Personal memories of 9-11

[Tskware]

One of my fraternity brothers moved to NYC a number of years ago and worked most of his career in Manhattan, and just put up a FB post of a bunch of pictures of people he knew that were killed that day. Really sad, said he does it every year.

For me, for some reason I was running late to work, and just heard on the radio that "a small plane had hit one of the WTC buildings", There was no panic in the announcer's voice, just thought it strange that something like that had just happened. But then, when I walked into the office a few minutes later, half of the staff was gathered around our only TV in the front lobby watching the news. I had no idea, just a terrible feeling to see that sight. I remember my co workers being both sad and really angry. The worst moment for me was watching the towers crumble knowing that surely hundreds must have died in both buildings.

What do you remember?

P.S. I can't believe it has been 20 years.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I was a freshman at UK. I woke up that morning and made some cereal. Sat down in my living room and turned on the TV. For some reason there was no sound. I just saw the towers on fire. I was fiddling with the remote trying to get audio when my brother ran in and said "HOLY SHIT are you watching this?!"

 

[MegaBlue05]

I was a junior at WKU. I had really tied one on the night before as I was barely 21 and spent a lot of time and money in a local watering hole. I passed out that night with my TV on.

I woke up super hungover and saw a building on fire on TV and I thought to myself that WKU’s tallest building must be on fire and rolled back over. A few minutes later one of my roommates came in my room and asked “Are you seeing this ish?” He told me what happened and I went downstairs and watched on TV until time for my first class of the day. In that class, my professor came in sobbing. His son lived in NYC and worked in the towers and he couldn’t get ahold of his kid. (Luckily, his son happened to be sick and called in that day. He was OK. It just took a while to get through to NYC that day.)

Shortly thereafter most of my classes were canceled for the day and my homework for one of my journalism classes was to watch two hours of TV coverage and write a two-page paper about it.

I then remember going to work a shift at the grocery store and the store was eerily slow and quiet, even at normal peak hours.

Truly a surreal day.

 

[funKYcat75]

Watched it in my 1st and 2nd block classes that I was teaching in a nearby high school. Even the smartassedest kids were quiet that morning. By lunch we had regular classes going on. Grad school classes were technically on, but we just dropped off assignments and left. Sat in line for about 20 minutes for gas (that one's on me. We actually needed gas ....)

That following Saturday (could have been the week after) was odd when that first plane flew over the neighborhood.

 

[J_Dee]

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was my first day of teaching. I was on planing and mozied into a friends' classroom for something and he and his students were silently glued to the television. We witnessed Flight 175 strike the South Tower (9:03 am), and I was just like "What the heck is going on?" Everything was pretty much shot to pieces over the next day or two as we pretty much just monitored the news closely.

 

[wcc31]

Was a redshirt senior at UK interning at FOX 56. Had just began my morning in the office. Completely surreal day.

 

[maneal4]

I was in the 8th grade. Around 10 am an announcer said something like "teachers, please update your students on the events of the day." After that we just watched the news for the rest of the day.

That was the first event in my life that I remember feeling like the world had completely changed, like there was life pre 9/11 and now a new reality post 9/11. Somehow more dangerous and less certain.

Highly recommend the world trade center museum in NYC if you are visiting the city, although it is a seriously sobering experience. It's hard to wrap you head around the images from that day, imagining what you would have done being in that place on that awful day.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Highly recommend the world trade center museum in NYC if you are visiting the city, although it is a seriously sobering experience. It's hard to wrap you head around the images from that day, imagining what you would have done being in that place on that awful day.

Yep. Gotta go if you're in NYC. My only issues with that place were the gift shop (necessary, but so tacky), the fact that they acknowledged the 9/11 truth garbage, and that when I went there were tons of kids there that weren't even born yet and had no respect for where they were. Just running around and climbing and playing on what is essentially a graveyard

 

[Glenn's take]

I was in NYC a couple months after for the UK-Duke game. I lived north of there for 5 years and had been to NYC probably 100 times. It was completely different this time. The locals were actually glad to have tourists. Even 3 months later, they were nowhere near done taking the remnants down.

 

[Elbridge]

I was at work in Frankfort and a few of us kept up with what unfolded throughout the day on a tv in the lobby and on my radio at my desk. It was such a long day. I drove back to Lexington straight to my parents house to make sure they were okay and to just be with them for a bit. I don't remember much of the day after that but I am sure I got home and watched news on tv the rest of the night. It sure would be nice if this county could get back to the unity it had on that dreadful day and the months following.

 

[bthaunert]

I was working in Washington DC at George Washington University, just a half mile from the White House. I was in a treadmill and was watching TV. When the 2nd plane hit, I ran up to my boss’s office. Many people immediately left and went home. I stayed at work until about 6:00pm. I left and it was something I will never forget. Streets were a virtual ghost town with military police everywhere. I took the subway home and it might as well have been 3:00am…just about empty. It was crazy.

 

[JDHoss]

Working in the basement of Building 230 at Eastman Chemical Company. One of the technicians walked by and said he heard a plane had hit the WTC, so we got on the computer to check it out. I thought it was probably some idiot in a Piper Cub who was sightseeing and got too close or had engine trouble. We were stunned to see it was a passenger jet. Before we could read what was happening, my boss called and told us to shut everything off and come to the big conference room where the TV was. We hadn't been sitting there for 5 minutes when the 2nd plane came into view, and I remember thinking that plane looks like it's going to hit the other tower, which of course, it did. We all just sat there in stunned silence. A few people were openly crying. We were free to go home, but my wife was sleeping after working a graveyard shift, so I hung around with a few others. It was just surreal.

Ironically, two other coworkers and myself were in the WTC that February. We flew into NYC to visit a customer in southwest Massachusetts, and had a day to kill so we did some sightseeing and the WTC was one of them. We even had our pic made on the observation deck on top. I can't imagine the horror of what those people went through that day.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I was living in Royal Lex with @Ron Mehico.

I've always been a relatively early riser. Had been up for a couple hours and had just sat down to eat breakfast. Flipped on TV and it was on NBC.

Started making breakfast and walked in to the news. Woke up Ron and let him know.

Was definitely crazy on campus for a while there.

 

[BC_Wader]

My Daughter was exactly 1 week old. Came upstairs from sleeping and found my Wife and MIL crying loudly. Glued to the tv all day. Then sat in a LONG line for gas.

 

[funKYcat75]

Just remembered the chirping sound of the firemen’s gear ….

 

[Rebelfreedomeagle]

I remember people in my department watching it on a tv down the hall. After the second plane, one guy was spazzing out about the whole country being under attack. I calmed him down by saying that if the nation was under attack, the Pentagon or white house would be the targets. A few minutes later it really sucked to be right.

An aspect of it that's hard to describe was the feeling of not really knowing who was behind it or why. That was a couple of weird days

 

[Gassy_Knowls]

Was in my 7th year at UK undergrad. Partying from the night before. Don't remember much.

 

[CatGotMyTongue]

Personally I feel terrible thinking about it. May 2, 2011 was a good day, though.

 

[WayneDougan]

Sept 10th we played poker until 2 in the morning, then we drove out to Andover Country Club and dove for golf balls in the pond before the green on one of the par 3 holes. Security or police came after us so we were running through the neighborhood soaking wet carrying trash bags full of golf balls. I got home at 5 AM.

That morning I woke up at 11:30 AM as I didn't have class until much later. I set my alarm to "wake to radio"; when I woke up to it they were talking about the World Trade Centers being destroyed. I seriously thought they were talking about the 1993 WTC bombing, so I went to the main part of the house I lived in, put on DVD and fell back asleep.

A few hours later my roommate came home. I said, "you'll never guess what we did last night." He looked at me funny and said, "have you not been watching TV at all today?" I said I hadn't. He told me the WTCs have been destroyed, the Pentagon has been hit, and they don't know where the president is. My response - and I shit you not - was "is it the f*cking Chinese?"

 

[sg24]

I was in class at WKU. My professor came in and told us we are at war is just a question of who with. I got home after that and watched as things unfolded.

 

[GeraldV]

I was working at a firm in Lexington at the time. I was reviewing medical records that morning when a paralegal stuck her head in my office and told me that a plane had hit the WTC. I assumed it was an accident with like a tiny personal plane type thing. It wasn't until about the second plane hit that someone yelled for me to come to the conference room and check out what was happening. I got there about 15 minutes (I think) before the towers fell.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I do remember watching that morning and someone from the PLO claimed responsibility. A little bit later Arafat was on TV and he looked scared to death and was pretty much going "whooooaaa leave us out of this one"

 

[BlueBallz]

I was on my way into work, heard a plane hit the trade center, I just figured it was a small Cessna type and thought "what a dumbass". A girl that I worked with was supposed to have a meeting inside one of the towers that day and it cancelled last minute. Crazy.

 

[MoonshineMafia]

I had just the week prior reported to my first duty station in my Air Force career. Most of the shop was gathered in the drivers lounge watching it all unfold on the news. There were a lot of nervous folks, knowing that the semi relaxed deployment scheduled was about to change forever.

 

[Jeff Drummond]

The thing that always lingers with me is I woke up that day and opened the blinds to my home office. It was immaculate outside. I was thinking, “Wow, this is an incredible day.” One of those days that just lifts your spirit and gives you a shot of energy. And then I turned the TV on, and they were covering the first tower getting hit. It was a drastic change of mood. I think about that every 9/11. It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 20 years. Most (if not all) of players on this current UK team have no frame of reference for it, and that feels really strange.

 

[*CatinIL*]

It was a beautiful early fall morning in DC. At work I saw the news of the first attack and thought WTH? Then the second attack...then the Pentagon and news of a fourth plane and rumors of car bombs were flying all over the place. A friend of mine and myself left town and took the back roads back to Frederick, MD because we knew I-270 would be a parking lot. It was weird hearing only F-16's flying overhead after GWB grounded all flights.

 

[maneal4]

The thing that always lingers with me is I woke up that day and opened the blinds to my home office. It was immaculate outside. I was thinking, “Wow, this is an incredible day.” One of those days that just lifts your spirit and gives you a shot of energy. And then I turned the TV on, and they were covering the first tower getting hit. It was a drastic change of mood. I think about that every 9/11. It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 20 years. Most (if not all) of players on this current UK team have no frame of reference for it, and that feels really strange.

Recently a new kid a work mentioned that they have no recollection of 9/11. First time I've felt really old, hard to believe it's been 20 years.

 

[jameslee32]

Was working on the 13th floor of a downtown office tower.

They sent us home about 2:00. I want to say 5 hours after the first plane hit.

 

[rbs]

At that time, I worked for a retired Brigadier General. At the very time of the attack, I was scheduled to provide him with a briefing on some work matters. I can still see him standing there watching the TV in his office … he very firmly and matter of fact told me he knew who the %$&$@ was behind the attack and succinctly stated that they would be eliminated.

It was surreal watching the towers fall … we all intuitively knew what happened and the significance of the moment …. and the days that followed were inspiring to see America come together as one to do what needed to be done much like we had in previous times within our history … unfortunately, now 20 years later, we are a divided people who have seemingly lost the ability to set aside their own agendas to work toward a common cause.

 

[BMoore2]

Was a senior is high school. Mr. Martin, my sociology teacher, turned on the tv, and I wondered how some idiot drove a plane into the WTC. When the second one hit (I watched it happen), I knew we were under attack. It definitely hurt America; I’d say we are still trying to exorcise the demons of that day. I hope and pray we do.

 

[KYBorn&Raised]

Building 7. Collapse from the north and south towers? Imploded from within?

 

[WildcatFan1982]

nope

 

[Freetaxreturn]

View embedded media

Building 7. Collapse from the north and south towers? Imploded from within?

Yeah I see where you’re going here, 747 airliners with over 9,000 gallons of JET fuel had nothing to do with the towers coming down 🙄

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Yeah I see where you’re going here, 747 airliners with over 9,000 gallons of JET fuel had nothing to do with the towers coming down 🙄

well in fairness no plane hit WTC 7. 2 of the tallest buildings in the world fell on it, but no plane.

 

[KYBorn&Raised]

I am not saying the twin towers. I am saying World Trade Center 7 in the above Youtube video. Several conspiracy theorists claim it was wired with explosives and brought down. Others have said the two buildings falling and WTC 7 took major damage. Just wanted to see opinions.

 

[bkingUK]

Have a friend who lived in midtown and worked near financial district on that day. She opened up about it over drinks and almost started crying telling the story.

But one thing she mentioned that sticks out is that she couldn’t get into her apartment due to the dust after it happened. So, she went to a pub with her boyfriend.

At end of bar, there was a guy, who said was pretty obviously a financial big wig sort, wearing suit and tie, and covered in that gray dust head to toe. And the guy just keep ordering bourbon on rocks. Every time he’d go to take a drink, his hand shook so much that the ice would make a sound. Can’t even imagine.

 

[SophiesDad]

Those sure were some hot fires to make those steel framed buildings collapse into their own footprint at free fall speed. At least we knew who was responsible within an hour of the “terrorist” attacks. So sad all the innocent people that lost their lives and we will never be told the truth about what really happened that day. Disgusting

 

[MegaBlue05]

Those sure were some hot fires to make those steel framed buildings collapse into their own footprint at free fall speed. At least we knew who was responsible within an hour of the “terrorist” attacks. So sad all the innocent people that lost their lives and we will never be told the truth about what really happened that day. Disgusting

JFC.

So the planes were just for show?

Please enlighten me about what “really” happened that day.

 

[Freetaxreturn]

I am not saying the twin towers. I am saying World Trade Center 7 in the above Youtube video. Several conspiracy theorists claim it was wired with explosives and brought down. Others have said the two buildings falling and WTC 7 took major damage. Just wanted to see opinions.

I overlooked that KYBR, you are right about the aircraft part 🍺

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Saw all the Loose Change buzzwords that are totally meaningless. Awesome times