I'll have to find the picture i have of the towers just a few months before they went down. I was in 3rd grade sitting in my classroom and had no clue what happened until i got off the bus at home and i remember my day saying "you know what happened today?" no? "some people crashed planes into the twin towers"

 

I was getting settled down after night shift at White Castle. I was in the shower and my wife called me to come into the family room. I thought it would be an "ADULT" surprise because it was her birthday. I was wrong. I just remember sitting there watching it with my blood boiling.

 

As for where I was that day.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 started out as just an ordinary, regular day. I finished working my midnight shift at 8:00am. I lived nearby, so it was a quick drive home. Back then I listened to a popular morning radio show here in the Detroit area called "Drew & Mike" on WRIF 101.1 FM. I listened to it all the way home. Being really tired from working all night, I went right to bed. But kept the radio on listening to Drew & Mike for a while.

They had tv's in their studio, and normally kept them on. Why? I don't remember. When the first plane hit, one of the producers yelled out for the guys to "look at the screen!" They saw what the rest of the world saw. The north tower of the WTC was on fire. But at the time, nobody knew why or how it happened. I immediately grabbed the tv remote from my nightstand and turned on CNN. A few minutes after the news of the north tower, CNN announced that there was a report of a hi-jacked airplane. And it appears it hit the north tower. Possibly an accident.

Like most people, I was now glued to the tv. About 20 minutes after the first plane hit, I (and millions of others) watched a 2nd plane come into view and hit the south tower. At that point, we all knew this was no accident. But still didn't know who or why. When the Pentagon got hit, I figured some country was declaring war on the U.S. But who?

I was in bed watching CNN when the first tower fell. I was in shock. The thought of how many people could be trapped inside the crumbling building ran through my mind. The images of the NY skyline with only one WTC tower seemed very strange. When the second one fell, and the Pentagon partially collapsed, I was in too much shock to even think of anything.

Watching the events happen live on tv..... it was like I was watching a movie. The only thought that came to mind was, "someone has a lot of guts........ this means war!"

Like everyone else that day, I felt unsure of what was gonna happen. Sharing the border with Detroit, MI, I wondered "are we next?..... Are there planes headed here too?...... Where else are they going to hit?"

For the next number of days, maybe even weeks. Everything seemed to be put into perspective. Things that used to be a major concern, didn't matter anymore.

I could go on and on, but this post is long enough already.

 

I was headed into work.....I just got off my express bus...I still remember the day like it was yesterday.... cause it was the first nice day out in a while...I even said wow I don't need a jacket today...

and as I walked up the street to my building...I looked up at the twin towers for what I did not realize would be the last time...5 minutes before the first plane hit...

I walked into my building 2 Chase Manhattan Plaza which is less then 2 blocks away....and the first plane hit and made a tremendous Bang, But they were doing construction on the floor above me so I thought nothing of it I was not by a window at the time...My Co-worker was listening to the radio and said a Plane hit one of the world trade center towers...I at first thought as most others...it was an accident... I look outside and see the rain...but no not of a liquid kind...it was raining papers from the building...

At that time I decided to call home...even though no one was up I woke my Mom up and told her what was going on...and it was that exact time that I heard the loudest engine roar I have ever and will ever have heard....I'd never forget it...and a loud Bang...I had thought it was fuel perhaps from the first plane hitting, but someone said it was a second plane..and at that point we all knew it was a terrorist attack...

I wound up going outside...and seeing what most of you probably saw on TV...All I could think of was how bad it could possibly be up there that people were jumping from the building...knowing they'd have no chance of survival..and you could see some of them purposely jumping not just being pushed out ....eventualy I wound up in one of the sub basements of my building, one of my coworkers said one of the towers collapsed but I couldn't believe it...we got back to the surface but I could not see a half inch in front of my face...so we went back down to the basement for what seemed like a few minutes...but it was like hours..

Back to the surface again...the air was filled with smoke/sut/ash...the streets were covered in it...I looked back to were the towers once stood, but all I saw was black smoke...I still wished that they were there behind all of the smoke....As I made my way to the Brooklyn Bridge I saw more firetrucks headed to the site...

I got to the Brooklyn Bridge and was one of the last ones on it before the cops stopped people from going over it...They said it was because they still could not account for all of the planes and the Bridge maybe a twarget...I didn't care I was leaving the city....

So I walked over the bridge...and when I looked back I saw a mushroom like cloud of smoke...almost like a scene from a movie... in Brooklyn I looked up and saw the fighter planes over head...I eventually got in the subway, and found an express bus to take me home....

When I got home abuncha of my friends and family were there...apparently I forgot to charge my phone in the morning (This was an extreme rarity) so no one was able to get in touch with me all day...Boy did this make everyone worry about me...

In the days after I returned to the city one of my friends was able to get me a lil closer then the public crowds to the site....the devistation was unimagineable...

I can say one thing, I don't care how many times you see it on TV, it was nothing like being there....

God Bless everyone that we lost on that day, and the days since protecting our Freedoms...My prayers will always go out to the families and friends....

I type this out every year...and it never gets easier...I pass the site quite a bit and while I admit it is good to see the rebuilding of new structures going up, I still miss the towers....I wish they decided to build 2 Freedom Towers instead of just the one....I have visited a few of the Museums, and St. Peters Church which still houses many of the artifacts from that day...and it still makes me very emotional...I plan on visiting the final Memorial soon, I can only imagine what effect that will have on me.

Joe

 

Wow Joe, never realized that you worked so close.

We are all glad you were safe for sure!

 

I was in skool at the time 8th grade, & had no idea anything had happend till i got home that afternoon, (i have memory issues & cant remeber things from wen i was younger) but i do remember we didnt goto skool the rest of that week & i was glued to the tv for the weeks that followed, its hard to believe its been ten years already

 

found the pictures i was looking for. The first picture with the clouds was taken in July of 2001. The 2nd i dont really have a date for, it was developed on 10/28 but of what year i dont know. I'd have to get back to you guys on that. But a nice picture either way. EDIT: i did a quick picture edit to the one without the clouds, i think it looks amazing now.

 

Joe, I never realized you were so close that day either. You're right. Watching the images on a tv screen is never the same as being there. Glad you're safe.

 

Thanks Joe for sharing with us. I am also glad you were ok. I am sure you know many who were not. I wish in my heart that a tragedy like this never happens again. My head tells me it is only a matter of time. How sad indeed. I so wish we could relive the 1950's when things seemed so bright and simple.

 

we will never forget. I was in bed and my wife woke me up after the first plane hit. I had worked all night and told her i didn't know what movie she was watching but it was nothing go back to bed. She said no you have to get up this is real and we watched in shock as the second plane hit. 9/11 changed life as we know it in the USA, it made us all more proud to be American. I am glad we are free and thankful for the soldiers that make it possible. I want to post this song for all to reflect on that day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk

Edit: I'd like to add A Thank you and A prayer for all the men and women who just went to work on that day. Police,Firefighters Port authority and many more