Where were you when the world stopped turning?

banana468 · September 2015

I forgot about the cell phones! That's the other thing I remember - we couldn't make a phone call because of the overload of the system.

[Deleted User] · September 2015

I was in 5th grade in homeroom, and the principle came in (I guess he was going to every classroom) walked over to our teacher and whispered in her ear. He left and she turned on the TV, and I saw about 3 minutes of new footage of the first tower burning. Then we had to go to our next class. We all ran down the hallway to the next room and told our next teacher what happened (she hadn't heard yet) and she flipped on the TV and we just sat there in silence. That was how all of my classes were. None of the teachers said anything. We all just watched the coverage. Then around noon, my mom picked me up because my dad works at a nuclear plant and they locked it down. She figured it was better if I was with her in case something happened. I had never even heard of the WTC until that day, so I wasn't really sure what to think, but I was definitely scared.

emmaaa · September 2015

I was 5th grade when it happened. I remember all of the sudden a ton of kids were being pulled out of class and we had no idea why. The teachers were called into the hall and I assume the principal was telling them of the news.

I got home that afternoon off the bus and my dad (who had just woke up because he worked third shift) was just staring at the TV. He explained what happened and shortly later my mom ran inside and we all just sat there and watched TV. I remember seeing people jump out of the windows. I remember the footage of the crash and smoke and towers falling.

The 9/11 attack was the reason my older brother joined the army and became a Ranger.

Maggie0829 · September 2015

I was in 12th grade. Early in the day after the towers were struck it started to filter thru the school. No one was sure what was and was not true. It wasn't until I got to my lunch period class where I got to watch some of the news since my teacher had it on. Everyone just sat there in awe of what was happening. During lunch they made an announcement that early dismissal would happen. Quite a few students clapped and hooted and hollered because they were excited to get out early. Either they had no clue as to what was happening or they really didn't grasp what had and was happening.

When I got home I saw my Mom standing in her room crying and then we just sat down on the floor and continued to watch the news coverage.

Jen4948 · September 2015

I was between jobs and in grad school then studying for my masters degree. I remember I got up and turned on my computer where there was an email from my mom saying she'd heard something about airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center. I thought "??????" and turned on my TV. One tower had already collapsed and the second was engulfed in flames; a moment or so later it also collapsed. Later that day it was announced that terrorists had hijacked the two planes that destroyed the WTC and the two others that crashed into the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. My father was working away from home, and he had to rent a car at the last minute to drive home from Chicago to Houston because all the flights were grounded for several days after that.

ShesSoCold · September 2015

Jen4948 said:

I was between jobs and in grad school then studying for my masters degree. I remember I got up and turned on my computer where there was an email from my mom saying she'd heard something about airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center. I thought "??????" and turned on my TV. One tower had already collapsed and the second was engulfed in flames; a moment or so later it also collapsed. Later that day it was announced that terrorists had hijacked the two planes that destroyed the WTC and the two others that crashed into the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. My father was working away from home, and he had to rent a car at the last minute to drive home from Chicago to Houston because all the flights were grounded for several days after that.

I remember how eerily quiet it was the rest of the week. I live somewhat close to two large airports and it was so odd to not see or hear not one plane in the sky.

jenna8984 · September 2015

Even though I've seen them dozens of times, I still watch the same shows and interviews on History Channel every year. The two female NYU students who caught a lot on video from their apartment. The people standing outside covered in soot and debri. The man who was an hour late for work because of Monday Night Football and says it saved his life. I am gripped by all their stories each year.

So I was in 11th grade and I'm on the East Coast so it was first period study hall. This kid Mike Mooney came in from his bathroom break and said "We have to turn the TV on, there's a plane crash all over the news!" Each classroom had a tv so we turned it on and just sat in silence watching it all in live time including the second plane. I remember thinking oh my god, there are kindergarten students right now that have no idea their parents just died and won't be home tonight. That broke my heart more than anything.

My H was in the 12th grade (we didn't know each other then) but he and his father were both volunteer firemen here in MA. They very heavily debated getting in a car and going there right away to offer any assistance and just jump into whatever they could do. For whatever reason, they didn't go but I know it holds such a place in their hearts because all those firemen lost they considered brothers.

We went to the Memorial last summer, which was beautiful. We were actually a little outraged by tourists taking pictures smiling in front of it. People, this is a grave, not TGIFridays. I offered to get tickets to go in the museum but H decided it would be way too sad and dpressing for him to actually see the items inside, so we didn't.

anjemon · September 2015

The other thing that is sort of crazy is that I'm not sure I knew what the World Trade Center towers were before that day. I may have been able to pick them out in movies if asked, but probably not. But even not really knowing what they were for, it's still strange to look at the NY cityscape without them there. And it's hard to imagine those words not having as much meaning as they do now.

wandajune6 · September 2015

When I got back, I was working a temp job while looking for a full-time job. I heard something on the radio from the cubicle next door. I didn't know any of my coworkers, didn't have a cell yet, and was terrified. My dad worked downtown (Chicago) in a government building, my uncle worked in the World Trade Center, and my then-boyfriend was on a flight to NYC.

I remember trying to call my mom from the phone but not knowing how to get a long distance code (it was 5 miles from my parent's house but a different area code) and it was horrible. Finally, I got a call from my mom-- she bullied the switchboard operator until they figured out how to transfer the call to me. She was in even worse shape because she couldn't get a hold of my dad because he couldn't get a cell connection.

On the way home, there were tons of cars with flags hanging out of them. My aunt got stuck on the east coast and her husband couldn't leave work so my little cousins stayed at my parent's house with us.

My strongest memory was that night: there were 10 of us sitting on the couch, chairs, floor in my parent's living room glued to the tv. My mom made a huge pot of spaghetti that no one could bring themselves to eat. My parents drank port- they never drank during the week and the port was for special occasions. Friends and family who lived alone came to our house because no one wanted to be alone. It felt like we spent the next week or so just like that.

AprilH81 · September 2015

jenna8984 said:

Even though I've seen them dozens of times, I still watch the same shows and interviews on History Channel every year. The two female NYU students who caught a lot on video from their apartment. The people standing outside covered in soot and debri. The man who was an hour late for work because of Monday Night Football and says it saved his life. I am gripped by all their stories each year.

So I was in 11th grade and I'm on the East Coast so it was first period study hall. This kid Mike Mooney came in from his bathroom break and said "We have to turn the TV on, there's a plane crash all over the news!" Each classroom had a tv so we turned it on and just sat in silence watching it all in live time including the second plane. I remember thinking oh my god, there are kindergarten students right now that have no idea their parents just died and won't be home tonight. That broke my heart more than anything.
My H was in the 12th grade (we didn't know each other then) but he and his father were both volunteer firemen here in MA. They very heavily debated getting in a car and going there right away to offer any assistance and just jump into whatever they could do. For whatever reason, they didn't go but I know it holds such a place in their hearts because all those firemen lost they considered brothers.
We went to the Memorial last summer, which was beautiful. We were actually a little outraged by tourists taking pictures smiling in front of it. People, this is a grave, not TGIFridays. I offered to get tickets to go in the museum but H decided it would be way too sad and dpressing for him to actually see the items inside, so we didn't.

I end up watching a lot of the documentaries too. Some years more than others. Today I watched "Voices from the Towers" on the History Channel. It went through some of the 911 calls, voicemails left on machines by those trapped in the towers and some live interviews from survivors. Every time I see a still image of one of the planes getting ready to hit the towers I desperately wish for the ability to stop time and prevent it from happening.

lyndausvi · September 2015

I spent so much time watching TV those first few weeks/months I burned myself out. For me it's one of the bad things about 24/7 news. You just get so sucked in.

I can't bring myself to watch the 09/11 documentaries anymore. I just don't have it in me. Just watching them give me anxiety. IDK, I already know the details and just do not need to re-live it every year.

I'm actually glad I'm working tonight and do not have to even scroll passed them.

WinstonsGirl · September 2015

I was last year Uni, and I first heard about it on the radio, since I was still in bed (my radio as my alarm, and we were 2 hours behind). I heard about the first plane, so went up to turn on the TV and told my Mom too. We watched the second plane and both towers go down. I also remember watching people jump, which was horrifying.

At first I didn't think it was real, but then it kept happening. I had an Education class that morning. My teacher cancelled her plans and talked about 'teachable moments', how sometimes something happens that you need to toss your plans out the window for. We then discussed the event, almost using it as an example of what we could do with our own students while helping us make sense of it. She did a pretty awesome job of it actually.

monkeysip · September 2015

I was a freshman in high school. I was in 2nd period science class when they announced the first plane hit. We all thought it was some terrible accident with a small plane.

Then I went to 3rd period geography. Our teacher turned the news on, and we watched. That's when the second plane hit. It was so surreal. I live in TX.... hundreds of miles away... and it still was so frightening and dreamlike. I can't imagine how New Yorkers felt that day. I showed my students footage today in class (many of them were only 1 years old), and it's still so shocking to me even 14 years later.

themosthappy91 · September 2015

It's interesting learning everyone's relative ages from this thread- I'm realizing I had some perceptions that were way off!

I was nine and honestly it wasn't a super dramatic day for me. A couple teachers had the TV on during class changes so I had a vague awareness something was going on, but my school definitely had a "carry on as usual" attitude (presumably because we were so young).

My parents gave me a brief explanation and let me watch a little of the TV coverage that day- they definitely imparted the impression that this was big deal, but at that age that only means so much.

At that time I was very into reading stuff like the "Dear America" diaries (okay I honestly don't know if others know what those are but they are a series of diaries from the point of view of preteen-teenage girls during momentous historical events) so I kind of feel like I had the perception that history is just a series of important, interesting and awful things happening... so from my nine-year-old perspective it almost seemed natural that this was happening. Weird how kids' minds work.

banana468 · September 2015

themosthappy91 said:
It's interesting learning everyone's relative ages from this thread- I'm realizing I had some perceptions that were way off!

I was nine and honestly it wasn't a super dramatic day for me. A couple teachers had the TV on during class changes so I had a vague awareness something was going on, but my school definitely had a "carry on as usual" attitude (presumably because we were so young).

My parents gave me a brief explanation and let me watch a little of the TV coverage that day- they definitely imparted the impression that this was big deal, but at that age that only means so much.

At that time I was very into reading stuff like the "Dear America" diaries (okay I honestly don't know if others know what those are but they are a series of diaries from the point of view of preteen-teenage girls during momentous historical events) so I kind of feel like I had the perception that history is just a series of important, interesting and awful things happening... so from my nine-year-old perspective it almost seemed natural that this was happening. Weird how kids' minds work.

What's interesting is how schools farther away operated. My mother was an elementary school teacher in CT about an hour away from NYC and the area is in commuting territory. They dismissed early.

My dad works for a government contractor. Jersey barriers were set up at entances and exits very quickly for security purposes.

At UConn, we just didn't go to class. It wasn't discussed. We just didn't go. We waited for people to check in and see if we could finally get our cell phone calls to work. Between the towers falling and the network overloads, there was such a feeling of uncertainty among those who were actually safe.

I interned at an investment firm in CT with my aunt and she told me about a coworker who was a former Cantor Fitzgerald employee. In the days and weeks that followed he checked in mentioning the number of funerals he was attending.

redwoodoriginal · September 2015

I hate September 11th. I avoid most of social media, the Internet, and the TV. I finally got on Instagram and fb late last night and first thing I saw on iG was a pic of the towers burning. I got off and on fb and a friend had posted, commenting on how it seemed as tho "NYers"/those who were closer and affected would post pics of the towers or freedom tower or the lights vs other ppl who would post pics of the burning buildings and I found that to be true, also. I hate seeing pics of the burning building bc it's a snapshot of someone's death. Just, no.

I grew up on Long Island close enough where many of our parents worked in the city. Knew a handful of kids in the community (school or church) who lost a parent or family member and I was a sophomore in high school that day and it sucked. One family member was down there and he ended up on the last ferry that left battery park and ended up in Staten Island I think for a few days. It sucked for weeks and it still sucks. I went near the freedom tower awhile ago- like right when the museum was opened or something, I was back in NYC visiting my parents and my mom asked me if I wanted to go and my answer was hell no. I can't do it.

One of the things that stuck with me was in the aftermath of everything that happened that day was a story I read about all the commuters , and how obviously it took awhile for the "usual commute" to happen again. A commuter said that it was a weird feeling, being back on the train, (LIRR), and getting on your usual car, and looking to see if your usual commuter companions were there. When you saw a face you had seen before 9/11 you smiled; each day there were a few more recognized faces, and then the sad realization that the missing faces were most likely dead. Just ugh.

IrishPirate60 · September 2015

I was driving with a friend to a meeting three hours away. Going over the mountains, reception is terrible and we were busy talking anyway. We didn't know anything until we went inside the meeting room. Half an hour later, headquarters called and asked us to return to our work places. Some sixty people scattered to the 13 prisons around the state. ################## I remember organizing a prayer service that pulled in 200 inmates and staff. I spent the next two weeks talking with guys who had some connection with WTC. A couple had family who worked there. As far as I know, none of those relatives died. ########################################### Six months ago, friends started organizing for a reunion of high school drama folks. Someone mentioned the name of one of my good friends and then "RIP." That's when I found out Janet had worked and died in one of the towers.

TheCheeseWench · September 2015

I was at work. Well, I was doing my usual "get to work, say hi to the boss, grab my co-worker and head down to the first floor to grab breakfast" but. We were on our way back up with our food to the tower (which was pretty much evacuated an hour or so later because it was this... ( http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/us/28tulsa.html?referrer=&_r=0 ) when we saw a bunch of people standing in front of the TVs in the lobby leading to the elevators. We stopped to see what was up and it was after the first plane but before the second. I went up to my desk eventually but just until they told us to go home. Then I curled up on my couch in sweats and watched the news for the rest of the day.

Pupatella · September 2015

I was in college at the time. I woke up early to study for an exam I had that day. I turned on the news for background noise. I started studying around 7am, and unfortunately saw everything unfold on the news.

After the second plane hit, I called a few friends, and my Mom, and told them to turn on the news. Something major was going on.

My university cancelled classes for the day.

I just remember curling up on the couch and not being able to pull myself away from the TV.

kimmiinthemitten · September 2015

monkeysip said:

I was a freshman in high school. I was in 2nd period science class when they announced the first plane hit. We all thought it was some terrible accident with a small plane.

Then I went to 3rd period geography. Our teacher turned the news on, and we watched. That's when the second plane hit. It was so surreal. I live in TX.... hundreds of miles away... and it still was so frightening and dreamlike. I can't imagine how New Yorkers felt that day. I showed my students footage today in class (many of them were only 1 years old), and it's still so shocking to me even 14 years later.

FI is a high school social studies teacher who teaches World History and AP Govt. I asked him what he does for 9/11 and he told me that because his students now have no recollection of the day itself he waits and teaches it in historical order (at the end of the year). He taught it once the day of and it wasn't as impactful for them because they had no context to place the events to.

It made me sad to think something so big for my generation is already a textbook event and made me wonder if the 20 somethings who sat in horror over the news of Pearl Harbor felt the same way a decade a half later.

thisismynickname2 · September 2015

kimmiandkoley said:

monkeysip said:

I was a freshman in high school. I was in 2nd period science class when they announced the first plane hit. We all thought it was some terrible accident with a small plane.

Then I went to 3rd period geography. Our teacher turned the news on, and we watched. That's when the second plane hit. It was so surreal. I live in TX.... hundreds of miles away... and it still was so frightening and dreamlike. I can't imagine how New Yorkers felt that day. I showed my students footage today in class (many of them were only 1 years old), and it's still so shocking to me even 14 years later.

FI is a high school social studies teacher who teaches World History and AP Govt. I asked him what he does for 9/11 and he told me that because his students now have no recollection of the day itself he waits and teaches it in historical order (at the end of the year). He taught it once the day of and it wasn't as impactful for them because they had no context to place the events to.

It made me sad to think something so big for my generation is already a textbook event and made me wonder if the 20 somethings who sat in horror over the news of Pearl Harbor felt the same way a decade a half later.

Agreed. My best friend is a junior high teacher and she said this is the first year she'll teach kids who weren't even born yet on 9/11.

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

Re: Where were you when the world stopped turning?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards