[Cgirl]

Hello, everyone. Today, as I am sure all of you know, marks the 5th anniversary of that horrible day. Please let us use this forum to discuss the emotions we are all feeling as a nation on this anniversary. What were you doing the morning of Sept. 11th, 2001?
Me personally, I was waking up, staying at a b/f's house in Chicago, and he had already left for work (he worked in the building next door to the Sears Tower) and called me to tell me to turn on the news, that he would be back soon because they had evacuated all of downtown Chicago (all of the skyscrapers.) I turned on the news, and I couldn't believe my eyes. How could this happen? Then I watched as the other plane hit the second tower, and I just remember I couldn't take my eyes off the T.V. for like days following that day. I drove home the evening of 9/11 (about and hour and half drive from Chicago) and noticed there were absolutley NO planes in the air coming from O'Hare. It was the strangest silence ever. That day will always be remembered by me. Please, tell me your story, as we remember the ones who were lost on this day 5 years ago. PEACE.

[valinors_sorrow]

What a good idea, Cgirl. Thanks!

I was in my office with a volunteer who happened to be recently retired from the NYFD that serves that area and had moved to Florida only four months earlier. When my husband, Michael, showed up to fill us in-- the look on John's face said it all. I shall never forget that. He rushed home immediately. I excused everyone and remained at work. There was an odd silence to the day. No visitors, and only two calls-- both misdialed looking for the Red Cross who's number I provided.

I thought of all my friends in the city, but most of all I thought of the one who lives near Central Park that I knew would take it especially hard. I tried calling him but the lines were jammed as expected. It was almost a month before I heard from him too, a long month.

I looked often at my husband who stayed that entire day. I remember thinking we just might get nuked so I want, should that happen, to have it be him as the last thing I was looking at... although I've never told him that. It was another reminder for me that no matter what, love endures. It was so terribly sad. I think all Americans got a dose of PTSD that day but no one more so than the poor people of New York City. My heart is still breaking for them in some ways because you are never ever the same.

[Cgirl]

Thank you for that Val, that was very touching. Yes, I agree that above all else, love endures. Thank God for that.

[Nez]

Here in the UK,we were/are five hours ahead of local New York time,so it was early afternoon,when I heard the news.I could not believe it.I was also driving from my place of work to a meeting,when on the car-radio,a news flash said that the Pentagon had also been hit.Of course it was wall to wall coverage when I arrived home a few hours later,and put on the TV.My folks had seen it "live",as the BBC had interupted their normal TV program,and joined CNN for continuous coverage,just as the second plane hit.My heart goes out to all the victims who lost their lives that day,and particularly to the brave emergency services,who also "put their lives on the line",in the call of duty.

[ScottGem]

I was sitting at my desk on the 50th Floor of the South Tower.

[kp2171]

I was standing in the doorway of a class I was teaching when I heard the first tower went down. Of course found out about the second by the time I reached my office.

really didn't hit me hard until later, after I heard how many lives were lost, especially when you heard about all who died in trying to rescue those trapped... the following several days were spent in a stupor, watching the TV at night, close to my wife.

as a comparison - I remember when I first saw the Oklahoma city memorial. It was beautifully done. I wasn't emotional until I saw all the chairs. They have empty chairs for each of the victims of the OK city bombing, and when I saw the little ones, and realized that those were for the children who were killed, well that made a grown man cry. And then when I saw the fence where the children put items left for loved ones gone, I pretty much had to hide my face.

for my wife... she said it was like the sadness she felt when she visited the vietnam memorial with her father, and was stuck down by the names that go on and on, and of course seeing her dad fall apart.

9-11 was like that feeling, but x 100... and I'm sure when the memorial is done, ill lose it again when I visit.

[Cgirl]

God bless, ScottGem, as I am sure this is a hard annivesary for you and yours. I just remember having this sickning feeling in the pit of my stomach for like months after that day, and to this day, whenever they have anything about that day on the news, and I can't help but to watch. The horror of it is just unimaginable, and I feel it all over again, every time I watch the old coverage of it. Those victims and their families will always be in the hearts of Americans, and people all over the world, as the heroes who were there trying to save who they could. I have a hard time thinking of anything else on this day, and I didn't even know anyone who had died, but I guess it is because this could have been my family member, or my friend, etc, and I cannot imagine the pain of losing someone like that. Plus the feeling of uneasyness after that attack on the U.S. and feeling that things may only get worse in the future. IT makes me afraid for my son, and his future, but I know I cannot live in fear, I must live my life, and go day to day, I just pray that peace will once again be our goal. May peace be with the families and friends of those lost on 9/11.

[ScottGem]

My wife just told me a 9/11 related story that I thought I would pass on.

One of her co-workers told her that her father also worked in the WTC. On that day her mother tried frantically to contact her husband. Finally, late in the morning, he checked his cell and found several messages. He called his wife and she screamed at him, "Where are you?" He answered calmly, "I'm fine, I'm at my desk.". She responded, "What do you mean? Both towers are on the ground!"

Turns out he had been cheating on his wife and spent the morning with his girlfriend. Of course he hadn't heard the news at that point.

Needless to say, they are now divorced!

[Fr_Chuck]

I was in the Fulton County Sheriff office in a break room. ( I did not work for them but was there goffing off on my day off) we were watching TV when it showed it on the TV. About that time, they called for a total evact of the government buildings and we all had to leave.

Knowing I would be called to work, I went straight home, got my uniform and went into the police station. I was assigned to a ROTC group of buildings and stayed there for the next 36 hours without a break.

We had three different hate groups come up and read prepared speaches taking credit for the attacks and proclaiming war on America.

[CaptainForest]

I was in school when the Principal told us over the PA what had happened after the end of second period.

The problem though was that the PA system was so bad, no one could understand what he was saying.

Then in third period, our teacher filled us in on what happened.

And a fellow classmate of mine's father was in NYC on business, and she got really scared something might have happened to him. Luckily he was OK though, so many weren't.

And Scott, the joke you posted. Very funny. I heave head that one before. I tried to rate you, got the spread it around message.

[ScottGem]

Capn, The joke was on the husband. Whether this happened in another instance, this was a true story. This was an actual co-worker of my wife talking about her father.