17 years since 9/11

[Gregg]

We are remembering 911 at our local cigar shop in Libertyville IL. Hard to believe it has been 17 years.

One of the gentlemen sitting next to me was there and witnessed it. He talked of his Fireman Cousin who lost his 23 year old life rescuing people from the Towers.

[revo]

I worked in 2 WTC from 1996 until December 31, 2000. Dean Witter on the 57th floor and OppenheimerFunds on the 33rd floor.

I then moved across the river to Jersey City and my office -- and apartment building -- were both right on the Hudson river and had unobstructed views of lower Manhattan. My actual office had a beautiful, unobstructed view of the towers. To give you an idea of how close, the Twin Towers were one block from the Hudson, so they looked like they were right across the street.

I walked into my office that morning and found a couple of people in there. They were pointing to smoke coming out of 1 WTC. We speculated it was a small plane or even a kitchen fire at Windows on the World. My buddy who worked downtown called and we were trying to get info on what happened. He said it was getting bad, and he could see things falling out of the tower. He said there was a rumor a plane crashed in Pennsylvania and another in Washington DC. Just at that moment, as I'm looking out my office window, an airliner flies what seemed like 100 feet over my office, right into my view. The wings were flapping a bit. I said to him "here comes another plane!" and boom, it flies right into 2 WTC. "Holy shit, it just hit 2 WTC!!!" I said. He said he had to go.

I stayed in my office another 45 minutes or so, trying to get ahold of my mom and girlfriend (now wife), both of whom worked in midtown. Cell phone service was pretty much dead.

People came and went in my office, but there was one guy who still sticks out in my mind, an older guy named Joseph, who had a salt and pepper beard and ponytail. We both were watching the two buildings burn, and when 2 WTC collapsed, he just started wailing at the top of his lungs, "The people, oh my god, all the people!" It was terrifying and horrifying at the same time.

I left the office and walked the two blocks to my apartment, where I still had a great view. Just as I got home, I saw 1 WTC collapse and just broke down. Later on that morning, I saw a parade of soot-covered people who took the ferry across the Hudson trudge by my apartment. My mom and girlfriend both had to walk from midtown Manhattan home, it must have been crazy for them.

Just a terrible, terrible day that I was unfortunate to witness first hand and up close.

[nots]

Might get dusty reading this:

https://www.barstoolsports.com/newyork/911

[rhd]

My story doesnt nearly compare w those above but anyway. I used to work for a computer company that created medical software. I would fly all over the country training our users. That week, I was in Crystal City MO, which is south of St Louis. The 1st day of training was Tuesday which was 9/11/01. Shortly after I began, someone came into class and said a plane just hit the WTC. I thought it must have been an accident of a small private plane. A while later someone said a 2nd plane had hit the WTC. So now everyone knew this was no accident. As my training session continued, people were going in and out and a while later someone said one of the towers collapsed and later that the other one collapsed. By this time I was dying to know more and to see the coverage of what happened but I had to continue the training. Finally, we broke for lunch and I was able to get to a TV and I saw footage of the towers collapsing. I remember thinking that it looked very similar to those controlled demolitions of old buildings and thought that someone must have planted a bunch of explosive devices in the towers and set them off.

After learning later that a group in Afghanistan was responsible, I thought that we would go to war within a month and I was right. I remember being impressed w the calm way Pres. Bush handled the situation. This was in stark contrast to my great disbelief at the contrived 2nd Iraq war he would initiate later.

After I finished the training later that week, I was supposed to fly home Saturday. But after hearing all the news about the incident I did not feel safe flying. The airports had all been closed since Tuesday but by Saturday they had been reopened. But I decided to take a bus home (took forever and I didnt get back to Maryland until Monday morning). I refused to fly to any more trainings until the next April, even driving once all the way to Oklahoma for one.

The Oklahoma City bombings also happened during one of my training trips and also the Japan earthquake and tsunami happened during another one.

[Fresno Bob]

My parents had been in WTC 5 the whole week before and flew home on United 93 on 9/9.

Todd "Let's Roll" Beamer was one of my co-workers, Mark Bingham grew up in my home town, I only wish I would have done the same as them.

[umjewman]

I was still in college, so was sleeping and probably skipping an early class. My roommate woke me up and we were glued the rest of the day, especially waiting to hear from his dad who worked just a few blocks away.

Two kids from my high school died, one the grade above me and one in my brother's grade. The kid in my brother's grade worked in the same tower as his dad, IIRC. The dad made it out.

[chancellor]

I was working a couple hours north; cell coverage in the facility I was in was essentially non-existent. People I was working with starting getting calls from spouses; it seemed like about 20 of them had relatives that worked in the area. I ended out helping run equipment - in a really strict union mill - so guys could go home and organize family. I only had a fuzzy picture of what was going on until late that evening.

[Gregg]

20 years today. We need to remember.

For one day our Country needs to put down our differences and allow a peaceful time for mourning and reflection.

[Mithrandir]

20 years today. We need to remember.

For one day our Country needs to put down our differences and allow a peaceful time for mourning and reflection.

Never happen.

[virgonomic]

The Oklahoma City bombings also happened during one of my training trips and also the Japan earthquake and tsunami happened during another one.

I was in university in the mid-90s and working downtown Toronto in the late 90s. I rarely turn the TV on in the AM, but on the days of the Oklahoma bombing and WTC attack, for some reason, I did.

On 9/11 the first thing I saw was smoke coming out of WTC1. I don't remember what I thought happened - possibly a bomb. I left for work around 9 and arrived around 10. When I walked in the receptionist told me WTC2 had gone down. I watched CNN online for the entire day.

Thanks to those of you for your first hand accounts. From afar it was a spectacle but closer to ground zero it was absolute chaos. The world will forever grieve it.