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#444 | Monday, December 10th, 2001
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I live in Massachusetts but at the time I was visiting a friend in Las Vegas. I recall that I was in the shower when I heard the phone ring. I jumped out of the tub and grabbed a towel, threw it around me and ran to the kitchen to scramble with the phone. My girlfriend, who was working at the time, called to tell me about two plane crashes that hit in New York killing many. The information was a bit sketchy since she had just heard about it herself and I was half awake. She suggested that I turn on a radio so I popped the power switch on the radio in the kitchen to tune into the disaster that had seemingly just occured. I don't recall the exact time but it was apparently long after (about an hour later) the actual impact time. I guess I was sleeping in bed at the actual time of impact, blissfully ignorant of the deaths of many people and of an incident that would rock the foundation of the world and the peace that we all have taken for granted. It was only a few minutes later before I felt compelled to see the details on TV. I turned on the tube to see the disasterous images which further confirmed my feelings that we were at war and that something had happened which was significant and profoundly wrong.
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Eric | 35 | Nevada
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#445 | Monday, December 10th, 2001
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I was in the bathroom, washing my hands, when one of the girls that lives on my dorm floor looked into my half-closed eyes (I had just woken up)and asked "if I had heard." I still am shocked by the redundancy of that statement, as if she were asking "if I had heard" some ridiculous rumor. But it was against that backdrop of expectation that I heard the words "Someone just bombed the World Trade Center a few minutes ago." I stood there, in shock, swimming in disbelief. I thought, "Oklahoma City" and ran back to my room and stayed glued to the TV for the rest of the day. I watched in horror as the second building was struck; watched as the buildings crumbled down on everyone who were risking their lives to save those they could. I could hear people screaming in the background, see people running. It was so surreal.
But as horrible as the events were, the unity and love that resulted from them still amazes me and always will. The weekend following the events, I went to visit a friend of mine who attends Indiana State University in Terre, Haute, IN. He's in their marching band and they were going to be performing at a local candle-lit vigil. Old and young, rich and poor, brown, black and white--the make-up of the crowd was amazing. As he warmed up with the band, I sat in the audience as volunteers went through the throng of people handing out flags, ribbons and asking for volunteers to donate blood. Two little girls in front of me, with their arms around eachother, wildly waved their flags and sang the loudest of anyone through the whole program. While the whole service was inspiring, it was the end that still flushes me full of pride and fills my eyes with tears when I remember it. The lights had been dimmed and the sun had just set, everyone was turning to their neighbors and lighting their candles. There was a moment of silence (even the little girls in front of me bowed their heads respectfully). Then the ISU marching band began their strictly instrumental rendition of "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood. I have never heard the song sound more beautiful. My heart was pounding wildly as the song crescendoed and I was crying freely along with the woman next to me. Softly and slowly, people began to sing, until by the last chorus, it sounded like a full-fledged, patriotic choir. The conductor was moving his arms wildly, and the band responded. My friend later told me that they were all crying by the end of the song, especially the conductor. But perhaps the MOST amazing thing was the end of the program. It ended officially with the playing of the National Anthem. But as the host said his good-byes to dismiss the crowd, there were grumbles and no one moved. Confused, I looked around wondering how such a united crowd could possibly bicker mere seconds after the end of such a beautiful program. Then a gentleman next to me shouted, "We didn't say the Pledge of Allegiance!!" Shouts of agreement were heard all around and those in our general area stubbornly turned towards the flag behind us before the hosts could find their microphone. The man started, "I pledge allegiance.." and others quickly joined in until the end was nearly in a shout, "...with liberty and justice for all." I have never felt more pride for myself or my country than in that single moment, shouting the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Kristen | 18 | Indiana
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#446 | Monday, December 10th, 2001
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On September 11th 2001 I was at school, I go to the Ballymena Academy in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. The first I heard of the attacks was on my bus home, at about 3:55 when a friend of mine said that The Pentagon had been bombed by terrorists, he knew this because out school librarian had seen it on the internet.
It wasn't until I got home that I realised the scale of the attacks. As I stepped into the house my granda said to my sister and I to turn on the television because "half of America has been blown up" as he put it. We turned on the T.V to see on nearly every channel these images of planes flying into the Twin Towers. Below there was a box saying 'Latest News - Terrorist Attacks On America'. It was very shocking, the sight on these massive buildings coming down, it is terrible to think how many people were inside them.
I then went to my nana and grandas house, just up the road form mine. I then watched in horror for the rest of the day and for the following days. It was terrbile.
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James | 13 | United Kingdom
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#447 | Monday, December 10th, 2001
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on the 11.09.01 i sat in my office in jerusalem checking business plan's and sometimes "jumping into the hebrew news websites to see what's new around...
it was in the end of the day, at 4:40pm i think
i should leave the office and i was quite tired after a all day of work
then i saw a little ad at www.walla.co.il
they said that a little plane has crushed into a tower in new york
i understood immediately that its a terror act, cause it couldbt be possibe being an random accident, my friend at the offive laughfed at me and said its just an accident...
well well
after 18 minutes when we saw the second plan and the unbelievable picture's from the site...
now i feel that those little bin laden's on planet earth , they killed my own american dream to work at those towers....
they killed the believe in the strongest core of the americans
what a pitty and crazy story!
fair well from Israel Jerusalem, which is another crazy city but 500 times less then the strike in NY!
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Aviad | 24 | Israel
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#448 | Monday, December 10th, 2001
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On Sept. 11, 2001, I was sitting at home working on my homework. I decided to take a break. So, I turned on the television. Someone had been watching public broadcasting the night before, so a news story about the terrorist attacks was showing from the BBC. At first, I thought it was some sort of prank or joke. I changed the channel and found that all of the news networks were covering the story. My disbelief became shock, then anger. I was ready to bomb anybody involved until they could not function as a society, though now, I just want justice.
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Aaron | 22 | Florida
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