9-11 remembered

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Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:52 am

It is seven years since 9-11, but I can recall clearly the impact it had; where I was when the news started to break .... how the world seemed to tilt on its axis in that moment of dawning realisation that it was terrorism not accident .... strangers talking to strangers in shared shock .... the days and weeks that followed as the stories of loss and heroism emerged. 3,000 children lost a parent in 9-11. The average age of the children was 9 then, so many are now coming up to adulthood. There’s an interesting article here about how some of them are coping. Wiki has links to other sources of info and an overview of progress on the rebuilding of the WTC, and September11thnews which has masses of articles, news reports, and photos.

Tomorrow, those who were killed or injured, and those who lost loved ones, will be in my thoughts, and I will pay tribute to those who worked so hard to deal with the aftermath, especially the NYPD, FDNY, and PAPD.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:59 am

Hear hear. We must never forget those who died then. It's funny how the 'new normal' a the time has become simply 'normal' now.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:32 am

It was one of those "where were you when...?" lifetime moments, like when Pres. Kennedy was assassinated or when man first landed on the Moon.

I was at work, and our IT guy came in and told us than an airliner had just crashed into the first tower. Seemed like a tragic accident. They set up a TV in the conference room and we watched the immediate aftermath. Then the second plane hoves into view and then there is the sudden realisation that this is no accident but something beyond comprehension. I had to go back to work so didn't see the actual collapses until later. One of our employees was at a meeting in one of the towers and sadly didn't survive.

On that day the world changed forever and the sight of those people jumping to their certain deaths remains with me to this day. Tomorrow, my thoughts and prayers go out to them, all the other victims and their families, and to the bravery of the emergency services.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Thanks for the remembrance, Eight. It was truly a horrible day -- esp for the U.S. which isn't used to being hit on its home turf on such a scale.

The New York Times (among other papers, I'm sure) is running some great stories on survivors and the families of those who lost loved ones. Be sure to check them out.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:01 pm

Thanks for starting the thread, Eight. We need to remember.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:11 pm

What I'll never forget is the irony of the moment, at least for me. I was preparing a classroom to instruct an anti-terrorism/force protection class, which was not only reinforced, but not completed. Having your boss sprint in and tell you to turn the news on, something's happening can be a disruption! And a little over 2 weeks later I was deployed to the theater of operations (I was still on active duty).

Take a couple of moments tomorrow to remember and honor all the first responders, the victims, and the people that served and are still serving in this war against terrorism, regardless of country. And take the time to hug your loved ones...

God Bless you all.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:28 pm

I took these from my window. You can't live this near to those buildings and not have lost someone close to you. Needless to say, it is a day I will never forget.

Looking out the same window now, the sky is clear and everything looks peaceful. Just as it was a short time before I took those pictures.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Wow luckey, tragic pictures Sad

It was a sad day all around the world, for many reasons, not just the act itself but the knock-on effects as well.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:42 pm

I remember my clock radio coming on and the announcer saying that instead of listening to the radio we should turn on our televisions. I did, and I just sat there on the couch - stunned. By that time it was known to be deliberate, and I remember Peter Jennings being absolutely horrified.

But I remember good things, too. I had friends staying at an elderhostel in Switzerland. They had been on a coach tour, and when they came back to the town, a large group of people met the coach and expressed their sympathies. The woman who owned the hostel had other guests coming, so my friends couldn't stay there for the whole time until they could fly back home, but people in the town took them all in.

Then there was that small town in Canada that took in a whole plane load of passengers.

Thanks for reminding us, Eight. I have a special commemorative T-shirt that I always wear on 9-11, and I will wear it tomorrow.

I don't say just God bless America - I say God bless the world - we need it.

** Retired ** Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 750 Location: Air

Its still harrowing to think about it.

I will remember.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:51 pm

Tommo Shanter wrote:

It was one of those "where were you when...?" lifetime moments, like when Pres. Kennedy was assassinated or when man first landed on the Moon.

Yes, I was sitting in my car outside an ice cream parlour, my kid was in the back sleeping. I was listening both to the news and to someone gloating about the attack. I later went to my local tesco and the place was almost empty and there was a large crowd of people standing around the televisions all the stations that were on had been switched to coverage of the attacks. People where just sanding in disbelief staring at this Holloywood-esque pictures.

A former c0olleague was in the States at the time, she switched on the TV and thought at first it was a film, then realised the reality. My brother saw cars pulled up to the side of the road and the people listening to Radio 4 - highly unusual in my area.

All those poor people who had done no harm to anyone.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:00 pm

Indeed a terrible day. It did, for a brief time, unite the nation.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

I missed the first news reports as I had taken my dad to hospital for tests.
It was only when I was picking the younger kids from school that I heard about it .
Even then it was "must be an accident" , then the awful realisation that such destructionwas a deliberate act.
I remember the same feeling when hearing about Lockerbie.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:26 pm

I am parading alongside US troops today, in a far flung corner of the world to commemorate "Patriot day". We may be far away from both the USA and the UK, but British personnel here are showing our solidarity with the US people. We salute those who gave their lives on 9/11, and we stand shoulder to shoulder with our US brothers in the ongoing war on Terror.

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:11 am

I was asleep when it happened. I was awakened by a telephone call from a friend in Romania. She was crying, and so upset I couldn't understand her english.

So, I went and turned the TV on, and there it was.
I worked in the WTC many years before the attack, and did not want to believe what I was watching.

I too will remember.

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:21 am

I remember that day very well Sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2003 Posts: 4747

I will remember, I think about everyone who was alive on that day will always remember

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:30 am

My memory of the attack itself are clear - but what also sticks in my mind is something from the following day, when I'd called a friend. As I was talking to him, I looked over to the TV to see for the first time the film of the second impact in all its horrific detail. In shock I cried out, "Oh fuck!" - it was as if it was happening all over again...

At the office today I had some guy visiting who took the time out to peddle conspiracist drivel. It was a real effort to be polite.

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:40 am

I cannot believe how low-key this anniversary has been.

You would have expected plenty of reminders in the media, maybe even a minutes silence....

It ranks as the most shocking thing I have ever witnessed, a number of colleagues lost their lives that day..

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:59 am

I watched a thing on tv here in the uk last night about 9/11

called the 9/11 Hotel

was about peoplethat were in the Marriot at the time

It was shocking video

Seeing on tv when you could see people climbing out the windows, its so distressing

last night was the first time i have ever watched a tv program and cried

Luckey those pictures are amazing and terrifying at the same time

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:00 am

I happened to be in the UK visiting my parents and so watched the horror unfolding around midday live on TV. I had to keep reminding myself that it was really happening and not a movie. The images of those poor, desperate souls jumping to their deaths will stay with me forever, as will the pictures of the emergency services personnel bravely walking towards the carnage against the tide of stunned and shocked people stumbling away from it. RIP to those who perished and my prayers to the loved ones they left behind.

Baiting Guru Joined: 07 Jul 2006 Posts: 5727

While the events of seven years ago were indeed tragic, and the images of the towers falling and people leaping to their deaths are forever burned into our collective images, I think it's also important to reflect back on some of the positives that came out of this whole experience:

- Emergency personnel rushing into the Towers - Many of these people gave their lives. They had to know that there was a very good chance that they wouldn't make it out of the buildings, yet they went in anyways. Who knows how many people were saved that day because of the actions of the men and women of the rescue units. I've thought about this, and if it was me, I don't know if I would have entered the buildings or not. For these men and women saving lives was their job. A tremendous testament to the goodness and bravery of the human spirit.

- Shortly after the towers fell, blood centers around the country had people lined up for blocks waiting to donate. It got to the point where the centers were telling the people to go home, as they had more than enough blood. People refused to leave. They felt helpless, and they felt like they had to do SOMETHING to contribute.

- After the tragedy we started hearing stories about people helping others out of the towers. We started hearing stories of people in wheelchairs being carried down flights of stairs and out of the towers by complete strangers.

We are unique organisms. We fight amongst ourselves, and at times we can seem like uncaring jackasses. We get upset and violent over what, in hindsight, are silly things. Yet when we are tested (and this tragedy did test us), our true colors come through, and we show that we are caring, compassionate and good people.

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:46 pm

The people that lost their lives that day will never be forgotten, and the unity it created will never be lost.

Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:33 pm

In memory of absent friends, RIP.

419Eater is my life Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 365

I had just finished working graveyard shift and had got home at 6am. My wife came in and woke me up and told me what was happening. At first I thought she was bullshitting me but I could see it in her eyes that she was serious. I got up and started watching the TV. When the second plane hit I knew that it wasn't any accident. I went ahead and got my uniform back on because I knew what was fixing to happen. I got called out about 30 minutes later.

Even in our small rural community it was total chaos.