Was 11, and it was only my second day at secondary school. Had heard nothing at school, come home and stuck the tv on to watch the Simpsons, but instead saw the same footage as everyone else. I had never heard of the twin towers before, had no idea of the scale of it and couldn't understand any of it, however the Docklands bombing had taught me from a young age that horrible people would do horrible things like this.
Nonetheless was amazed, enthralled, confused and therefore stayed seated, glued to the telly watching BBC news until about 3am. I just remember the confusion on the tv, and remember there being lots of analysts predicting the effects of that day. Would be interesting to watch it again and see if they were right...
Was on maternity leave and had taken our 3 month old daughter to meet my work colleagues. Was oblivious to it all until I got home to a phone call from my mum telling me to put the news on. Seriously questioned there and then about what we'd done willingly bringing a child into this world.
Anyone else been watching the documentaries about 9/11 on More 4 tonight? I've been in all night (no football!), and still can't get my head around the whole thing, almost eleven years on.
So many ordinary people were responsible for saving the lives of others, makes you proud to be part of the human race in a way.
Good will always triumph over evil - at least that's what we'd like to think, but I think the aftermath of the tragedy (and 7/7 also) proves that.
Had just finished my 2nd day i think in year 6. Was a horrible site seeing the 2 towers come down on tv, even though i was only 10 years old and didnt really understand what was happening. Horrifying.
There's some awful 911 calls on youtube of people that were stuck up the top of one of the towers when it was hit. Obviously they were stuck up there and came down with the rest of the tower. Would only recommend if you want to cry for half an hour and sit in a corner shaking. Horrible. Absolutely horrible.
Was working in the dealing room and somebody had the TV on and the whole room changed from the hustle and bustle of day to day business,To a funereal atmosphere as we watched events unfold.Truly shocking day,but the way the emergency services and people in general acted was heroic and showed the best sides of human nature.
Worked for Barclays in Lombard Street and one of the other teams had a couple of tv screens for the news channels. Can just remember some girls crying and then the rest of the floor walking over and seeing the 2nd plane hit. Watched in absolute stunned silence. Just couldn't believe what we were seeing.
Took nearly two days to get through to some good friends I have over there to find out they were all ok. One is now a NY cop, but his dad was working for Delta Airlines at the time and the wait to check on everyone was shredding everyone's nerves.
I was sitting in my newsagent that I run next to Grove Park train station, watching it un-fold on my portable TV. In the end most of the traders from Grove Park were in the shop watching it too. Something I'll remember for the rest of me natural.....
I came back from school and the people were standing around the TV. I saw the second plane hit the tower live and there was a strange numb feeling. I didn't know what to think and genuinely thought we may be entering a world war. It was like something from a disaster film.
I was in school at the time, aged 14. The events must have unfolded about 2PM our time, so a couple of hours to go before the end of the school day. I didn't hear anything about it until I went home that afternoon and my Mum told me. I guess the school didn't want to tell the pupils at the time of it happening for the fear it might provoke.
Me and my best mate, who is sadly not with us anymore, sat there and watched it on Sky. At the time, I do remember being afraid of what was going to happen. Could it be the same tomorrow? Is this going to happen in the UK? I had no idea really what was going on and it was a life changing experience just seeing it unfold.
I was having an affair at the time and I was misbehaving badly in a BMW with this young lady on a forest track not far from Penrith in the Lakes.Over ran a bit and I wasn't going to make it home without being missed as I had missed my train.I was sitting across from an American lady on the train and she was getting frantic down her phone.I was still not sure what had happened when my mate phoned me to check I was still ok to take the sight screens down at the cricket club that evening and informed me that some terrorists were crashing jumbo jets in to sky scrapers for fun in America.He also said I had better think up a good excuse or my (now ex) Mrs was going to kill me!! I had ordered books from a Glasgow bookshop and they had come and going to collect them was my get out excuse! Glasgow Central station was shut for a few hours with a security alert!! Every time 9/11 is mentioned I think of that day in Penrith!!!!!
I had just been made redundant and was on my first day at home thinking that the economy couldn't get any worse! Then I heard about the plane hitting the first of the towers on the radio and switched on CNN to watch - and saw the second plane hit. I then thought that maybe being made redundant wasn't the worse thing that could happen to anyone...spent the rest of the day watching - as shocking and terrible as it was it was compelling viewing.
I was a hospital porter at the time and was called into a TV room by an old boy who I'd got quite friendly with. He was watching the news and said I should come and watch. Literally walked in the room as the second plane hit. Was totally shocked and will never forget an old girl in there, about eighty-five, just sat there sobbing, repeating 'oh God' over and over again. Something changed in the world that day.
I was working in a car dealership just outside of New York City. A secretary came and told me a plane had flown into the WTC, so I went to the customer waiting lounge to watch the news, as had a number of our staff. At the time nobody knew if it had been a light aircraft or an airliner that was involved, then the reporters started talking about rumours that planes had been hijacked all over the place. Then the second plane hit and we knew we were under attack. Everybody, customers and staff, left to get their kids from school and gather their families together because nobody knew what was going to happen next. I left later in the day driving on empty streets, and headed South on The New Jersey Turnpike, there were almost no other vehicles on that usually very busy road, except for thousands (literally) of ambulances heading North from every little town around, all with lights flashing but no sirens. The sight of those ambulances, all of which were useless, was the most unsettling thing I've ever seen and my most vivid memory of that day. Driving into New York from New Jersey, and not seeing those towers still makes me angry.
Don't think I've posted on this thread before. Was still at school when it happened, remember riding our bikes up to a mates house to go for a kick about then when we got to his house he told us to come and look at the TV. Remember feeling very strange, don't think it really sunk in for quite a while after. Probably just the naivety of youth.
I will be in NY in a couple of weeks, will be visiting ground zero and paying my respects. I was there about 4 years ago so will be interesting to see how it has changed since then
Was driving as a Cabbie it came on the news about a plane hitting the WTC, I rang my daughter at that time it was still sketchy as to whether or not it was an accident I decided to finish and drive home as I was local and watch it on tv. My lasting memory was the reports of people jumping to their deaths to escape the fire. I still cannot get my head round what they must of been feeling at the time.
My lasting memory was the reports of people jumping to their deaths to escape the fire. I still cannot get my head round what they must of been feeling at the time.
Yes - quite possibly the most terrifying sight of all of the coverage was seeing people jumping to their inevitable deaths. Still can't get my head around the sort of fear that must have been encountered in those few seconds.
My lasting memory was the reports of people jumping to their deaths to escape the fire. I still cannot get my head round what they must of been feeling at the time.
Yes - quite possibly the most terrifying sight of all of the coverage was seeing people jumping to their inevitable deaths. Still can't get my head around the sort of fear that must have been encountered in those few seconds.
It is not just that it was the decision they had to make how "shall I die?" in those few moments they had left.
"In the year 2000, Family Guy faced a nearly insurmountable obstacle when Fox decided to cancel the show. And while there’s been a lot of buzz since then over the cartoon’s ability to survive this and yet another cancellation in 2002, what’s truly fascinating is the story of how it survived the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. On that day, Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane was scheduled to be aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first jet to hit the World Trade Center. “Through a combination of me being hung over and being late the next day,” MacFarlane once told an interviewer, “I missed it by 10 minutes. It was very, very fortunate.” In the same interview, McFarlane said he would never make a gag out of 9/11. "
Oakster - Your memory re Charlton playing the next night in a surreal atmosphere is correct. Fortune & Konch scored in a 2-0 League Cup win over Port Vale in front of a 7000 or so crowd.
"In the year 2000, Family Guy faced a nearly insurmountable obstacle when Fox decided to cancel the show. And while there’s been a lot of buzz since then over the cartoon’s ability to survive this and yet another cancellation in 2002, what’s truly fascinating is the story of how it survived the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. On that day, Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane was scheduled to be aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first jet to hit the World Trade Center. “Through a combination of me being hung over and being late the next day,” MacFarlane once told an interviewer, “I missed it by 10 minutes. It was very, very fortunate.” In the same interview, McFarlane said he would never make a gag out of 9/11. "
I remember that Port Vale cup game. Very strange atmosphere....The north corners/upper were built but were empty with no seats (which always seems a bit odd looking in a football stadium anyway).
There was a quietness about the game which wasn't just linked to the fact it was a League Cup game though. Very surreal.
I was at a meeting in Wakefield, left between the first plane and the second one crashing into the tower, turned on the radio 5 and thought I had tuned into the afternoon story on radio 4, took about 10 minutes and a phone call to the wife to find out a was listening to a tradegy unfolding. Journey home was remarkable easy, but I will never forgot the coverage that radio 5 presenters undertook, summed up the situation brilliantly. Our whole future changed in those few minutes.
I was walking back from lunch with a client just by the steps to the Lloyds Building in the city when we heard a few whispers that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. The whispers got more frantic and we walked into a nearby office and watched the tragic drama unfold on a television.
My client had a sister in New York and was desperate for news of her, while I thought about my colleagues that occupied 8 of the top floors in the No. 2 South Tower. 176 of whom sadly lost their lives.
In 1996 I came pretty close to working in that South Tower but someone upstairs was looking out for me because it didn’t happen, but still I had spent quite a bit time on the 105th floor before 9/11 watching out of the window at the helicopters and clouds gliding silently below.
What happened on that awful Tuesday morning stunned me like everyone else and I thought I realised the magnitude of it all, but I didn’t fully until I moved to the U.S. a year later. Almost everyone I have ever met, particularly in NYC has a story of that day to tell. Some are happy to talk about it, some are not.
My boss in Chicago was one of those that was badly affected by 9/11 and rarely talked about his memories from the day. We became close and he did tell me his story a couple of times. He was supposed to be on that 105th floor that morning, but due to a meeting room double booking, he and others were in a hurriedly rearranged meeting room across the street in The Hilton Hotel instead. That breakfast meeting lasted 15 minutes before everyone was at the window appearing in a bad dream.
I must have been 14/15 remember coming home from school through a short cut that took me through the local golf course. Allways hung around messing about. Saw a missed call from me mum thought she had seen us and rushed home to see the 2nd tower fall and being worried as my nan was in NY at the time. Harrowing stuff.
Was the day of the move into our new house. The move took all day as everyone was glued to the TV including the removal men.
One of my daughters was living in an apartment in New York, the other was staying with her on holiday. I got a call from my wife as soon as the first news broke and I logged into the online news feed to see what was going on. No reason to think they were at the Towers but returned home and spent a few frantic hours worrying because telephone communications quickly broke down. We only managed one contact but thankfully knew they were safe. At the time was really worried if there would be any after effects of the fumes and smoke.
Visited New York the following January but didn't try and visit the site, I felt like I would be intruding on a private funeral. Visited the exhibition showing the firemen's stories, they were rightly seen as real heroes, they were still being cheered on the streets whenever a fire engine went by.
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Nonetheless was amazed, enthralled, confused and therefore stayed seated, glued to the telly watching BBC news until about 3am. I just remember the confusion on the tv, and remember there being lots of analysts predicting the effects of that day. Would be interesting to watch it again and see if they were right...
Was on maternity leave and had taken our 3 month old daughter to meet my work colleagues. Was oblivious to it all until I got home to a phone call from my mum telling me to put the news on. Seriously questioned there and then about what we'd done willingly bringing a child into this world.
So many ordinary people were responsible for saving the lives of others, makes you proud to be part of the human race in a way.
Good will always triumph over evil - at least that's what we'd like to think, but I think the aftermath of the tragedy (and 7/7 also) proves that.
Tuesday will be an emotional day for many. RIP.
There's some awful 911 calls on youtube of people that were stuck up the top of one of the towers when it was hit. Obviously they were stuck up there and came down with the rest of the tower. Would only recommend if you want to cry for half an hour and sit in a corner shaking. Horrible. Absolutely horrible.
Took nearly two days to get through to some good friends I have over there to find out they were all ok. One is now a NY cop, but his dad was working for Delta Airlines at the time and the wait to check on everyone was shredding everyone's nerves.
Rest in Peace
RIP
Me and my best mate, who is sadly not with us anymore, sat there and watched it on Sky. At the time, I do remember being afraid of what was going to happen. Could it be the same tomorrow? Is this going to happen in the UK? I had no idea really what was going on and it was a life changing experience just seeing it unfold.
I will be in NY in a couple of weeks, will be visiting ground zero and paying my respects. I was there about 4 years ago so will be interesting to see how it has changed since then
My lasting memory was the reports of people jumping to their deaths to escape the fire. I still cannot get my head round what they must of been feeling at the time.
Peversely, I love this thread. If ever you want to read a cross section of people's 'average day', this thread is fascinating.
Still can't believe how quickly the time since has gone and how vividly I remember watching something that greater resembled a film than reality.
There was a quietness about the game which wasn't just linked to the fact it was a League Cup game though. Very surreal.
My client had a sister in New York and was desperate for news of her, while I thought about my colleagues that occupied 8 of the top floors in the No. 2 South Tower. 176 of whom sadly lost their lives.
In 1996 I came pretty close to working in that South Tower but someone upstairs was looking out for me because it didn’t happen, but still I had spent quite a bit time on the 105th floor before 9/11 watching out of the window at the helicopters and clouds gliding silently below.
What happened on that awful Tuesday morning stunned me like everyone else and I thought I realised the magnitude of it all, but I didn’t fully until I moved to the U.S. a year later. Almost everyone I have ever met, particularly in NYC has a story of that day to tell. Some are happy to talk about it, some are not.
My boss in Chicago was one of those that was badly affected by 9/11 and rarely talked about his memories from the day. We became close and he did tell me his story a couple of times. He was supposed to be on that 105th floor that morning, but due to a meeting room double booking, he and others were in a hurriedly rearranged meeting room across the street in The Hilton Hotel instead. That breakfast meeting lasted 15 minutes before everyone was at the window appearing in a bad dream.
One of my daughters was living in an apartment in New York, the other was staying with her on holiday. I got a call from my wife as soon as the first news broke and I logged into the online news feed to see what was going on. No reason to think they were at the Towers but returned home and spent a few frantic hours worrying because telephone communications quickly broke down. We only managed one contact but thankfully knew they were safe. At the time was really worried if there would be any after effects of the fumes and smoke.
Visited New York the following January but didn't try and visit the site, I felt like I would be intruding on a private funeral. Visited the exhibition showing the firemen's stories, they were rightly seen as real heroes, they were still being cheered on the streets whenever a fire engine went by.