Where were you on 9/11?

[doctormalisimo]

As the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks approaches (it really doesnt seem like 10 years!), everyone will think back to where they were that day when the heard the news. 10 years on, it still doesn't seem like it actually happened. It just seems so surreal, even in 2011.

I was in school when the attacks happened (they were at about 2pm GMT) and when I got home, my mum told me that planes had crashed into skyscrapers in New York and one of them had collapsed. Of course, as an 8 year old, I didn't know anything about politics or al-Qaeda, so I had assumed it to be 2 accidents. Only a few days later did I understand what happened, and only a few years later did I understand why. I also remember seeing the North Tower collapse when I was in my kitchen. The most poignant thing for me was a few days after the attack, reading the front page story of a newspaper about a 4 year old girl from Ireland who was in the front seat of one of the planes.
So, that's my story. It really doesn't seem like a decade ago.
Feel free to share your personal story about where you were or how you felt.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

I cant believe it's been 10 years either. It does seem like a long time ago and a lot has happened since but I dont really know how long ago it seems.
I was at school also, in Year 8, I didnt know anything about it until I got home and I remember my Dad had Sky News on and it was live, both towers were still standing then, and I remember the footage of the second plane hitting being replayed. I wasnt aware of how massive the situation was and I remember I didnt watch it for long but went to my room but that night I remember being scared because the whole thing was so terrifying when it became clear what had happened. The next day at school (a Wednesday I think), we had a special assembly and I remember the mood was very down and we said prayers for the people who had died and for Americans.
I was also only 8 at the time so I didnt know anything until then about terrorism or extremism, I dont know what I thought, I just guessed that everybody got on in the world. But I became suddenly aware of it on that day in 2001 and I think the thoughts I had then have had a big influence over my political views since then, and still do to this day. That's why my memories of subsequent events which occured due to 9/11, like the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars and other terror attacks like London are much stronger than 9/11, not only because I was older but because the 2001 attacks had made me aware of what was happening in the world.

When I see pictures and videos today, I feel very sad and actually quite upset still. I always think to myself about the people who jumped for instance, how bad must it have been inside to make you jump out of a tower thousands of feet high? And the people on the planes like how must it feel seeing a building coming closer and closer to you, knowing you're gunna die? I cant even imagine how it must have been.

 

[Quent91]

First of all, 9/11 is my birthday. I was at school, and my grand-mother came to take me back home, as usual. I was 10. She told me buildings in NY were collapsing because of planes and all that stuf... I saw some images on TV, but I prefered to watch cartoons I realized it was really serious when they interrupted the cartoons on a channel that, normally, doesn't broadcast breaking news... :?

 

[Anjeza]

I was on my way back home from school when I heard that the first plane crashed into the towers. And since I had a long way back home from school I arrived at home a few minutes before the first tower collapsed. I remember that the following days were really weird, the next day we had an assembly with prayers and a minute's silence and every TV channel was either broadcasting news 24/7 or interrupted their program every few minutes for some breaking news.

 

[94ayd]

I was 6, do you honestly think I remember anything. And no, I didn't even start school til the next year, plus in Bulgaria the we go back to it on 15th.

 

[r3gg13]

I was in the 3rd or 4th grade I think, I was 10 years old, and I lived in Asia back then. So, it was evening time when it all happened. My parents used watch CNN news as a part of their evening routine, so I saw it on TV with them when it was being reported on the news for the first few times. I didn't understand yet what any of those things meant, what terrorism was, or the implications of these acts. My parents just told me that something bad was happening.

 

[Sean]

I was coming home from school aged 7 when I heard it in the car on the radio

 

[apasionata]

Then I was only 3 years old. I didn't even now what's New Your, especially politics!

 

[Simon87]

I was in my friends home and saw that on tv
Age 13 (then)

 

[seb89]

I was at my grandma's, school was out, I was twelve. My grandma and I saw it together, we didn't know what was happening, we saw just a building collapsing. I remember even what she said to me . "Look, they make such beautiful buildings and after a while they destroy it to make a new one" After a couple of minutes, we both knew what actually was going on.

 

[Gerly]

I was then 5 y.o. So I probably didn't know anything about this in live or in this day.
But now I know almost every little detail of this. I have done a lot research and watched all kind of videos about that. I'm really interested in this. I'm also very sorry for the persons who died, or who lost their relatives

 

[Hegepege]

I had just picked up my daughter from kindergarden after class at the uni, and as I entered the door at home , my phone rang. It was a friend from Holland who told me to turn on CNN on the TV. I did, and just then the second tower was hit live on TV.

 

[aja675]

I was 5 back then. I did not care too much about it back then, though. I thought of it as just another news item. Only lately have I realized exactly how serious it was.

 

[PeterLPZ]

I was at work and a collegue called us and said, that there is a terrible desaster in New York. We searched the next television and we couldn´t believe what we saw there.
It was so horrible and even today I feel sad and angry when I see these pics again. At the moment, we have special programms in German TV about 9/11 every day and I feel so oppressive, when I see these pics again. I think, all people who saw this live will never forget these pics and will never get them out of their heads.

 

[Interrail]

I was in school, I only remember teachers were late for classes (because they were all in meeting room watching CNN), and we (kids) liked that teachers were late later when teacher came in classroom, she said some air plane hit a building in NY, but I didn't think it was smth so serious. Later when I came back home and saw it in TV I was quite shocked.

 

[Sabiondo]

I was on my home preparing for the start of school when i was in 4th grade, when my mum was turned on the TV and when was switch to CNN was left shocked and i didn't know why, them i decided to watch CNN also and them i became shocked when i saw one of the Twin Towers buring & i became scarred them, and when i saw the second plane collapsed with the other tower left me speechless. Them my hole family & i was decided glued watching on CNN the hole 9/11.

 

[Leaf]

I was 4 back then, I was probably on my way to school. I don't remember much before 5 years of age anyways. I hate hearing about it, it sticks in my mind all day and scares me to death

 

[strajker]

Well I was at my friend's home, and we watched the TV, after that it all started to be about 9/11 but we had no idea whatever it is, but we thought it's a movie...

 

[Mackan]

I baked with my mum. We were waiting for something to get ready, so we went out on the balcony and my neighbour said to my mum to turn on the tv. So we did that, the first time I heard of World Trade Center and I remember my mum was like "But there's another plane!!" and then later "Noo!! Another one!!".

Next day we had a silent minute in our school.

Now my niece who is 8 years old just some months ago learned who Osama Bin Ladin was because of his death.

 

[lucian-crusher]

I was at the countryside! We where making wine! I heard it on the radio and everybody was saying that it was Sadam Hussein!