Call of the Day: "From the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Do we have closure? No. No, the heinous acts of terrorism last Tuesday will be with us for as long as we all shall live." --Harry Kalas, 2001.
I woke up, looked out the window, and it was a beautiful day -- weather-wise. How quickly a blue sky can turn gray.
I was going into 4th grade, but school did not start yet, due to renovations taking place.
My mother's voice awoken me. "Oh my god! I can't believe this!" I walked into her bedroom and she was watching TV. I saw that a building was on fire, and people were running. I thought it was a movie.
"What happened?" I asked.
"A plane crashed into the World Trade Center. That's what they're saying. I think it was a bomb," my mom said frantically.
People were running for their lives, others jumped from buildings. The reporters were ducking behind cars.
On the TV broadcast, a witness called in during the newscast. "Oh my god! Here comes another plane!" I watched the plane crash into the second building.
Then, I went to my neighbors house. That was where I watched the buildings collapse. It was like a horror movie. Next, we gained knowledge about the terrorist, the pentagon, and the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, that's target was White House.
I always felt bad for the people who died, but to be honest with you, it didn't hit me since until last year. I was watching footage of 9/11, taped by people with video cameras. Not the media, but real life people taking footage, scared to death, living it. It wasn't until then, 7 years later, that it really hit me. Maybe it was because I was old enough to understand and it was almost like reliving it.
September 11th is almost like the Pearl Harbor of my generation. It was a tragic day, something we'll never forget. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one.
I woke up, looked out the window, and it was a beautiful day -- weather-wise. How quickly a blue sky can turn gray.
I was going into 4th grade, but school did not start yet, due to renovations taking place.
My mother's voice awoken me. "Oh my god! I can't believe this!" I walked into her bedroom and she was watching TV. I saw that a building was on fire, and people were running. I thought it was a movie.
"What happened?" I asked.
"A plane crashed into the World Trade Center. That's what they're saying. I think it was a bomb," my mom said frantically.
People were running for their lives, others jumped from buildings. The reporters were ducking behind cars.
On the TV broadcast, a witness called in during the newscast. "Oh my god! Here comes another plane!" I watched the plane crash into the second building.
Then, I went to my neighbors house. That was where I watched the buildings collapse. It was like a horror movie. Next, we gained knowledge about the terrorist, the pentagon, and the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, that's target was White House.
I always felt bad for the people who died, but to be honest with you, it didn't hit me since until last year. I was watching footage of 9/11, taped by people with video cameras. Not the media, but real life people taking footage, scared to death, living it. It wasn't until then, 7 years later, that it really hit me. Maybe it was because I was old enough to understand and it was almost like reliving it.
September 11th is almost like the Pearl Harbor of my generation. It was a tragic day, something we'll never forget. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one.
3 comments:
I lived in Philly in 2001.
I ran an office on just off the corner of 13th and Walnut Streets downtown.
My mom called the office and asked if I knew what happened. She said one plane had already hit the WTC and a bunch of other hijacked planes were still up in the air.
"The military will have to shoot those planes down," my mom said softly.
"Oh my God, Mom!" I said.
"What do want, more planes crashing into buildings?" she said rationally.
I will never forget the chaos of downtown. People were afraid that Independence Mall, which was not too far from where the office was, was a target for its symbolic value.
The WTC reprented the economic might of the US, the Liberty Bell represents its freedom. It was not so far fetched.
A guy who lived in my building came into the office. He was a young doctor-in-training at Jefferson Medical Center. He was telling me how they had to put a bunch of important documents in the fire-proof vaults before they were sent home.
I went down to the famous Loews Hotel to watch the news on the big screen in the lobby.
It was there that I saw the second plane hit the Towers.
What an unforgetable day.
To those who would shamelessly and cowardly attack the United States:
FUCK YOU
WE WILL FIGHT YOU TO THE DEATH (specifically, yours)!
YOU CANNOT WIN - EVER.
RED, WHITE and BLUE NEVER RUNS.
NEVER.
NEVER FORGET!
The IRONPIGPEN does not forget the heroes of 9/11. The people in the Towers, the firefighters, the police.
Heroes. All of them. Forever.
We will never forget.
Harry's opening that day was touching. It showed another side of Harry that we didn't often get to see. Miss him every day.
I was working in a high rise communication building in Philly when this happened. My wife had called to let me know and to be aware as it was widespread panic across America. I was having a coffee break with my co-workers. Had no idea of the devastation that was about to unfold.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
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