9/11 Re-visited for me.

[Mickalino]

In a few months, I will be returning to the place I was at, when 9/11 happened. The reason it will be intriguing is I have never been to this place before, or since, 9/11 happened...9/11 was the only time I was ever there - So when I return there, it will no doubt spark some emotions. And what's even more spookier, is the date I will be returning there will be 9/11 of this year. And I will be staying at the same resort. The place is the island of St John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. And while I'm at it, I might as well tell the whole story, because it's somewhat interesting.

At about 8am Eastern time on 9/11/01, I went to the Water Sports shop at the resort and rented a Windsurfer for an hour. The plan was for me to windsurf out a considerable distance from shore, and they would come to get me on a power boat. I was a bit of an amateur windsurfer at the time, so the benefit of having them come get me on a boat later, was appealing. So I'm windsurfing, and an hour goes by, as I continually surf, and float out further to sea. Meanwhile, back on the island, the guys at the Water Sports shop who were supposed to come get me at about 9am, overheard the news on the radio of the all planes hitting towers and buildings. Obviously, they were spellbound by the radio news, and glued around the radio continously upon hearing the events.

Meanwhile, while they're listening intently to the news, I'm gradually floating further and further away from St John on my windsurfer. An hour and a half passes by and I'm thinkin, "Wow I got a real good deal on this windsurfer, They're still not here, and they gave me an extra half hour." Then nearly 2 hours passes by, and while they're still huddled around the radio back on land, I'm so far out to sea, that I've nearly landed on some other deserted, unknown island. So now, I've gone beyond rejoicing over the extra rental time, I've gotten scared, thinkin, "Uhh, did they completely forget about me ? I'm so far out, it might be more feasible to just float back to the mainland, rather than go back to the island, and fly back to the states."

So finally they come get me on the boat, and explain to me, "Sorry man, we forgot all about you surfin out here, cuz there was some planes attacking the US back on the mainland". And I'm like "WHAT ?!" The next day I was supposed to fly back home. But of course, I was literally stranded on that island for about 5 more days as the FAA grounded all US planes.

[BURGUNDYBLEEDER]

Interesting story Mick. I guess I will use this to tell my 9/11 story though nothing extraordinary.

I was a soph at Elon University in NC and had an 8 Tues and Thur that semester. This is the only reason that I was awake when the attacks happened. I left my class at almost the exact time that the first plane hit. I walked across campus when a buddy told me a plane had hit the WTC. I thought this was very odd. I stopped in the student center grabbed my breakfast biscuit and as I walked by the flatscreen on the wall, I saw the second plane hit live. I ran to my dorm and woke up everyone asleep. Has to be the saddest day/week of my life.

[Major Harris]

take out the cirmustances surrounding it, and that's a funny story, mick.

i was in my first year of teaching. we were outside playing flag football, and another teacher came and told me the news. i still remember exactly where i was on that field.

[mjah]

I was at work, in the same office I'm in right now in Boston's financial district.

I got the hell out of here, stat, and walked home, reasoning that it wasn't a banner day for hanging out in city office buildings or for mass transportation.

Stopped halfway across one of Boston's river bridges during my walk, and watched some F-18s circle the city overhead. Looked at the high-rise buildings and they all just looked like giant standing targets.

Dropped by MIT's Media Lab a bit later during my walk, where they had about a trillion various audio and video feeds everywhere. People were very calm there, but tense.

I had two friends in the air at the time, on the way to LA. One was supposed to be on Flight 11, but was forced to change her ticket at the last minute because my boss wanted her to take a less expensive flight. I had no idea whether they were dead or alive until a couple of days later.

She got back to the office 5 days after the attacks. First words out of my boss's mouth when she walked in the door:

"Aren't you glad I'm cheap?"

[Zguy28]

Wow. Its interesting to hear where everyone was at when it happened.

I was in my bosses office at my old job and he was trying to convince me to stay instead of leaving for a new job. The door was closed and his wife calls on the cell, saying something has happened in NYC. We didn't think that much of it. But we came out about half hour later and heard the news. Our general manager gathered us all together and talked to us about what was going on. Funny thing is now that I look back, he said that it was Osama Bin Laden who was behind it. This was at like 1:00PM. Were they already saying that on the news by that time on 9/11? I hadn't even heard of him before that, but then I didn't watch the news then much either.

[Major Harris]

also, taking a look back at when the news hit ES is a good read. i posted this in another thread.

[Air Force Cane]

I was at the White House and walked across the Mall to watch the Pentagon on fire. Two years later I joined the Air Force and was assigned to the Pentagon. Kind of crazy how life works out..

[Xameil]

I was at work...listening to Howard Stern...he actually gave great coverage. Then we watched it on TV at work....it sucked. Had Rugby practice that night. we all sat down, and our coach who was from S. Africa talked about it, and how it was common in his home country, but he was now a citizen of the US, and how much it hurt. Then one of out teammates told us his brother was in one of the towers, and if he knew his brother...he would have been one of the ones who jumped. Then we shared a moment of silence for all our fallen bretheren (we played a team who had alot of players in the towers), and a moment of silence for the one on the plane who became known for the words "Let's Roll", it was reported he was a rugby player. We then went and practiced...in eerie silence.

[NoCalMike]

Amazing I don't think one person in the original "Terrorist News" thread mentioned that we should have invaded Iraq because of 9/11. I am very proud of my Extremeskins brothers, and it kind of shows the manipulation that had to take place in order for the american people to initially support the War in Iraq.

[Major Harris]

Amazing I don't think one person in the original "Terrorist News" thread mentioned that we should have invaded Iraq because of 9/11. I am very proud of my Extremeskins brothers, and it kind of shows the manipulation that had to take place in order for the american people to initially support the War in Iraq.

this thread need not go down that route. :2cents:

[PleaseBlitz]

I was in my senior year in college. I had just gotten out of the shower and was in my room getting dressed when i hear my roommate go "Uh, Steve? You might wanna come watch this......" That was the first plane.

Classes were totally forgotten about and lots of people ended up watching the coverage from my place b/c no one wanted to watch that alone. About 20 people filtered through my apartment throughout the day with the expected mix of shock, confusion, anger, and sadness.

I took the american flag i had hanging in my room and hung it from my balcony around 4 oclock. The whole campus followed suit.

[iheartskins]

I too was a senior and had a 8:00 AM ENGL 361 Irish Literature class with the dear, departed and great Irish writer John McGahern. On my way up the hill (at Colgate there is a very large hill, nicknamed "Cardiac Hill"--on the top are all the dorms, classrooms etc., the fraternity houses, and upper class dorms are down the hill), and someone mentioned to me that a plane hit the Pentagon. I was like "whatever dude, bs" and went to class. The whole class was conducted without mention of the attacks.

I went down the hill, turned on the TV and realized what had happened. 7 Colgate graduates died, and about 100 parents, siblings, wives, husbands and other relatives were killed. I guess it goes to show just how many people from the greater NYC area went to or had some affiliation with Colgate.

Anyway, I had several friends that worked for Merrill Lynch whose headquarters are a half block away from the WTC. All of them came out alive, and none of them work in NYC any more.

Because I live about a block away from the WTC, I walk by it every day on my way to the 4/5. It's kind of surreal, and I forget sometimes about how many people died right by where I walk, sometimes totally oblivious, to their deaths. The doormen in my building carried out a lot of people and they sometimes talk about it.

The reality of the whole thing still kind of boggles my mind. There's still a part of me that can't believe that the towers are gone.

[jwebst1]

I don't know one person who doesn't remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news... reminds me now of when my parents used to talk about exactly where they were when they heard JFK had been shot.

I was at work and a co-worker called telling me to go to the break room... not 5 minutes later we all saw the 2nd plane go into the 2nd tower on TV... still gives me chills.

[PleaseBlitz]

Anyway, I had several friends that worked for Merrill Lynch whose headquarters are a half block away from the WTC. All of them came out alive, and none of them work in NYC any more.

Thats good that your freinds are ok. My old man worked for Morgan Stanley at the time. He lost a bunch of friends. I can't even imagine.

One of my friends from HS was in the 2nd tower that day. He said after the first one got hit, everyone in the 2nd tower was told to stay were they were. He was like "eff that, im out" and he and his buddy that he worked with rolled out.

It was a good decision.

[cjcdaman]

Amazing I don't think one person in the original "Terrorist News" thread mentioned that we should have invaded Iraq because of 9/11. I am very proud of my Extremeskins brothers, and it kind of shows the manipulation that had to take place in order for the american people to initially support the War in Iraq.

:doh: C'mon, dude!

[iheartskins]

I can't really imagine either PB.

I have a buddy who lives in North Jersey, and I remember him telling me how many cars were left in the parking lots at the train stations because the drivers never returned from the city. Very strange and sad time.

[dg28daman]

Amazing I don't think one person in the original "Terrorist News" thread mentioned that we should have invaded Iraq because of 9/11. I am very proud of my Extremeskins brothers, and it kind of shows the manipulation that had to take place in order for the american people to initially support the War in Iraq.

Come on man, thats completely inappropriate.

Well, heres my story. I remember that a few weeks earlier some idiot had gotten stuck in the statue of liberty with a parachute or something. I was in English class, and my teacher was saying how, "these idiots really need to watch out when they're flying threw the air." Next thing we know, the other tower was hit. Thats when everyone knew there was something seriously wrong. Our school was let out, due to the fact that the firefighters from MoCo were helping with the Pentagon, and they didn't want to risk any accidents at schools. I went home and just turned on the TV and just sat there watching for the rest of the night.

[Mickalino]

Amazing I don't think one person in the original "Terrorist News" thread mentioned that we should have invaded Iraq because of 9/11. I am very proud of my Extremeskins brothers, and it kind of shows the manipulation that had to take place in order for the american people to initially support the War in Iraq.

:doh: C'mon, dude!

Come on man, thats completely inappropriate.

It's not merely a matter of being innappropriate. It's a matter of COMPLETELY getting the facts wrong - We didn't go to war in Iraq due to 9/11. We went to war in AFGHANISTAN due to 9/11. And no sane person ever argued against THAT WAR.

[stwasm]

I had gotten laid off from my job in Fairfax, Virginia, the day before and I came in that morning to pack my things. I wasn't logged on to my computer and I didn't have a radio on, so I missed the "live" stuff. The only thing that could have given me an inkling that something big had happened was some billowing smoke I saw off in the distance from my window (The Pentagon!).

It wasn't until my soon-to-be ex boss walked in and told me everything that happened. There was a young lady on my floor from New York who was absolutely hysterical about the whole thing. Days later I saw the outside of the Pentagon where the plane hit. You really don't get the essence of what happened until you see that site. Man, I still can't believe it all.

[Pete]

I was working at this little shop out in the sticks. I was wrenching on an ATV listening to the Bob & Tom show on the radio. The news bimbo broke in saying a small plane hit one of the towers.

That didn't rattle me, and I called my wife at work to tell her, and see if she could get more info being she's in an office. Before she had a chance to call me back, they reported it was an airliner. I died a little right then. Cindy called me back a few minutes later extremely upset. They had a TV at her office, and of course internet and were getting coverage.

My boss ran up to the local walmart and got a little TV, and he got back about 5 minutes before the second tower came down. All I could think about was some friends who "were" FDNY in lower manhatten, an old school friend, and my cousin John who works in that area a few days a week.

John and Mike (school friend) weren't in the city that day. As the first alarms came in at Ladder #2, Fred called his son at home who is also FDNY in a company in the Bronx, told him to turn on the TV quickly, and get his arse into the city asap, and hung up the phone...............

Ladder #2 was one of the first responding rescue companies at the towers. Fred and his entire crew were lost when the first tower came down, along without counless others. Fred and his crews remains were recovered along with a group of civilians that they were trying to evacuate.

I cried like a baby as I read the email from his son teelling me about the events of the day about a week after it happened. I never knew his son well, but he grew up with my cousin, who knew I was a friend of his father, so she hooked us up.

I remember the day we met......... I was sitting in our back room of our firehouse and this guy comes strolling in. I asked if I could help him, and he said he wanted to join the company. I asked him why h wanted to be a volunteer firefighter. He gave me a sly smile, and said he was a firefighter in manhattan, and had just moved into our town.

I took him to our captians office, and sponsered him as an applicant. We were from the same neighborhood in the Bronx, and hit it off. The ammount I learned from him is unreal, and he became part of our A crew instantly. I could go on and on...................

Sorry to go off subject, it's still a very sore spot for me.

[SkinnedAussie]

Remember it like it was yesterday.

Was lying in bed watching the late night news when the news reader read out a news flash - "A small plane has crashed into one of the towers at The World Trade Centre. More news as it comes to hand."

Having cable, I immediately switched over to the live CNN feed, and was transfixed with what I was watching. A tower with a gaping hole in the side, with smoke billowing out.

Not long after, I saw a plane fly in from the right of screen, then suddenly slam into the second tower. All this coming live from the US. Remember, I live Down Under.

I watched throughout the night until both towers had collapsed, and then we started receiving footage from The Pentagon.

Needless to say, we never ventured far from CNN for the next few days.

[redskins4life234]

I remember, I was in 5th Grade, sitting in the back of class, when the PA came on annoucing we are going home early, but didnt say why. We asked our teacher and she was hesitent to tell us syaing we may not be mature enough to handle it, we begged her to tell us and she caved in. She told us "The Twin towers have been Bombed" she didnt mention airplanes, and right then, I imgained those blakc round bombs in cartoons.

A scary thing is my Dad was suppose to be heading to New york that day, but his flight was scheduled after the attacks, so I was real scared. When I got home I rushed to the Tv and sat and just watched in shock and terror.

[Dead Money]

Well since we're sharing.... ( I hate talking about this but feel compelled to share)

I was in my office (in NJ) bright and early that day (4:45am) trying to get some work done because I was taking a client to play golf at 8:30am. I finished up and drove over to meet him at the golf course.... After a couple of holes we noticed nobody else was on the course behind us. We called the starter and heard the news. We both had loved ones in the towers that morning and both fled the course immediately.

I was lucky enough to hear from my fiance by noon but only for a brief moment. I was in Hoboken, NJ across the river from the disaster for the rest of the day waiting to hear from her, her mother or her brother all who were working in the city that day. She had heard that there was going to be another attack on the Empire state building and her mom worked next to it so she was running around the city frantic looking for her mom..

Turns out they found each other by 3pm or and took care of each other until she was able to get across the river to hoboken around 10pm.

I spent the day helping EMS crews carry blankets and bottled water to the transportation hub in Hoboken. These volunteers from all over NJ were expecting (as was I) a massive amount of casulties to come through their gates. Unfortunately there were many more dead and unaccounted for than injured and everyone including myself watched the smoldering remains feeling helpless, frustrated, utterly useless and of course - angry at the world.

My engagement was put on hold, then was on again..... And then off again. My ex-fiance had (very understandably) serious mental health issues immediately afterward and continually up until we decided to go our separate ways in November of 2004.

Everytime I see images from 9/11 I still remember how relieved I was when she came out of the tunnel in Hoboken that night... Little did I know that it was only the beginning of the nightmare for her, her family and everyone she loved or who loved her.

The little Catholic Highschool in my town had 33 kids who lost parents that day... My volleyball league lost 7, my fishing club lost 9 and my highschool graduating class lost several.

I have a friend who lives in an apartment within 2 blocks of the new terminal that exists underground where the towers once stood.... I cry out loud like a little baby every single time I walk through/past it.

The point of view of someone who was there, saw some hideous stuff, and survived relatively unscathed having their life ruined is enough for me to cry. Each and every person who loves this country should have a deep deep heartache for those who lost love ones, put their lives on the line, and of course those who did escape from this tragedy.

911's effects were far worse than many or most will ever imagine. Bless the men and women who fight for our country, and those who protect us at home, work and play.

[WeownU]

Pretty powerful stuff. I went back to the link provided to read the posts on 9/11 (I wasn't a member of ES then). Boy, it sure takes you back to that day doesn't it. I was particulary impressed with Arts posts. Well done.

Here is my 9/11 story.............well its actually not mine, but my best friends and it was actually about 3 weeks later.

My freind stephen and I had always wanted to go fly fishing in Alaska. He set up his trip months before 9/11. I was unable to go. It was one of those trips where they take you in a little plane and drop you off in the middle of nowhere, tell you to canoe downstream 20 miles and we'll pick you up in a week. Absolutely no contact with the outside world at all until the pilot comes back in a week to pick you up.

Well stephen told me that the pilot told him that almost a week before 9/11, he had dropped off 4 fishing buddies way out in the middle of the woods and was supposed to meet them at a certain spot in a week......then 9/11 happened. Of course they fisherman didn't know anything that was going on cause they were in the middle of the woods. After a week went by and the pilot never showed (all planes grounded), the fisherman panicked. They figured that the pilot crashed, or had a heart attack or somethign and nobody in the world knew they were even out there. Apparently the fisherman had some dissention between them. Some wanted to build a shelter and huncker down for the winter, some wanted to canoe downriver not knowing wher they were going, but hoped to hit the ocean before wintertime.

Anyway, almost a week goes by and finally the pilot shows up (after they lifted the ban on flying) and the fisherman see him land and they take off after him looking to tear him limb from limb because they figured the pilot "just forgot". The pilot said he had to do some quick talking before they beat him up. After he told them what happened, of course they calmed down.

It turned out to have a happy ending, but I can't help but wonder how Bush can justify flying all the Bin Ladens out of the country, but won't let some bush pilot in the middle of Alaska take off to pick up some poor guys stuck in the woods.

[Major Harris]

Here is my 9/11 story.............well its actually not mine, but my best friends and it was actually about 3 weeks later.

great story....

It turned out to have a happy ending, but I can't help but wonder how Bush can justify flying all the Bin Ladens out of the country, but won't let some bush pilot in the middle of Alaska take off to pick up some poor guys stuck in the woods.

don't need to go there....