Memories of 9/11

[SleepingBeauty]

This is a horrible day for me and always will be.

Very difficult for me to reflect in words.

But I’m grateful for everyone’s comments and memories here.

I will never forget that the British people were the first to offer us support and that your queen was the first world leader to reach out to us.

[cartoonp]

Never forget the day we where at Butlins with a group my partner was with all had learning difficulties ect partner had gone to the pool I was watching tv then it happened. I did not leave the room until midday. I walked around some of the staff had heard we just felt what the hell happing in the world the rest of the holiday just went in a burrr.

[littlelish0544]

Originally Posted by megaflyer

I read these powerful words in Esquire yesterday and the photo(s) accompanied it are the most powerful I have ever read on this subject (dont open the link unless prepared)

esquire/news-politic...man-tom-junod/

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I saw a documentary a few years ago called the falling man. The horror and heartbreak of that day is dreadful. But somehow seeing the footage of this one man made everything else stand still, and the individual horror of that day for each and every person becomes the bigger picture, personalising it all, making a deeper sense of hurt and pain you can feel for a total stranger leap up from your inner soul, a place you didnt know exisited. There was part of a documentary, cant recall if it was the falling man, where firefighters are in the lobby of the tower, and someone says whats that noise... and they realise its the sound of bodies impacting. Then another man says my god... how bad must it be up there for that to be a better alternative.
20yrs on and I still cant get my head around accepting it is part of my living memory. My heart aches as much today as it did when it happened.

[WIGGYSMUM]

Originally Posted by stanleycamel

I have started this thread in addition to the 9/11 dedication and memorium one I posted earlier to enable Dibbers to post their thoughts and experiences.

I was inspried to do this by the post by mickeyspal in the other thread about their daughters experience and I hope they also repost that here as it makes sobering but ultimately uplifting reading.

Please feel free to add comments here that may perhaps not feel appropriate on the other post but might provide interesting and understanding insights to another side of 9/11.

I'll start with perhaps a forgotten bit of information. Of the aircraft that were diverted to Gander in Canada one of the first to arrive there was the VS75 Manchester to Orlando service. It is hard to imagine how the passengers travelling on that flight felt and for those with excited children looking forward to visiting Disney how on earth they explained the circumstances to their family.

It is well documented how the people of Gander and beyond pulled together to provide care and friendship for all the poor passengers arriving unintenionally on their doorstep and I can recommend the musical "Come from Away" if it ever comes to a theatre near you.

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I only became aware of Gander when I came across a movie on maybe Hallmark channel? Can’t remember the name of the movie but it told a very moving story of how the people of the town helped all who needed it .

[Pumpkin Pie]

Originally Posted by littlelish0544

I saw a documentary a few years ago called the falling man. The horror and heartbreak of that day is dreadful. But somehow seeing the footage of this one man made everything else stand still, and the individual horror of that day for each and every person becomes the bigger picture, personalising it all, making a deeper sense of hurt and pain you can feel for a total stranger leap up from your inner soul, a place you didnt know exisited. There was part of a documentary, cant recall if it was the falling man, where firefighters are in the lobby of the tower, and someone says whats that noise... and they realise its the sound of bodies impacting. Then another man says my god... how bad must it be up there for that to be a better alternative.
20yrs on and I still cant get my head around accepting it is part of my living memory. My heart aches as much today as it did when it happened.

See more...

I watched that documentary and had to switch off when the firefighter said that. I have not watched anything since - it is just too upsetting. I can still see the man’s face as he said it.

[stanleycamel]

Sometimes it's the small things that trigger memories and at other times broadcasts, picures and the unexpected.

On my frequent trips to NYC (pre-Covid) I would visit one of my regular haunts on 9th Ave and walk past the firehouse on the corner of 48th and 8th Ave and there was always some token in rememberance of 9/11. I only recently looked up the details of their contribution on that fateful day - they lost 15 firefighters one of the highest totals in the City.

I had to visit NYC in the November and December after the attack and still remember being able to view from a distance the scene that still remained - it was and still feels at times incomprehensible that it ever happened. Somewhere in my house I have the photos that were taken during those visits but I am uncertain as to if I will ever find them or whether I want to.

I admire the way that the area has been rebuilt especially the sensitivity around the two reflecting pools and it does bring a sense of calm and reflection at all times of day or night.

[Fluffypenguin]

I was only five, almost six when 9/11 happened, but I do have a small memory of watching it on the news and it’s stuck in my mind. I can’t even imagine how awful it would have been for the people involved.

I used to work for British Airways (well AGL actually) in their Warrington call centre (the call centre that handles calls from executive club members) and I managed to get to New York in 2018 using staff travel. On that trip I visited the 9/11 memorial and it was incredibly moving.

[mickeyspal]

Not been to the memorial but we did go to the museum to give us more of an insight as to what our daughter and her cousin went through. To see it from their perspective rather than ours.
I was a wreck in there , there was a ladys shoe and a child teddy bear , with a sign wondering if their owners were one of the lucky ones, it tore me apart.

[panpant]

I was in Animal Kingdom with my Dad at the time.
We, along with everyone else in the park were told that there had been a security incident and we we were all asked to leave the park.

We had no idea what was happening until we got back to our car and turned on the radio.

Massive queues on leaving through the 1 exit and back at our hotel, we spent the rest of the day watching the news unfolding.

Strange times back then with the flight issues after and all of the panic.

America really didn't know what had truly happened, the shock of it all.

[Ds4ljs]

I didn’t know it but after years of trying, I was pregnant with our eldest child. I was teaching in a local primary school and we were clueless. Parents began arriving to collect their children early and told us what was happening. We carried on to the end of day when our head called us into a classroom and the TV was on. We watched in silence. I remember holding someone’s hand and many of us were in tears. I drove home and had a small car accident when someone cut me up on a roundabout. I got home and just remember I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My heart still aches for those who lost their lives. It may have been 20 years ago but for their loved ones it will be like yesterday.