Where I was on 9-11 / myLot

Boston, Massachusetts

September 11, 2015 8:54pm CST

I was at work that morning, and I heard the news from someone that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. My first thoughts were that it was a terrible and tragic accident. Plane crashes are always a tragedy of huge proportions. Then we heard there was another plane. Immediately, I knew. This was no accident. I quickly tried to connect to a news site on my computer at my desk. I couldn't get onto any of them. Millions of people in offices all over the US were turning to their computers to try to get more information. The traffic overwhelmed all the sites. A co-worker found someone with a radio that was tuned to a news station and we all listened in horror. From that moment on, we were like zombies. Over a hundred people, walking around dazed, calling home to see what they could find out from family and friends, expressing disbelief to one another. There was no more work done. The phones didn't even ring. No one anywhere was working. They finally just closed up for the day and sent everyone home. No one knew if that was the end of the attack, or what would happen next. Once home, it was an endless replay of the video taken of the planes, the images of dust and debris, the people running through the streets, the people standing at the edge of upper floors, unable to escape with fire behind them, and nothing but street far below them and nowhere to go. When the towers fell, it was surreal. I think I walked around zombie-like for quite a few days and so did most people that I knew. Where were you on that fateful morning?

11 people like this

10 responses

Anna

@LadyDuck (502190)

• Italy

12 Sep 15

I remember that day as it was yesterday. It was 9 in the morning in New York, it was 3 PM in my country. We were in a mall, inside a computer store that also sells TV and other electronics. After a few minutes I saw on all the screen the images of the tower on fire. There was no audio, I thought it was a catastrophe movie. When we were back home, half an hour later, I found several calls on my answer units, from friends and family telling us to look the TV. At that moment I realized that what we had seen was real.

2 people like this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

Wow. I think that if I had seen the footage on a TV at the mall, I would have thought it was a movie, too. Who could have believed anything like that? It's unreal, like a Hollywood movie.

2 people like this

Anna

@LadyDuck (502190)

• Italy

12 Sep 15

@Rollo1 I was just waiting to see Bruce Willis appear and kill the bad guys... unfortunately this only happens in the movies.

vanny

@vandana7 (102698)

• India

12 Sep 15

We were at the office, and we learned that from television channels. The news may have been blocked at your end, but not at our end. We were shocked to say the least.

2 people like this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

The news wasn't blocked, it is just that everyone in the country was trying to get to the CNN website, etc. The internet couldn't handle it. It was a very strange time, it didn't feel real.

1 person likes this

firecracker

@sacmom (14192)

• United States

12 Sep 15

I had been in bed asleep, when I woke up to it on TV.

2 people like this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

What a terrible sight to wake up to, but of course you are three hours earlier so it would already have happened by the time most of California was getting out of bed.

1 person likes this

Judy Story

@jstory07 (148720)

• Roseburg, Oregon

12 Sep 15

I was at home sleeping since I worked the night before. The phone woke me up and it as my youngest three. The school would not let them walk home. I had to go and get them..

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

I left work to go pick up my kids from daycare and school. It was a frightening time, no one knew if those were the only attacks or if more was coming.

sofs

@sofssu (23660)

•

12 Sep 15

I was watchin TV, it was evening here and I was sipping my coffee when the pictures splashed across the screen. I switched over to CNN and watched it in horror. My friend was supposed to be there in one of the towers for a meeting.. We heard from him the next day saying he was late that morning and was saved.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

Oh, thank goodness he was late that morning. You never know what tiny change in your day could change your whole life.

1 person likes this

Val

@valmnz (17095)

• New Zealand

12 Sep 15

It all happened over night for me here in NZ while I was sleeping, and I awoke to images on TV next morning.

1 person likes this

AnjaP

@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

12 Sep 15

Perhaps that is less shocking than watching it unfold, but perhaps not.

1 person likes this

Val

@valmnz (17095)

• New Zealand

12 Sep 15

@Rollo1 it was as if it was unfolding in front of our eyes, no matter how often it was repeated.

Glen

@glenniah (1197)

• Mandurah, Australia

12 Sep 15

I was in bed listening to the radio, it was night time downunder. When I heard the dreadful news I woke up my son and husband. My son thought we were watching a Bruce Willis movie. It was almost unbelievable. The radio announcer was speaking with people in the Tower and one man said he was looking for his brother who worked there. There was a loud explosion then nothing but silence. I have often wondered about that young man and what happened to him.

@marlina (154103)

• Canada

12 Sep 15

I was in the kitchen doing the breakfast dishes and listening to the radio.

Marie

@Tampa_girl7 (54714)

• United States

13 Sep 15

My husband and I were home and my parents called and told us what had happened.

Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

12 Sep 15

things like this are etched in our minds, I can remember both this and the OK City bombing, I know exactly where I was when I found out, I can remember the moment itself.