9-11

[mrgreen760 37785]

At about 8:30 am nine years ago today I walked into my office and said to my staff that I'd just heard on the radio that a small plane had flown into one of the WTC towers. We moved into the board room turned on the TV and saw the next plane, and it looked huge, slam into the other tower. It seemed so surreal and so hard to believe. Our office faced north and was on a flight path and within minutes we noticed plane after plane after plane most with names and colours we'd never seen before coming in to land as air space over North America had been closed. I was to travel the next day to TO for a weeks vacation. The night before we were to leave we saw footage of all kinds of people virtually living in various airports. We weren't concerned about the safety of flying by this point but the guilt we would have felt wondering past stranded travellers would be too much. The TIFF was on and rooms were at a premium, we called the hotel and gave up ours.

 

I recall watching a documentary after about a french film crew coincidently doing a film about a fire hall that got the call when the planes hit. Dudes just like us in the lobby of those buildings trying to figure what the fuck to do and about to climb more than 80 floors with 50 pounds or so of equipment even at 3 minutes a floor it would take those who could do it at least 4 hours to get there and help. They are interrupted by what sounds like rifle shots and some one comes in and says....we got jumpers and it was the sound of them slamming into the concrete...wow how bad must it have been to say fuck it and fly from 60-70 or more floors.

 

It changed the world profoundly and I think it changed me profoundly as well!

 

Revel in the good times, cause we have no idea whats around the bend.

 

Peace

MG

[777flyer 1612]

Thanks Mr Green

 

We should never forget this day........regardless of ones opinion of our American Neighbours, they did not deserve this......

 

I work with American's all day, and they were profoundly affected and deeply wounded by this event......these wounds will never go away......

 

I watched all the documentaries on 911, and to this day, I still get cold chills running down my back when I see those planes smashing into the building......people jumping off, and the towers falling....

 

Unbelievable......

 

Thanks for reminding us !

[Guest ***nsut***jr]

Thanks for sharing MG

 

That day started out so beautiful, a gorgeous early fall day. The doorbell rang and a friend that had shown up said turn on CNN, a plane just flew into the World Trade Center. The rest of the day was spent in a state of disbelief, shock and profound sadness.

The thing that struck me the most was the sheer helplessness, vulnerability and the inability to comprehend. All of a sudden for a few hours or days the people of the world became one whether they knew it or not. A room full of PHD's was no more help than the kid cutting the lawn down the road. Blind faith and a sense of duty sent those firemen up the stairs. They were everyones brother or father, the people jumping were our friends and neighbors, so were the wives and mothers sitting watching the carnage at home.How could they not be?

We had no idea where this would end and thankfully it ended there.

 

Yes Mr. Green it changed me and hopefully changed everyone with a heart, the not knowing then and still not knowing now what is around the bend.

 

All we can do is to try and fill the hole that day left in our hearts with some goodness and happiness towards our fellow humans.

 

Stay safe everyone.

 

J

[whatsup 11893]

A coworker of mine called me over to his office and we watched The attacks against the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon on the internet. I was totally bewildered by what I was watching.

 

How could anyone be that ruthless to initiate such a despicable act of terrorism against humanity.

 

It had a total effect on the world as a whole and my heart goes out to the thousands of victims and their families.

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

I was walking into my old gym when I had heard that first plane had hit the World Trade center. I then saw the second plane hit the next tower when I was running on a treadmill. It got very quiet in there and the way the plane was flying so low was very errie. No one knew what to think.. some thought it was an accident when the first plane hit.

 

I was watching 9/11 footage on youtube the other night ( somehow got sidetracked when I was looking for a music video) and saw people jumping to their deaths. Very devastating. A day I will never forget.

[PistolPete 61421]

I know exactly where I was that day,it will never be forgotten. The CBC had a excellent documentary the other night, on their show "The Passionate Eye" here is a quick video of that presentation,

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Passionate_Eye_Promos/ID=1585795617

[Old Dog 179138]

Like Flyer, I worked in the airport environment that day and the days following. Pearson was racked and stacked with diverted aircraft - everyone flying in and NO ONE flying out. It was a day of absolute uncertainty.

 

My kids, then 9 and 13, called me begging me to come home. I had to tell them that I was safe; but in our collective heart of hearts that day no one knew if the terror was truly over... and we still don't.

 

Ironically, I was given some degree of closure (not sure if that is accurate but it is the best I can do right now) a few years later. I was approached by a rather attractive young lady and we spoke for a time. I asked her name and was absolutely stunned. I won't mention the first name but the last was unmistakable; BIN LADEN.

 

I had to ask... and sure enough, Osama is (or was, who knows) her uncle. She said that her entire family was ashamed of him. By her looks she was a very progressive Saudi woman, not shackled to the traditional garb that some cling to... and she was, as I have said, very attractive. She explained that her family had prospered by western contacts and that by his actions, Osama had not only shamed the name but sent the family into a devastating financial state. I guess it's like having a murderer, rapist or child molester in the family... they have nothing to do with you or your character but the taint will always be attached to your name.

 

 

9/11 changed the way we live... and not for the better.

[Guest s******ecan****]

I know exactly where I was that day,it will never be forgotten. The CBC had a excellent documentary the other night, on their show "The Passionate Eye" here is a quick video of that presentation,

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Passionate_Eye_Promos/ID=1585795617

 

 

I also saw that, very compelling.

[stevecurious 42059]

9/11 is one of the defining moments where you will always remember "where you were and what you were doing." As gernerations other than mine often comment; I remember where I was on D-Day or I remember when Paul Henderson scored. Much the same as Pearl Harbour, September 11 will forever be remembered as another "date which will live in infamy."

 

Take care...everyone!

[Guest ma*be***ag***]

My sister was due to be at the World Trade Center that morning for a business meeting. I had a few moments of panic, until I got a hold of her on her cell and she told me her meeting had been cancelled and she was still in Ottawa. I told her to turn on the tv, and I spent the rest of the day trying to stop shaking.

 

Here's hoping no one ever forgets. No country deserves that kind of attack on civilians, let alone the U.S., one of the world's most generous nations when it comes to providing aid (yes, I know the debates on that, and I still see them atop the aid lists every year).

 

Here's hoping it never happens again.

[roamingguy 300292]

I was in my sitting in my truck while picketing was going on. The union pulled it's picket line once it was realized that this was a terrorist attack

As a sidebar, my second cousin (an American) was scheduled to go to a meeting at the WTC that day, but thank god it got cancelled.

RG

[Andee 220524]

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing and like most, believed the first plane to be an accident. But the second plane...I can't describe the feeling that came over me, but I must tell you, I like many others, spent the rest of the day glued to the TV set wondering what was to come next.

 

Certainly, a day never to forget.

[Grass_Hopper 18263]

I was in Physics studying the atomic bomb when my principal walked in to tell us what happened... Since we were examinating a very touchy subject, we decided to get outside, and to call our beloved to tell them how much we love them...

 

I will always remember this day...

[cat 262460]

This was the day my life went left. I was living in NC. I was driving with a friend, received a call from her mom and we headed straight home to a TV. The chaos locally was insane in our sleepy little alcove of life. We sent the children out to play and sat horrified as we watched the planes slam over and over and over again into the Towers. The replays didn't desensitize, even now I cry every time I see it. Charlotte was the second largest banking sector in the US at the time and local news had decided it was a full blown attack on the US and the next target was Charlotte. Being the consummate planner, I got in my van with my baby girls and drove to Cosco, stocked up on food that carried us for almost 2.5 years.

 

It was also the day that war was declared on Muslims and someone told the police that my husband (a very western Muslim) was sending the proceeds from my agency to Al Quida. One month to the day of the Towers falling, three LE agencies were invading my house at 4 am and life as I knew it was over. Over the next 4 years our life was systematically dismantled and has never been the same. If my husband had been Christian, our situation would not have warranted a second look. Local LE were dumbfounded by the State and Federal actions. We survived drive by shootings at our home and constant police involvement in our daily lives. They took our property, our businesses, our savings, our childrens college funds, and detained us for over 2 years.

 

I often sit and think about those that died in the Towers, and I wonder if they were the lucky ones. The rescue workers live with the horror still as does the entire city of New York. I put my self in their shoes when I start to feel resentful about the fall out in my life from 9/11. No one I loved died or suffers PTSD. That day impacted every ones lives in ways most don't realize. Whether the US had it coming or not is irrelevant, the pain it caused is real and I guess that was the point of the attack. I would not be the person I am today if my life hadn't destructed. I am grateful that I am whole and intact. We should not take our lives for granted, we live blessed existences compared to many in our world and we should never forget that.

cat

[Andee 220524]

Kudos to Cat for sharing some very personal and intimate details of her life. No one should ever have to go through what you and your family did, Cat. you are a true survivor. Thank you for sharing that with us and a reminder not to take life for granted.

 

God bless!

[Isabella Gia (Banned) 53881]

I second you Angela, very touching story and is great of her to share it with us. You are definitely a strong & brave woman Cat and I also send many blessings to you and your family :)