#1065 | Monday, March 18th 2002
It is very painful for me to remember that terrible day, even now What matters to me it that it even happened at all.Can it really be true? It took awhile before I realized the horror of it all. Where I was is not important; it matters not. What does matter to me the image of the terrible lost of innocence and beauty gone to all of us forever. I knew all the WTC towers so well, I walked though those buildings so many times when I was on the job. My sister worked in one of the towers years ago. I can close my eyes and still see the images of the beautiful towers against the blue sky. The stores; and where they were and their names; and the people-- yes, the people!!! We lost something that day, something innocent and beautiful, and I shall never forget it.
Andrea | 48 | New York

#1036 | Friday, March 15th 2002
I heard my alarm go off at 6:43a.m with reports of a plane hitting the Pentagon.I raced downstairs, turned on the "Today Show" and then was "glued" to the chair all day watching the horror of it all. It was surreal and something never to be forgotten. I remember the day JFK was shot, John Lennon was shot and exactly where and what I was doing. This will always be a memory for me, one that will never leave my mind or heart. God bless America and also the country allies for the help in trying to bring world peace.
Laurie | 48 | Washington

#934 | Monday, March 11th 2002
On 9/11 my husband and I were on our 3 day of a camping vacation along the Oregon coast. That morning we were staying at Cape Blanco State park.I got up and turned on the radio,expecting to hear rock and roll, instead, I hear Arron Brown with CNN, reporting that a second jet just hit the WTC. My mind could not comprehend what my ears were hearing.My husband, still in bed was saying what,what.I was telling him to be quiet, and listen.He got up and got the TV out and he tried to find a TV station so we could see what was going on. At Cape Blanco,we couldn't get any reception with our small RV antenna.I thought this was what it like when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and people only had their radios to receive the news, and they had to picture in their minds what the scene must look like.it was frustrating for us, because we're Baby Boomers and grew up watching TV!
After listening to the radio for several hours, we went for a drive to see the sights further south on hiway 101. The first town we came to,we saw the American flag displayed all along the street, just like the 4th of July, but this wasn't the 4th, this was a day of an attack on America. My heart was breaking, but it was a great sight to see, a small American town showing their pride.
We stopped at Humbug State park and walked to the beach, the sun came out and I'll never forget being thankful that I have this freedom to do what I want when I want. Thinking how can there be such a great attack on our nation just afew thousand miles away and people are suffering and scared, and I feel so safe at this peaceful, beautiful beach. So many questions, and no clear answers. Please, God be with those who need you and give them comfort in the days to follow.
We went as far as Gold Beach that day and ate lunch, and then started back to our camp at Cape Blanco. On our way back, just a few miles north of Humbug Mt., we came around a curve in the road and saw a large turn out along the hiway, and there was a truck with a 5th wheel trailer attached, that had gone over a built up berm, and there was an elderly man and woman walking around around the truck. We stopped to see if they were alright. They were shaken up, but not hurt. They were so very lucky, the rear end of the truck high centered on the berm and that kept them from going over the cliff into the ocean. The Oregon State patrol had stopped by before we arrived, and called a two truck out of Coos Bay to come and pull the truck off the berm. We stayed with them to try and help, the man had a shovel and he and my husband tryed to dig a portion of the berm away. Another two very kind men stopped to try and help. They had a heavy work truck and tried to pull the truck and trailer off the berm, but it was just too stuck and too heavy. Those men were working men, and we sent them on their way, after all the tow truck was coming. After what seemed like hours, the tow truck arrived and got the truck off the berm. Everything look to alright with the truck and the couple wanted to be on their way. We told them that a state park was just a few miles down the road and they should stay there for the night.We hugged and shook hands and then we left. In the whole afternoon we never exchanged names, but we knew we would never forget 9/11 for two reasons.I think of this couple often and hope they arrived home in California safely. When 9/11 is mentioned, I always think of the sweet couple we spent the afternoon with. I hope they'er OK.
We went on with our vacation that week with no TV. We read the news papers evey day and that was enough for us until we arrived home in Washington State. I watched TV for days after we got home, and I cried so much and so often. I had to stop watching and get on with every day life. I will never forget 9/11 and I hope that some day the world can live in peace and learn to accept each other's differences, without hate. America's strength and freedom will always be alive and cannot be destroyed by anyone.
Donnie Burton,48
Olymipa, WA

Donnie | 48 | Washington

#891 | Monday, March 11th 2002
I was sitting at my desk in a government building, when people were going around saying first the planes hit the Twin Towers, then the Pentagon. Soon after, my boss called us into his office to say, that there wasn't any way to get confirmation from Washington, and if we wanted to leave, we could and we would deal with leave slips the next day (it was 10:10 AM). Then we left his office. My desk wasn't too far and I went back to it. I was calm really (why I don't know since Oklahoma really tore me up and changed me forever especially since I work for the Federal Government), then I thought, I'd better get out of there. The parking lot is going to be a bear to get off of. Sure enough, there was a line to get out, but miraculously people were starting to show acts of kindness and letting cars get into line. I drove home with the radio on and really get scared when I heard a plane crashed in Pennsylvania (my boyfriend lives in PA, and they weren't saying what city). By the time I got home and flipped on the tv just on the oft chance my soap may be coming on, I stared at the screen and shut it off. I was like a James Bond movie then, shaken, but not stirred. To this day., I think I'm the only one who has not seen images of the planes hitting the Towers and/or the people jumping.
RJ | 48 | Maryland

#875 | Sunday, March 10th 2002
I was at home that morning in Alameda, California. I got up and did my normal morning routine. This did not include TV or radio. About mid-morning another accountant I know called. As I went to the phone the answering machine picked it up. I recognized his voice shouting profanities. When I picked up the phone and identified myself the hollering continued. I thought, "What did I do?" Then he told a story that was hard to believe about several big, important buildings hit, burning and collapsing. It was just too hard to beleive from the scope of it. Then I turned on the TV and it was true.

My main reaction was just how hard it was to beleive.

James | 48 | California

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