#1126 | Thursday, March 28th, 2002
How can I forget. For some odd reason, this day, I decided to go to the gym before work, which I haven't done in the past two months. By doing so, I was up at 5:30am. I got home by 7:00am, showered, ate and left for my 30 minute drive to East Rutherford, NJ. I arrived at my 9:00am job today at 8:40am.

Just as I sat down, someone in my office said a plane had crashed into one of the towers. Being on the 6th floor of the Metromedia building, we had a bullseye view of the tower. We all gathered in an office and watched smoke pour from the first tower hit. Within minutes, someone said "Look at that plane flying pretty low. Is that normal?" WHAM!! we saw the plane disappear behind the tower and a huge fireball appear from the other end.

We were all in shock at what we just saw. We weren't sure if it was a news helicopter flying low and accidentlly got to close or what. After hearing on the news what happened we knew what we saw. For the next 3 hours we all were glued to the windows in our office.

Listening to the news and watching what was unfolding right in front of our eyes was incredible. We then heard about the Pentagon. In my 23 years, I don't think I ever felt such a feeling of urgency. I wasn't panicking, but I felt as if the my whole world was about today, as if our whole being was in jeopardy. By 10 o'clock, the first tower can down, then later on, the other.

Being close enough to witness this event, yet far enough away to help, I felt powerless. Since our office is 5 minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel, they decided to evacuate the building, as well as most commercial business in the area.

On my way home on Rt.3 to the Turnpike, I saw Ambulances, Firetrucks, and Police from as far away as Wyckoff, Mahwah, and even further, Pensylvannia! Only thing was I was traveling away as they were travelling to. I wished I could have just hopped onto a firetruck and went in to help.

As I was driving on Turnpike South, western spur, I had an unobstructed view of what remained of the towers, which was now a dust cloud. People were pulled over on the turnpike taking pictures, talking, crying and just watching. I just wanted to get home to make sure all my loved ones were safe.

I knew three people who lost their lives in the towers. The first two were sisters. One sister was head of HR at my last job who interviewed me and hired me, and her sister, who I didn't know to well. The third was a friend of mines brother. All worked at Cantor.

To all of us, I don't think we will ever forget where we were on Sept. 11, just as our parents rememeber where they were when Kennedy was killed.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
Michael | 23 | New Jersey

#1127 | Thursday, March 28th, 2002
I am a firefighter that was called to our local airport for standby on 9-11-01. I have never been so scared in my life. I thought it was te end. As I was leaving my house as the pager was just about to go off...I heard the fire and ems getting dispatched for an aircraft down in shanksville. As i entered the firehall and heard all the radio traffic...i thought to myself...What the hell am i doing here? I should be home with my family! My day ended about 7 oclock.I left the hall and went straight home, still trying to put the puzzle together and realize what just happened. All of my crew on the engine will never forget 9-11 and those who lost there lives.
Jason | 20 | Pennsylvania

#1128 | Thursday, March 28th, 2002
I live in Israel and there's a 7 hours time difference between New York and Israel. So it was about 14:30 (07:30 New York time) when I decided to take a nap and at about 16:00 (09:00 NY time) I heard these really loud voices coming from the radio in our kitchen. I didn't make out what the broadcaster said but my mom came to wake me up and notified my that a plain crashed into the Twins. I was still dazzled from the nap and I didn't really understand what she's talking about, but I got up and turned on the TV and I saw pictures from NBC and CNN in our news and the broadcaster was totally panicked. She, like all of us, was speechless. So then I just tuned in to CNN and sat glued to the TV screen for about 9 hours (and 3 days later, still).
God bless America.
Shiran | 17 | Israel

#1129 | Thursday, March 28th, 2002
I'm 17, and go to a private high school in Alabama. I went to my second period class (8:50 AM) and was shocked to see another student, who was in his car for the past hour, slowly walk in. "The World Trade Centers have been hit by planes." The class stopped in silence. Without access to media, we were stuck guessing. Fighter jets? Twin-engine Cessna's on a suicide mission? Never would we have imagined what happened. I was the only student (among 40+ teachers) stuck in the teacher's workroom minutes later, listening in to the small radio, trying to find updates. What we heard was mind-blowing. Twin Towers - gone. Pentagon - damaged. Washington Monument - gone. Capitol - gone. White House - badly damaged. To this day, I still don't how those false reports leaked.
But the most vivid memory of 9-11 was later that day. I drove home listening to eerily patriotic music on most every FM station. I stopped my car, and looked up. Even though I'm over 1200 miles from NYC, there was a huge difference. People were crying in the streets, glued to the television.. and there were no airplanes flying. And then the song lyrics came, and it was scary.. "..The Lord is coming, coming to America. Can you feel the fire? Can you see the flames? It's coming to, coming to America again.." ®1997
Thanks for reading.
Wryn | 17 | Alabama

#1130 | Thursday, March 28th, 2002
I had gotten up at 5am (west coast time) and turned on CNN, my usual routine before work. I was getting ready when i heard a reporter cut in to say something had hit the world trade center. I rushed to the t.v. and phoned my mother. I then saw the 2nd plane hit and knew this was terrorism.. I was sickened, recalling a business trip i had taken years ago to NYC and i stayed at the towers. I sat glued for another hour and then forced myself to drive to work.

As I was heading towards downtown Seattle, the radio broke in that the Pentagon was on fire, I noticed other cars driving very slow....

I looked up and saw a plane flying overhead... I felt panicky.... should i turn around and go home? should i go to work? I continued to watch that plane fly over downtown......surreal.

I went to work but no one was working, I went home and pulled out my pictures of the wtc..... remembering eating at the Top of The World Restaurant...

Definately the worst day of my 35 years of life
Monica | 35 | Washington

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