.

FI got in touch with me...he was in midtown and we met up and waited for hours for a ferry over to Weehawken and then we walked to Hoboken (he lived there at the time). It was just awful. the next day I came through the city to get back home to Bayside....it was a ghost town.

I will never forget that day for as long as I live.
phyl Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001'

Wow! this is STill SOOO hard for me...reading everyone's post and trying not to cry.
was at work- cooper square- 2 blocks from the Bowery...was supposed to attend a presentation ...a co worker RUSHED past my desk told me to get up now and follow her. I did- to the conference room as we watched TV with film running htat one tower was hit. WE sat there in disbelief...people filtering into the room...they had a shot of the towers ..and we saw the second plane hit- we all screamed. I told everyone that phones will be down very soon..they said how do u know that- I told thme my hubby and I are Ham radio operators..there are antennas on the building...for TV and phones- and now they are down....my hubbymust be rushing home to get his gear, the mayors office of Emergency Management is activated..I gotta get him now. I ran to my office- phones were dea..but THANK G_D IM still worked. I was able to talk to him on IM. We had the TV on in my boss's office- 2 doors from me. we are all shouting and crying...looking downtown...and saw the tower crumble...then heard about the pentagon..
We all vowed to leave the building- no one is to travel alone...and I and 4 others piled into a co workers car and started to make our way out. I remember seeing people walking uptown- all covered in soot and bleeding. I remember the traffic jams, trucks delivering food and cops shouting at them to move it...as we made our way further uptown it was surreal- like we were in a movie- passing restaurants and people just sitting there eating. I felt like shaking all of them.. finally made it to the tunnel...over to the LIE and we were one of very few cars...all the black smoke...the video billboards all out.
I wound up staying at a co workers home in queens with NO way to get home. I was soo desperate...Rob tried to pick me up but they closed the streets right in front of him and he was forced to go home. I was sooo shaky and all I wanted to do is go home. I finally was able to go home the next morning..she was close to a LIRR stop. I made it home and was glued and crying to the TV.
WE were in the hot zone for about a week. My Darn boss made all the managers meet her in corporate offices uptown..what a waste of time...and then finally returned to our regular offices...many deveolped breathing porblems...I contracted asmatic bronchitus and now its chronic.

Rob and I WERE activated. we geared up and were given special clearance to work at ground zero- at PS181 I think- literally next door to a pit. We arrived there that fri night...never saw the FDR looking like this- all military. Were travling in a Red Cross truck..passing tons of support vehicles, mc donalds trucks, verizon, poland spring, calling card trucks..and ordinary people handing out food, water, masks. We walked pass many crushed fire trucks, cars,etc lugging our equip.
We worked as liasons for all the rescue teams...port authority, cops, FBI, CIA, US ARMY, etc..none of them have communications systems that allow them to communicate ACROSS all these different units. that was our job. WE were there for 48 hours straight. The whole time set up outside a kindergarden class...the windows werre caked with plaster dust..and I stayed awake by watching huge cranes, trucks, and people scrambling over the debris. All the time praying that they woull find ONE person alive.
I will not forget....
Boop2704 Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was in my classroom at school and one of the other teachers came in and said, the world trade center just exploded. I was shocked, I didn't believe it. So , I went down to the faculty room to see the TV and as I was in there the other building was hit. I was in complete and utter shock. I immediately called my family to make sure everyone was OK and to find out if there was anyone we knew flying or in the buildings. Unfortunately, my stepmothers cousin was on the 86th floor and died on September 11.
WithThisRing Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I get so sick when I think of where I could have been

I worked on Wall Street and we had just moved floors. My boss asked me on Monday night to go to 3 WFC to pick some stuff up before I go into the office. I had no problems with that as I love going down there. I was also going to surprise my group with krispy kremes

That morning I was running late.

I was on the M train and saw it all happen. I ran to my office where my boss was crying. She didnt know where I was. We were told to evacuate the building and go home. I told her i have to make 2 phone calls and i will leave. She said please make it fast and go home.

I made my calls and got on the last train out of the city. From the train I saw the first tower collapse.

All i kept thinking I could have been in the courtyard. I could have been on the North Bridge, I could have been inside 3 WFC, but that morning I was late.

It all felt so weird. It didnt hit me till I got home. I was so dazed and confussed. I couldnt understand why something like this would happen. All I did was cry.

my company lost 11 people that day, and my family lost a close family friend.

franksbride Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was in my office about 5 blocks from the Trade Center when all of a sudden we heard a huge crash, we shook, and a co-worker of mine screamed...Holy Sh**...a plane just crashed into the Trade Center.

We went running to the window to see the black smoke...and stood there in horror...watching what we were hoping was not actually what we saw (people jumping)...

Next thing we knew, we were watching the second plane hit...and our entire building started to evacuate to the street (I walked down from the 20th floor of my building)...when we got outside there were thousands of people...we were all so afraid, we were crying...trying to use our cell phones to see if all of our loved ones were ok...but we couldn't.

Across the street from our building is a bar and the owner allowed us to come in to use the phone and give us water. While inside, the buildings started to collapse, and when we looked out the window...we saw nothing but gray...it was so scary....

After the second building collapsed and some of the dust and debris had cleared (at least so that we can see)...I made my way home over the Brooklyn Bridge...

When I finally reached home, I went to my mother's school (she works up the block from where I live)...and collapsed in her arms hysterical crying!!!
Donna Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was at work in midtown and remember it all started with a phone call from my boss's children. One son called asking if we heard from his brother, then the daughter called asking if we heard from the brother, when I said we hadn't, she started screaming and asking to speak to her dad (my boss) since a plane had hit and her brother was in that building. I ran and got my boss so he could speak to her - while he was on the phone with her, his son(the one they were worried about) did call in, I spoke to him and he said he was ok, he was in Tower 2. I know he spoke to his father. It was about 10 minutes later that Tower 2 was hit. After that, my boss ran out and the rest of my office started leaving. I walked home over the 59th street bridge with some co-workers. In the next few days, we learned that my boss's son never made it out.. He was 24 years old. Talking to him that morning has stayed with me for a long time and was very hard to deal with. Unfortunately through friends and family I knew 6 people that died.
For any of you that lost someone that day my thoughts are with you.
shelzyp Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I was driving to work wjen I heard that a plane struck the WTC, I knew immediately that this had to be a terrorist attack. I had worked in WTC 2 fro MSDW and had never seen a plane overhead in that area, so I knew it couldn't have been pilot error, especially since it was a bright sunny day. I continued to work, and just listened to the radio all day. I was never so relieved in my life, that I no longer worked in Tower 2. I was scared when I started working there, and found it odd that people I worked with were there during the prior attack, and continued to work there.

MrsTC Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

Well, the night before, 9/10 I remember it pouring rain. I had just met FH and I remember before going to bed, I had a thought to call my friend Jen the next day to tell her I met someone special. Jen worked in the WTC and we used to commute to the city together.

Well, sadly Jen died the next day. She worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101 flr. and I am assuming never had a chance.

Oddly enough, 2 weeks before I had went to Windows on the World with a friend for drinks, I had never been there before. As I waited for the train at the E station below the WTC, I swear to G-d I had a very eery feeling...

So that day I took the E train to work and I got off at 7th ave. I heard the conductor announce 'no stops at WTC', and I thought 'Why the heck not? There are so many people on the E who go to WTC'. I remember clearly that I walked up the stairs to the street and definitely noticed how clear blue and pretty the sky was that day. I thought it was going to be a beautiful day.

As I went into my building (i worked on 52nd and bway) my friend told me what was going on and as the events unfolded I was terrified. I wound up walking home to queens on the 59th st bridge. My mom and friend picked me up on Queens Blvd and I was in denial that my friend was dead. I felt numb for days.

But I definitely knew life would never be the same.
Fran M Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

It was my last day at work before our wedding. DH's family had started coming into town. We had been up late with his Brother and his family. They planned to spend the day siteseeing downtown in NYC. I was in a great mood it was a beautiful day.

I walked into Starbucks for a cup and the counterperson said a plane flew into the WTC. I thought it was a small plane and someone had made a drastic mistake, poor guy. By the time I got upstairs the news was spreading. The reality of the situation slowly started to sink in.

I realized my future future MIL was on a plane heading to NYC from Cleveland and my future BIL and his family may be at the towers. I ran for the phone which was out. Then I heard about DC, my cousin Pat worked there. As I thought of him I got an email from him - Frannie Im ok, are you? Have you heard from my Dad or Carl (they both work downtown). Relief - more panic. I email his sister who manages to get me on my cell she is hysterical (Carl is her BF). Hours passed, I walked in and out of the conference room everyone was glued to the TV. Throughout the morning I learned that my family was safe. My MIL was on one of last plans that landed at LGA that day. My BIL never came into the city because they got up late. My Uncle and Carl walked uptown. Friends and other family members slowly checked in mostly via email. Thank God Thank God

I left the office late around 6:00. I heard the LIRR had resumed some service. As I walked down to 34th St. I saw a caravan of heavy equipment streaming into the city. Hugh craines, dumptrucks, tractors, earth movers. And the reality really sunk in.
N&L2004 Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

I can't think about that day without crying.
I always listem to KTU in the morning while in the shower, and on their joke off at about 7:30 a.m. someone said 'today is a big emergency day, it's 911' as sort of a joke. After what happened this phrase just stuck in my mind.

I came out of the train at 9:05 3 block from WTC and the first building was already on fire. I rememebr being pissed that the train said it's going to skip my station which is right by WTC because of an accident. While I was getting off a lady came running into the train screaming that there was a bomb that blew up in the building. I got on the street and just saw a lot of paper flying down. I saw a second plane go into the building and I was just standing there on the street dazed and confused until policemen told us to go away. I started walking towards Brooklyn Bridge while trying to call on my cell phone which was absolutely useless. I was already on the bridge when the first building collapsed. I walked for 6 hours with tears coming down my face without being able to reach anyone. I can't remember what was going throught my mind. i think it was absolutely blank, I was in such shock. I only fully realized what happened when I saw it on TV. Thanks G-d everyone close to me was safe.
Lunatrek Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

My DH (then my boyfriend) called me from his office on the 78th floor of Tower 2 and said that there was some sort of fire or explosion in Tower 1... I screamed at him to get the hell out of there, but he took his time thinking that he wasn't in danger, since he was in Tower 2. He eventually got in the last elevator that ever went down through Tower 2, and walked outside less than 5 minutes before the plane hit his building (pretty much right where his offices were). Meanwhile, I watched the whole thing on TV since there are TVs all over my company... the worst part was calling my Mom, who is usually one of the strongest women I know, and heard her screaming because she was so sure that he was killed (she didn't know which tower my DH worked in). I lost it.... I was a complete mess, because I didn't know for about three hours that he actually made it out of the building on time. (OMG, I am totally crying writing this ) I don't know why certain people were spared on that day, but my DH was one of them. He was so close. Words can't express how it affected me and my family, and also how my heart aches for those who didn't get their loved ones back. I'll never ever ever get over it, and never ever forget.
smooch Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

DH and I were camping out at Montauk - Hither Hills State Park. We were getting ready to go lay out on the beach. I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth and washing my face. I got back to the campsite and DH had the radio in my car on. I thought, 'What the heck is he doing? He is draining my car battery.'

So I said, 'Why is my radio on?'

He said, 'A plane hit the World Trade Center.'

I thought it was an accident. I didn't know. So I asked, 'Is everyone okay?' He couldn't even answer.

A lady at another campsite was hysterical, screaming that NYC was under attack. No one could calm her down, she was literally hysterical.

We walked up to the General Store to watch on TV. We didn't see the second plane hit because that is when we were walking up. But we saw the first tower fall. We were so upset. We left the store and went back to the ocean and just cried.

After hours of trying, I was able to get my mom, dad, sister, brother, best friend in DC, and ex-BF on the cell phone. The only one I never got in touch with was my best friend who was in the UK at the time.

We decided to pack up and go home to be with our families. Driving home, we listened to WBAB, Roger and JP who were phenomenal during the entire period.
verdila Posted:

Re: What were you doing on September 11,2001?

The first plane had hit as I was entering my bldg to go to work. I work in midtown manhattan... The doormen in the lobby were talking about it but I didnt think anything much yet- I got in the elevator and up to my office and everyone was running around frantic, most of us were in the corner office looking downtown with radios on - so I went over there. We ended up all watching in horror as the second plane hit the second tower - it was a clear day and from our 37th floor offices you could see downtown. Then panic, crying ensued. We were finally let out of work around 11ish but didnt know where to go. I ended up on a ferry line to NJ - got home around 4 pm that day. I know some people who lost relatives and at the time I lived by myself and my neighbor in my then-apt. bldg was also killed - while I didnt know him well, I felt very saddened for his family and for everyone. It was a terrible day for America but also some humanity was seen - ie - the cops, firefighers and everyday citizens helping one another out.

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