10 Years Later: What Were You Doing Today?

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Around this time, 10 years ago, I was a junior in at Graham. Had A.P. U.S. History 2nd period, and A.P. Literature Prep 3rd period. G. Williams came on the intercom, and spoke these exact words, I kid you not:

 

"Good morning, students. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Ms. Dilley has been promoted to a full-time teacher here at the school. The bad news is that two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center, and America is likely under

attack. Thank you."

 

Even then, I was taken aback by the lack of perspective. Of course, the rest of the day, the TVs were on. I got into 3rd period just in time to see the 1st tower fall. When the 2nd tower fell, I thought at first it was a replay of the 1st tower until I saw nothing standing there.

 

I was just numb to it all, really. Couldn't fathom at the time how many people were lost. Couldn't fathom how the moment would change America in ways I'd never imagined. Hadn't ever been to NYC or DC at that time, so I couldn't comprehend just what this meant to that area.

 

Never forget.

[blueinbama 259]

I was beginning a new job with Saks Fifth Avenue. We were building the new store at the Summit in Birmingham, Al. when all managers were called to the office. The first plane had already hit the first Trade Center building. As we were all standing there in shock watching this on TV we saw something enter the picture and someone said, "What's that"? That's when the second plane hit building #2. I'll never forget it.

[ThomasDenton 79]

I was in the 7th grade at Wallace Middle School in Bristol when the attacks happened. The principal got on the intercom and told the teachers not to turn on the news or tell the students what was going on. Kids were getting called out of class left and right for their parents to pick them up (they'd read names off a list 20 long at a time). There were a couple of teachers that turned on the news and let their students know what was going on, but still no one knew all the details, just that we'd been attacked. I got out early when my mom picked me up and she told me what the news was saying. I think I watched the news at home nonstop for a whole week to see what was happening. I just felt like some bad dream or something, especially when they showed the footage of the planes hitting and the towers coming down. It was just like watching a Hollywood movie or something, just didn't seem real at the time.

[blufan04 12]

I slept until somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 that morning because at the time I was working night shift until 3 AM with my current job. Unaware of what was going on I got up, got my clothes on and went out to the bank and got some lunch. It seemed like a normal day in downtown Bluefield VA. I never heard anyone talking about it. It wasn't until I got home and turned my television on ESPN to watch some sports center and eat my lunch I carried out that I realized what was going on. At first I was wondering why they were showing war zone seens in the middle east on ESPN but then I saw the words live New York and live Washington D.C at the bottom of those seens and with them talking it soon came together. Something terrible was happening to our country. From there on I stayed glued to the television in shock just trying to piece together what had just happened on that tragic day. I'll never forget that day nor will I forget all of the innocent lives that were lost on that horrible day. On this day I would like to thank all military that have fought and died for my freedom and God bless them and there families and to remember the victims of 9/11 and God Bless their families!

[blufan04 12]

http://youtu.be/jFIGIEmdVE4

[Ditto 10]

I was working at a warehouse called "Handle It" in garfield heights, this guy came out and told us the first plane had hit, and we didn't believe him so we went inside and started watching the news, a little later on we saw an airplane headed straight for downtown cleveland, we stood there watching , expecting it to hit what the locals still called Terminal Tower, the plane banked right over top of the downtown buildings and headed back towards Pa, about a half hour or so later we saw on the news about the plane they had shot down, I will never forget the things that happened that day, and hopefully no one else will ever forget either, once someone is gone the only way you have left to honor them is by their memories, God bless all the families that lost people that day.

[Blues Man 48]

I was at work fixing a water leak in the Hidden Valley section of Richlands. The superviser came and told us what was going on and none of us could beleave it. We turned the truck radio and found out what was going on. A day I will never forget.

[hokie07 11]

I was 12 years old and in the 7th grade 10 years ago today. Weird thing is that I could walk into that classroom right now and sit in the exact seat I was sitting in when I heard the news if I had to. I can still remember the unique sick feeling I had that day and have yet to experience a feeling like that since.

[jeffab20 13]

i was a freshmen in high school siting in earth scenice had tune of emotions that day

[BlueTornadoFan 17]

Believe it or not i was in the first grade when 9/11 happened. Sad day for all of America. We will never forget the ones who died.

[tjhokies 47]

Me and my wife had went to Conn, RI and Mass the week before on a vacation and I was actually about 30 minutes from Downtown. I was driving through West Nyack, NY that morning on I-287 and heard everything on the radio, we stopped in NJ on I-287 at a gas station, and they kept saying the bridges and everything was going to get hit. We drove all the way to Harrisonburg, Pa before we could get a Cell phone signal, My wife was in Panic mode. The only vacation we ever took that far up north.

[bluefieldRocks 14]

7th grade in English class. Watched it the whole day I believe. Can't really remember anything else about it except the class I started watching it in.

[Ryan4VT 4,557]

I was a 6th grader at Richlands Middle. Oddly enough, it's one of my best friends birthday. I was walking from P.E. towards the stairs when a girl I was crushing on told me the "tower thingy that's really tall in New York" had been hit. By the time I walked into Ms. Blankenships corner room on the 3rd floor, the school was in panic mode. I walked into the room, looked up at the TV, and saw the second plane hit. We watched the news up until the towers fell. At that point our teacher was crying and couldn't handle watching anymore.

 

It's crazy looking back now. I couldn't comprehend the magnitude of it all. I was just too young. But now that I've been to NYC, in Nov '04, July '08, and Dec '10, I understand. It's crazy to remember the different stages from 04-10. Just crazy.

 

I'll never forget that day. That moment.

[hokies11 10]

Mrs. Stockton's 3rd grade class at Graham Intermediate when it happened. We've been told that the teachers were asked not to turn it on around the students, but I found out at an after school activity I was part of. I remember watching the news nonstop for days afterwards, unsure if something else would happen.

[sandman 13]

It was a Tuesday, still working the same job now as I was then.