Where were you when you heard about the terror attacks?

Yes....I was all set to go - as was Brian.  When I called my parents I told them "This is my job, and if that is where I am supposed to be today, than that is where I will be"

I'm very thankful I wasn't there....but definately wouldn't have hesitated.

Damn Pam, thought I was done having tears in my eyes this morning - thank God you and your family were spared through all this...we wouldn't be the same without you.

I was at Dewey Beach, DE with my brother, SIL, some of her family, and friends.  We were outside early that morning, talking with a neighbor.  Another neighbor came out and told us what was happening in NY.  We went in and put the tv on and spent the day watching all the terrible things that were happening.  I remember that the weather was beautiful that day---sky was bright blue with no clouds.  It just seemed surreal that such awful things were taking place on a beautiful day.  My thoughts and prayers go out today to all who were lost that day, to their families, and to all who were involved in the rescue and clean up.

I was on vacation with my family in Sea Isle City ..we were getting ready to go to breakfast we watched the plane hit the second tower  then went to breakfast the diner was in silence as we ate and watched TV...We went to visit Cape May but it was a weird feeling  I stopped in the church but I found no comfort there I left and stayed with my family. My brother was in the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Force Unit he was with us on vacation but he got a call and had to report in 4 hours to base to head to New York and work the recovery site. That night we went to a service and cried as we stood by the ocean singing God Bless America with a town full of strangers but felt a closeness to all.

Thank you for asking.  It's so appropriate to preserve and share our memories of that life-changing day.

I was working at Telcordia (Bellcore) at the time and was commuting from Doylestown to Piscataway NJ, listening to NPR.  I distinctly remember that I was in a grumpy mood, worrying about some dumb videoconference for a big project that I was running that afternoon.  They broke into the news with an alert that a plane (at that time believed to be a small commuter plane) had crashed into the World Trade Center, and that more info would be forthcoming.  I remember thinking to myself "how odd... it's such a gorgeous day out - i wonder how a pilot could have made such a significant mistake!"  Immediately followed by recognition that my brother-in-law was a futures trader in the WTC complex and hoping that he was nowhere near the crash.

A few miles down the road, just before I got to work, they broke in with news of the second plane hitting, and I knew instantly that we were under attack.  By the time I pulled into the parking lot about 5 minutes later, I could see the smoke (on a clear day, we could see the towers from our parking lot, way off in the distance).  

I rushed into the building to find a TV, but there was some stupidity where corporate hadn't authorized them to be turned on.  So we huddled around a radio that the head of security had in his office, listening to the reports coming in... there was a bomb at the state department, the white house was under attack, another plane at the pentagon, 4 more planes unaccounted for and out of communication.... the awful report that one of the towers had collapsed... truly beyond comprehension.  How could something that huge just collapse? It had to be an exaggeration. 

Around that time, they managed to get the TVs on and we moved over to the cafeteria, just in time to see the second tower collapse.  We thought it was a replay of the first tower collapsing...people just huddled in the cafeteria around tables, sobbing, hugging, and watching, and feeling under attack ourselves (as a major telecom player, we felt we'd be targeted in some way).  Reports trickled out that they were concerned that there was a biological component to the attacks, and management pretty quickly announced that anyone who wished should go home immediately.  Through it all, I worried about my BIL, Mike, and prayed that he was ok... the enormity of the loss of life that was so likely was just pressing on me.

I drove home, watching the sky (still didn't know what was happening to those other flights) and feeling like disaster was literally going to fall out of the sky at any moment... incongruous on such a gorgeous fall day.  The cell phones finally managed to clear out a bit and I got a call through to my mother-in-law about 2 in the afternoon... Mike had made it out by walking across one of the bridges, and had made it home and was quietly drinking himself into a stupor.  Wouldn't speak or be in the room with anyone... the trauma was, I believe, a component of their resulting divorce.  He was only saved by the fact that he'd stepped out of his offices to grab coffee for himself and some coworkers. 

Now the really eerie thing is that I had been offered a job at AON consulting about 2 months before the attacks.  It was a great offer, more money, cool responsibilities, and a gorgeous office on the 102nd floor.  My family and I struggled with the decision, but I eventually turned it down because it just "didn't feel right" somehow.  Everyone I interviewed with and would have worked with died that day.  I still have my photo ID card for the towers from my interviews.  It sits in my jewelry box and reminds me every day how lucky I am to be alive and how grateful I should be for every day.

The aftermath of 9/11 is still being felt on a very personal level by those who lived through it.  The experience made me re-evaluate my life in so many ways, resulting in a major change in jobs and a renewed focus on creativity (it felt like the "right" response to violence and destruction) and family.  I still view my life in "before" and "after" 9/11 terms because that day caused a seismic shift in me, washing away a lot of the crap that I had allowed myself to become "seduced" by (the nice office, the big paycheck, the corporate travel) and forcing me to identify what was TRULY important to me (helping people, a sense of accomplishment, direct impact of my actions).  

Sorry this is so long. 

Karen

I was 'teaching a class full of innocent children'  stealing from the song...

I was at work when I first heard.  Realized later when they said the planes had come out of Boston that my youngest stepson was supposed to fly out of Boston that morning.  He and his wife lived in NJ at the time.  Because of the phones not working we did not hear until over 24 hours that he was okay.  He was getting ready to board his plane when they shut every thing down.  Since he was in the Air Force at the time,  he hitched a ride into NY to see if he could help.  Such a scary and sad time in our great nation.
Kathy K

I was at work.  We had planned a surprise bridal shower for a co worker, so we were all in a conference room.  We had the Today show.    So Surreal...    Once I realized what was going on, I was a wreck because one of my best friends in the world was travelling from Boston to CA that day for a girl's weekend in CA.  

Around 12 noon, I learned that she cancelled her plans because of a business emergency..she stayed in Boston.  Sadly, 2 other friends and one toddler were on the plane.  

The following day, I learned that another college friend lost her sister on Flight 93.

Many folks we have met in the Pocono's have real ties to NYC on that day.   One of my greyhound friends worked right across the street from the Worl Trade Center and watched everything from his office!  Our neighbors lost their daughter in law.

The memory of this day causes me to remember how dear true friendship is and how quickcly our worlds can change.

Sincere thanks to all the searchers, EMTs, fireman, police, service men who keep us safe each day!

I was working, I ran a daycare at the time.  My mom called and told me to turn on the TV.  I  turned it on just as the second plane hit.   I couldn't believe it.  Was a very difficult day worrying about what was happening and trying to appear calm with all of my "kids" they were all to little to understand anything.  We did a lot of cuddling and quiet play that day. I lived about an hour and half away from Shanksville where the other plane went down.  So the fears for us really grew when we heard the news of that.  I remember spending the evening at my church with my mom just trying to understand and praying. 

9/11. In 01 I was sitting in Wash DC waiting to unload a trailer full of plastic. About 9AM I heard the radio of the plane crash. Had that bad feeling and called home to check on a dear friends father that worked in WTC. This was after the first plane. Found he had retired but little did we know then her brother was in the WTC working for Cantor. Unloaded and headed home with one last stop in Baltimore where my fears were confirmed. This was an attack.
Had some friends that were stuck in the city for a day or two. I also had a good friend that worked the "hole" and lost his life recently. If you google 911 cop dies you will see stories about Gary.My friends brother JJ at work with cantor also died as he never made it out.