9/11/01: It's been 10 years...

[Anistorm]

We're having a similar discussion like this at another forum, so why not have a similar one here?

Well, today marks the 10th anniversary of the worst day that has occurred in America: 9/11.  2,996 or so people died in these horrible, horrible attacks, and today we remember the heroes that did what they could and the day we reacted to this awful situation. Today, we pay respects to the fallen innocent victims, and we thank the heroes with their service. Keep the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers, as they are going through a tough moment.

*moment of silence*

So, post your thoughts, memories, or anything you'd like to discuss about today's anniversary. Instead of having to get everything cluttered at the FP, I think a new topic is best. ~

[gt1racerlHDl]

My mom lost one of her best friends in the Marriott Hotel during the attacks because he helped other people out while he stayed behind to help whoever he could before the towers collapsed.

i also noticed MSNBC is broadcasting the 9/11/01 coverage as it happened all day today as of 3am this morning.

[Localonthe8s]

Very sad day indeed. NYC did show that the attacks did not stop their spirits n I kno that they will bond and unite together as a stronger community

[toxictwister00]

I was 8 years old when it happened in my 3rd grade classroom. I knew something was strange about that morning particularly the way the teachers were behaving including my 3rd grade teacher. She kept pacing in and out of the classroom talking on her cell phone. (which we later found out was her ex-husband she was trying to contact who worked in the WTC) I have no idea even to this day whether or not he survived or not, only that you could tell she was upset trying to contact him.

The only thing we were told was that the WTC in NY had been hit, we weren't told much more than that. It kinda bothered me because I wanted to know more about what happened and they refused to tell us. I couldn't wait to get home and find out from my grandmother what was going on. As soon as I came in, I saw she was looking at ABC's coverage of the 9/11 attacks and that's when I saw about the Pentagon had been attacked and the Flight 93 crash in Shanksville, PA. Around the time I got home there was still concerns that other cities could be attacked including here in Atlanta which made me more scared and nervous.

I didn't watch much of anything but the news that week just wondering if we were going to be attacked again and where. I looked at the footage of both towers being hit and collapsing numerous times and it still felt like I was seeing it for the first time unfold. With every passing anniversary and the more I learned about 9/11 and the first attack that occurred in '93, the more emotional it feels. I can't count the number of times I started to break down into tears listening to some of the stories and looking at all of the families that attended the memorial site in New York City this morning. I didn't lose a love one, but it still hurts to think of those who have.

If this day has taught me anything it's that you really shouldn't take your loved ones for granted. If there's someone you love or care about and you haven't told them you love them or given them a hug, you should do so now. You never know if you'll have many more opportunities to do that again.

[Zach]

This is a very sad day in, not only American history, but perhaps world history, too.

I was only in 1st grade, a 6-year-old child in elementary school, when this happened. Being in elementary school, us as young pupils did not want to be frightened by what was occurring, so I am sure that the talk about the event was very filtered so no one knew the real event..

When I got home that day from school, I was totally clueless about what had happened, and all I can remember in the news was seeing a fancy graphic on the television screen saying "EMERGENCY 9•11", and I thought it had to do with the telephone number that you call for help on. I asked my parents what that meant, and they told me that two towers (the WTC) were crashed in New York City by airplanes.

I was pretty clueless on the concept of terrorism at the time, and to this day, I still have no idea on how I eventually lead to the understanding of what really happened on this day, 10 years ago.

Hearing about how today is the 10th anniversary of such a sad day in history, my mind has literally been flooded with the feeling to sob over those who have lost their lives, and because there was nothing done in the event on why the attack occurred. May all those families suffering from the tragedy of 10 years ago, on September 11, 2001, have my heart out to them.

[stormymikala]

I was in Hawaii when this happened. Since it was high school we were allowed to watch the NEWS in class. My dad still has a local newspaper of the event. We got calls from reletives on the mainland giving updates.

[WeatherWitness]

I really appreciate Zach's and Tavores's comments, because I can relate more to them. I have started to feel upset and almost guilty about this tragedy because I don't have an extensive memory of what happened. I know others of my age who have this vivid memory of practically every minute of September 11. They know where they were and exactly what they were doing, whether it was watching the crashes on TV in school or seeing their teachers cry, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have such a story to tell. But I have learned from my parents that this is because the school wouldn't tell us what was going on because some kids had parents over in NYC at the time and didn't want them to worry. So I guess if I didn't know what was going on, I couldn't really have a memory of it.

I was in the 3rd grade at a private school. Like I said above, the school refused to tell us what was going on. The only thing I remember about school that day was overhearing some comments about plane crashes. But that's about it. So (this is certainly not to offend anyone), I didn't really think too much of it because I was so ignorant.

Basically the part about that day I remember is was in the evening. I was watching TV in another room, and then my mom called out to me to see if I wanted to watch what had happened earlier that morning. Again, I seemed stubborn but eventually made my way out to the room. Looking at the plane crashes did not seem real to me, so I couldn't really break down and cry. Once again, this is probably because I was so naive. But maybe a third grader should have more knowledge on terrorism, IDK...

Despite how I felt ten years ago, my biggest condolences go out to those who lost loved ones in this tragic event. And may we remember those hereos who gave their lives up for others!

[Mr. Rainman]

September 11th, 2001. I was in the third grade at the time, classes were starting about 8. At around 9, the teachers got called out of their classrooms over the intercom, although no one was told why. After about 10 minutes, the teachers came back, obviously disturbed. I had no idea what was happening, nor did anyone else around me. Classes were let out at noon, and I was picked up by my Mom, who was crying.

I found out later why she was upset: my grandparents on my father's side had plans to visit New York that day, and we thought they might have been on those planes that hit the Twin Towers. We got a call from them later that day, saying they had cancelled their plans.

My roommate here said a close friend of his father was supposed to board Flight 11, but after his meeting in Los Angeles was cancelled, he never went to Boston to catch the flight.

God bless the victims and heroes of 9/11. This is an event that, intended to split the world apart, united the globe.

[Localonthe8s]

I was in 3rd Grade at the time and I remembered seeing the teachers running around, panicking. Nobody told us about the attacks on the WTC or Pentagon though. We were all told to stay in the classroom and to not worry about anything. When i got off the bus, the street was strangely empty. The streets in my neighborhood were always filled with cars back on a weekday afternoon. I got home, my dad had CNN on, and he told me two planes hit the towers and both collapsed. I couldn't believe it at first bc I was just in NYC and around the twin towers just a few weeks ago. I almost started to cry because I couldn't believe that two majestic towers that dominated the skyline , vanished. Because of this, I always think about the pre 9/11 days and how life and society was better before the attacks. I wish I could go back to those days, they were the best. May god bless the victims and their families. My mom lost her friend's husband in law in the attacks

[twcclassics]

Man do I feel old. I was in college when it happened. I went to my 9am class and people we talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. I had no idea what they were talking about, but since "accidents" and people doing stupid things was nothing new, I didn't think much of it. I'm not sure when I started to watch the news, but even then the gravity of what happened didn't hit me. The idea of some group hating our country so much that it wanted to kill ordinary citizens, was so foreign to me that I didn't want to believe it was true. And the idea that the Twin Towers could come down seemed impossible. Yet both were real. I was fortunate enough to not know anyone directly affected by the attack, but like all Americans, my sense of security and view of the world was changed forever. It is my prayer that this is a day we NEVER forget and teach our children about. As Winston Churchill once said, "those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it."