HISTORY; 9-11 - Where were you? - The 9-12 Project of Central PA2024-03-29T13:15:05Zhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/forum/topics/history-911-where-were-you?commentId=3029713%3AComment%3A1933&feed=yes&xn_auth=noOn 11 September 2001, I was a…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-18:3029713:Comment:63812009-04-18T15:56:05.211ZDaron Aukermanhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/DaronAukerman
On 11 September 2001, I was at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA, awaiting my final flight in crew cheif school. I had just gotten to the hanger and they were saying that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center and I thought it was a small engine plane; as we did not have the full information yet.<br />
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We went up to the breifing room of my squadron and it was there that we witnessed the second plane hit the tower and the first thought that went through my head was that my entire Marince Corps…
On 11 September 2001, I was at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA, awaiting my final flight in crew cheif school. I had just gotten to the hanger and they were saying that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center and I thought it was a small engine plane; as we did not have the full information yet.<br />
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We went up to the breifing room of my squadron and it was there that we witnessed the second plane hit the tower and the first thought that went through my head was that my entire Marince Corps career had just changed. I remembered the first bombing of the WTC and I thought, I hope this time we go after the people responsible for this.<br />
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I joined the Marine Corps in the summer of 2000, I was about a month into Boot Camp when the USS Cole got bombed and I thought that was it, we are going to war. You know what, nothing happened, we did nothing to fight back for this attack. I was very upset that America as a nation would allow an attack like this against our military to occur and do nothing. While I understand the compasion that people felt for the victims of the WTC, my greatest feeling was rage; I was angry at the terrorists who would dare to attack us on our own soil, but also I was angry that these terrorist acts had been occuring for the past decade and our government had done nothing to fight back.<br />
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When 9-11 happened, I was very pleased to see America pull together to help one another in a time of greif, I was pleased to see the amount of true patriotism in America. September 12, 2001; the next day; we pulled together and collectively we said WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THIS ANYMORE, and we as a nation decided we wanted to go after the people responsible for this. While at the same time, this anger also became a feeling of pride. We were proud to be free.<br />
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When I joined the Marine Corps, I knew there was a possibilty that war would occur during my enlistment; and I was prepared for that: but I didn't forsee it being so soon. 9-11 changed my career in the Marine Corps, from an enlistment during peacetime, to the certainty that I would see combat during that time. In January of 2002, I was deployed for the first time to the Horn of Africa, and during that time, I also saw combat in Afghanistan. I was and still am proud to serve the people of this great nation.<br />
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The experience of 9-11 and my subsequent tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq forever changed my life forever. Now, I see a President, an admistration and a Congress that is more than happy to extend a hand to international terrorists; while at the same time turn its back on the very men and women who have fought and died or fought and lost to give them the very right to say and do the things that they are doing now. I did not serve the people of this country to see us elect someone who would jump into bed with the very people that have cause so much devistation in this country. They call us extremists cause we want to restore America to a country with Honor, Integrity, and Values. I call them extremists for beleiving that we are going to just lay down and watch them change this country into the very thing that we have fought against for over 200 years.<br />
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In August 2000, I joined the United States Marine Corps because I love America. I voluntarily fought in Iraq and Afghanistan because I love Amercia. While I am no longer an active duty or reserve Marine, I will forever be a Marine.<br />
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I love America and I am proud to sevre and still serve the people of America. Reading all the previous post…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-03:3029713:Comment:30612009-04-03T19:14:38.625ZKarenhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/Karen
Reading all the previous post has brought back the tears and emotions of that day and days, weeks and years that have followed . . .<br />
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On September 11th, 2001, I was with my collogues in the basement of our office. We were gathered in our weekly "sales meeting" room. It was a Tuesday. Our meeting was winding down when suddenly our bookkeeper burst into the room not make a whole lot of sense. She said her husband had called and told her to turn on the TV right away as a plane had flown into the…
Reading all the previous post has brought back the tears and emotions of that day and days, weeks and years that have followed . . .<br />
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On September 11th, 2001, I was with my collogues in the basement of our office. We were gathered in our weekly "sales meeting" room. It was a Tuesday. Our meeting was winding down when suddenly our bookkeeper burst into the room not make a whole lot of sense. She said her husband had called and told her to turn on the TV right away as a plane had flown into the World Trade Center.<br />
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As we watched the reports on TV it was unclear what was happening. It was speculated that a small plane had flow into The Tower . . . but why and how! It was a horrific scene and the plane looked much larger then a "small plane!" It was a terrible accident . . or was it an accident . . . no one seemed to know but everyone wondered.<br />
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By this time, some agents had started to leave for the tour of home that were on our schedule. We were all REALTORS and Tuesdays are the day we see all the homes that are new to the market. I had a very unique property with an artist studio on tour that day and had to beat the other agents to the home to unlock the door.<br />
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I had the privilege of working along side my Mom in real estate for more then 18 years. On that day Mom and I jumped in my car for the long drive through back country roads toward the Marango Road area. We had the Mike Gallagher Program on the radio on 1390. It was about that time we learned there was a second plane that had flown into the other tower. We both know we were under attack . . .but who and why would someone want to kill perfect strangers for no reason . . .nothing was making sense. I remember not understanding and we both repeated "why" over and over again . . .<br />
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We got to the house . . . . turned on the TV and a group of us watched in horror! The reports were all over the place . . . 100 of thousands were feared dead . . . planes were missing . . . more hijackings were being reported . . . it was all an unbelievable horrific blur. . .<br />
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Nothing was making sense . . . I could not go back to "normal" not then not now . . .<br />
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I went home and silently cried as I watched round the clock news coverage . . . day and night . . . I have not stopped watching, reading and listening to the news to try to make sense of our changed world . . . searching for the answer to . . . why!<br />
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Sometime during that day . . . I went into a cross between freaked out Mom and survival mode. I had a daughter in her freshman year of college at Penn State living in one of the high rise dorms on campus . . . . my other daughter was a senior in high school. Not knowing who was safe and who was not . . . I call my daughter on campus and demanded she immediately come home until we could figure out what was happening. My other daughter arrived home from school a short while later. My husband after that . . . none of us felt safe, non of us know "why" . . . we were all extremely sad . . . the horror just kept getting worse . . .<br />
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By the next morning survival mode hit me full force, but with a sense of priorities . . . I "needed" . . . "had" to find an American flag to place on my car. I found one of those flapping flags that attached to the window . . . I put it on my car feeling awkward but compelled. I looked no one in the eye as I drove with determination but got many head nods, flashed lights and thumps up . . . we were all silently connected . . . we all understood. My next stop was to Sam's Club. I grabbed a flat bed cart and filled it high with water and other supplies . . . others were doing the same . . . all had solemn faces, no one said a word but we all understood each other's fears.<br />
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In the weeks that followed I made mental plans of how we would survive the next attacks. I made purchases of survival items . . . I was not going to become a victim. We were all changed on that day . . . forever.<br />
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As the weeks and months passed . . . many of my daughter's friends enlist in the military . . .one by one they went off to defend America, our freedoms and our way of life. While I understood and knew the necessity, I prayed my daughters would not get any ideas . . . I need them home and safe. Then the day came when my daughter Jennie said she had enlisted . . . I freaked out once more . . . . she calmly said 'Mom . . . if everyone had the same fears and altitude you do, there would be no one to fight for our freedoms and our country . . . this is something I had to do' . . . at 20 she had more wisdom them I. I am now the proud Mom of a Navy Corpsman stationed on Guam!<br />
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On 911 our lives were changes forever . . . my biggest fear now is that others have forgotten the horror of that day and how lives can be shatter in an instant by people with extreme, irrational hatred toward strangers they do not know.<br />
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May our values be reinforced, our lives not be taken for granted and . . . may we never forget . . .<br />
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Shawn . . . thanks for reminding us . . . I was in Michigan visiting fa…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-03:3029713:Comment:30042009-04-03T14:17:59.040ZDon Lerighthttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/DonLeright
I was in Michigan visiting family. We were all packed for our return (my wife and dogs) and having a last cup of coffee, when Fox news cut in to announce the first collision.<br />
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While watching live coverage of the first tower's fire the second one was hit - I couldn't figure out if it was a replay - I wanted to believe that it was. I seemed to be in an altered state of mind - not wanting to believe what I was seeing; unable to figure out how 2 planes could go so off course...............<br />
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Then…
I was in Michigan visiting family. We were all packed for our return (my wife and dogs) and having a last cup of coffee, when Fox news cut in to announce the first collision.<br />
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While watching live coverage of the first tower's fire the second one was hit - I couldn't figure out if it was a replay - I wanted to believe that it was. I seemed to be in an altered state of mind - not wanting to believe what I was seeing; unable to figure out how 2 planes could go so off course...............<br />
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Then they announced that it was a terrorist's attack. My wife immediately said: "bin Laden" - to her credit as I had no idea who he was. A faint memory knew he had something to do with Afghanistan.<br />
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We delayed our departure until the next day and watched the coverage until late into the night.<br />
When we returned to PA, I went to the lake to think and noticed how empty the sky was. Scary empty. And then I saw a couple of faint contrails very high and knew that they were our military patrolling.<br />
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It finally sunk in that life in these Untied States would never be the same again. I was really hoping that the projected unity of our Politicians (i.e. them singing on the Capitol steps) was real and that a change had occurred. That was too good to be true.<br />
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Since then I have read and studied and tried to understand the Islamists' (the Fundamentalist Muslims) way of thinking - still trying to comprehend the depth of their hate.<br />
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I have tried to learn about personal protection, personal responsibility, and the world's political and social functions and interactions.<br />
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And I have tried to prepare as best as I can for the next attack - whether it comes or not. I was in my office in Lower M…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-03:3029713:Comment:29992009-04-03T13:35:14.301ZEmilyhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/EmilyLombardi
I was in my office in Lower Manhattan that day. We heard about the first plane on the radio and we all thought it must have been an accident. My co-workers and I were looking out the window at the fire when the second plane hit and then we knew that this was no accident. We were all glued to the radio and someone had a small television, so people were crowded around that. I worked for an insurance broker, and many of us had friends and former co-workers who worked in the towers at AON and Marsh…
I was in my office in Lower Manhattan that day. We heard about the first plane on the radio and we all thought it must have been an accident. My co-workers and I were looking out the window at the fire when the second plane hit and then we knew that this was no accident. We were all glued to the radio and someone had a small television, so people were crowded around that. I worked for an insurance broker, and many of us had friends and former co-workers who worked in the towers at AON and Marsh & McLennan. We were worried about all of the people in the towers, but we were also terrified at what might be coming next. When we heard they hit the Pentagon, most of us were pretty panicked. We watched out the window as the first tower collapsed. Then our building was evacuated, but no one knew where to go or even if it was safe out in the street. Most of us believed that more attacks were coming and we really didn't want to be outside, but we were forced to leave the building. The police officers that I saw in the street looked just as frightened as i felt, but still they stood out there and directed us to just get out of Manhattan as fast as we could. The second tower fell as we were walking toward the Brooklyn Bridge and the police told us to run for our lives. It felt like an earthquake. I was pretty scared and just ran. I really believed that I was going to die that day and never see any of my family or friends ever again. I was with some co-workers and when we got to the Brooklyn Bridge, it was completely engulfed in a cloud of debris. We didn't think we'd even be able to breathe if we tried to walk over it, so we began to walk up the FDR Drive to get to the other bridges. We eventually walked over the Williamsburg Bridge, into Brooklyn, but it did take us awhile and we were afraid to get on the bridge because we thought it could be attacked. When we were on the bridge, we saw the fighter jets overhead, which gave us some sense of relief.<br />
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I was engaged at the time, with my wedding scheduled for 9/22/01. My husband (fiance at the time) worked for the NYPD. The police commissioner got on the radio and tv and said all uniformed personnel had to report. So while I was evacuating Manhattan, my husband was going into Manhattan. We spoke briefly on the phone before I left my office building and neither of us felt very sure that we'd ever meet again. So I was terrified for him as well as for myself. By the time he got to Lower Manhattan, there was really nothing left but the fires. He helped with the evacuation and he also worked those following days at the temporary morgue that was set up in the World Financial Center.<br />
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We cancelled our honeymoon because I could not bring myself to get on an airplane. I still have only flown once, for a business trip, since that day. I was so stressed out the whole time that I have not flown since and honestly don't know when I ever will again. I can't get over the thought of the parents travelling with their children that day and how agonizing it must have been for them. I can't even begin to think about bringing my children on a plane.<br />
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I still have nightmares about that day, although not as frequently as in the beginning. I continued to work in Lower Manhattan and then in Midtown for several years after that, but I never could shake that worry that we would be attacked again, maybe in the subway. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that we could come under attack like that in this country and now I live in fear of it again.<br />
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My husband retired from the NYPD last summer and we moved to State College. I do feel a little safer here and not as anxious for my kids as I did when we were in NY. But I cannot believe that our president has set out to release the prisoners in Guantanamo and to release them HERE in this country. I have to think that the people who advocate for this did not run for their lives that day, the way so many of us did. I don't think they truly understand what it was like for those of us that were there that day.<br />
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So that's my story, sorry if it was a little long. I was 9 months into my first…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-02:3029713:Comment:28152009-04-02T05:23:04.244ZJohn Callahanhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/JohnCallahan
I was 9 months into my first job after graduate school, as a pharmaceutical representative. I was on I-80 west bound just outside of Clearfield (I still remember that day most times I drive past mile marker 119). I was listening to the Mike Gallagher show on 1390am, but getting out of range of the station, so it was hard to hear. I remember hearing a muted bang through the radio, and then a pause and Mike saying to his staff "What was that, what was that? What? (pause) We need to evacuate the…
I was 9 months into my first job after graduate school, as a pharmaceutical representative. I was on I-80 west bound just outside of Clearfield (I still remember that day most times I drive past mile marker 119). I was listening to the Mike Gallagher show on 1390am, but getting out of range of the station, so it was hard to hear. I remember hearing a muted bang through the radio, and then a pause and Mike saying to his staff "What was that, what was that? What? (pause) We need to evacuate the building?" and then silence.<br />
The radio show was broadcast from the Empire State Building and they apparently evacuated right after the first plane hit. Not knowing this, and being a little bitter about the dead air, I switched to another radio station where I heard about the first plane. I, of course, listened very intently to everything I could find about it, but most stations where just doing a "breaking news report" and then going back to normal programing.<br />
I finally found NPR, which was doing coverage of the first plane, and listened to the live coverage of the second plane impact, and finally the towers coming down.<br />
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I had a lunch appointment with a physician in DuBois that day. I still showed up for my appointment, but all of the staff and I just sat in silence in the doctor's lunch room as we listened to the radio for an hour. It seemed strange to me then, and still does, that even though none of us spoke, they all seemed to be much closer to me than the virtual strangers that they, in actuality, really were.<br />
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After lunch I immediately drove home and turned on the TV, and then watched the endless loops of the second impact and the towers coming down for the rest of the day and night. The images that I had imagined, listening to the radio for the better part of the day, were so much more horrific on t.v.<br />
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I went through a host of emotions in the next couple of days. At first I was just mad. On a drive down to Punxsutawney, later in the week, I passed a house with a sign out that said "NUKE 'EM ALL, NO WARNING!", and for some reason that seemed to resonate with me. A couple of days later, on that same drive, the sign was gone, and an American flag had replaced it. It seemed that within me something was replacing the anger as well, but I couldn't tell what.<br />
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A couple of minutes later, I got goose bumps as I drove through the little town of Big Run, PA, which had an American flag on EVERY flag pole in town. They were crisp, clean, and blowing proudly. Pride! It was pride in America that was replacing the anger within me. I came home that night and went to Lowe's to buy a flag for my house only to find that they were sold out, and every other retailer that I went to for that matter. It stunned me that so many people wanted to show their solidarity and pride in America. I finally found a flag, 2 weeks later, and have had one outside of my house ever since.<br />
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I've never let that pride that I discovered on that drive through BIg Run leave me.<br />
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It was about the same time that I found my flag that 9/11 finally impacted me personally. I was contacted by a college friend who told me that one of my fraternity brothers, that I had lived with, had died in the WTC. Thomas Pedicini, 30 of Hikesville, NY was working for Canter Fitzgerald in 1WTC when the first plane hit. He never made it out.<br />
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Driving into New York city for Tom's funeral was almost surreal. Seeing the cities skyline for the first time without the looming presence of the twin tower's made me feel numb. Attending the wake, in little more than a conference room at the funeral home, with all of the other rooms full of mourners just like us, but for other victims, was heart wrenching. But what I still have the hardest time with, was seeing Tom's parents mourn their son, with nothing more that a portrait to remember him by.<br />
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Since 9/11, I've seen my older brother off to war twice. Once to Afghanistan, once to Iraq. And I've also watched as our country has turned from an American people into just Republicans and Democrats, left versus right. I'm dismayed by how polarized we, as a people, have gotten. After 9/11 we came together for the American cause. We helped, encouraged, supported and cried with complete strangers. And now, look how easily we dismiss each other based purely on party or ideology.<br />
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I don't drive through BIg Run anymore. But I often wonder, have their flags come down as well? Oh and don't forget this wasn…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-02:3029713:Comment:28092009-04-02T03:55:59.597ZBobhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/Bob
Oh and don't forget this wasn't a "Terrorist Attack" but a "Man Caused Disaster"<br />
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Whoever thought up this little gem ought to be keelhauled.
Oh and don't forget this wasn't a "Terrorist Attack" but a "Man Caused Disaster"<br />
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Whoever thought up this little gem ought to be keelhauled. I was at work....with no acce…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-02:3029713:Comment:28062009-04-02T03:43:45.785ZBobhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/Bob
I was at work....with no access to TV. One of my guys heard about it on the radio. I didn't fully realize the magnitude until I got home that evening. Seems like a hundred years ago....but it was only yesterday.
I was at work....with no access to TV. One of my guys heard about it on the radio. I didn't fully realize the magnitude until I got home that evening. Seems like a hundred years ago....but it was only yesterday. Also a young'in. I was in Hig…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-04-01:3029713:Comment:26152009-04-01T15:16:34.448Zthereal54http://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/thereal54
Also a young'in. I was in High school in my dad's class when a friend saw something on the internet about a plane hitting the WTC. We turned on the TV and all kinda glued to the horrible images on screen as the 2nd plane hit and then they showed the pentagon. I remember feeling like one of the only people that understood what was happening based on the surrealness of the situation. It was like turning on a movie or TV show which is what a lot of people seemed to feel from informal observation.…
Also a young'in. I was in High school in my dad's class when a friend saw something on the internet about a plane hitting the WTC. We turned on the TV and all kinda glued to the horrible images on screen as the 2nd plane hit and then they showed the pentagon. I remember feeling like one of the only people that understood what was happening based on the surrealness of the situation. It was like turning on a movie or TV show which is what a lot of people seemed to feel from informal observation. That was probably the first day I started to get involved and pay attention to what was going on around me on a global scope. I started paying attention to the news and reading (which is not something I enjoy doing) about world events. Every time I heard a plane go over ahead for awhile I kinda shuddered and watched it fly by. Low flying planes suddenly sounded like crashing planes. Every time I looked at the clock it seemed like it was either 9:11am or 9:11pm (which was really odd). For several years this went on, a low level fear of everything around me that seemed related to the event. I've always been very interested in my own reactions to the world so I forced myself to be exposed to it all. I continue even now to go back from time to time and look at the pictures and videos from the day so I never forget. I don't just focus on the negative though. The positive imagery (some of the only positive photos of president bush you'll find oddly enough ;) ) and hope that I got from people being true heros that day and helping each other in the face of true disaster. The flags and reverence that was once again taken for our country are feelings that still carry through with me to this day.<br />
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For me I'd say 9-11 burst my bubble of naivety. It marks one of the first times I really feel like I started to grow up and begin to realize that the world isn't all bubble-gum and lolli-pops. It's helped me prepare for the future a lot more. To be more organized, have a plan, take initiative and take charge of the situations I'm put in. Often times I find myself being a leader simply because of the fear of inaction like the inaction taken in the days leading up to that event. Thank God for the first responders and everyone else to keep anymore people from dying or for those brave people who stopped that other plane from hitting the capitol / white house. It's helped me (in an odd way) to try and focus on the positives of a situation; especially in the face of so much negative.<br />
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Good Thread :) I was at work at Penn State i…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-03-31:3029713:Comment:24112009-03-31T19:10:10.879ZBillie Reedhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/WylmaReed
I was at work at Penn State in a meeting, a co-worker was waving his arms out side telling us to come out to the break room. They had the TV’s on, we went out, I couldn’t believe it. Some of my co-workers were crying. I just stood there in shock. This couldn’t be happening. I called my husband, father and Mother, and my son. My other son was flying to California to help a friend pack up to move back to PA. All fights were grounded. I kept trying to call him got a recording circuits are busy,…
I was at work at Penn State in a meeting, a co-worker was waving his arms out side telling us to come out to the break room. They had the TV’s on, we went out, I couldn’t believe it. Some of my co-workers were crying. I just stood there in shock. This couldn’t be happening. I called my husband, father and Mother, and my son. My other son was flying to California to help a friend pack up to move back to PA. All fights were grounded. I kept trying to call him got a recording circuits are busy, finally got through to him and was relived to hear his voice; he had arrived out there the day before. I heard about the plane hitting the pentagon, my niece’s husband worked there, I called other family to see if he was ok, thank God he wasn’t there at the time. I was so proud of the President and how he brought us all together, proud how the people all stuck together and helped each other. So thankful he kept us safe for 7 years after.<br />
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When looking through my pictures I had been to NY on a Bus trip 2 weeks before 9-11 with my husband, my sister and her husband. I have a picture of my sister and I with the twin towers in the back ground.<br />
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My Dad has since passed away, he was a World War II veteran, and my mom lost her brother in World War II he was shot down over the Bismarck Sea.<br />
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9-11 broke my heart; this last election broke my heart, what is happening now is unbelievable. What has happen to a vast number of the American People?<br />
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I am concerned for my children and my grand children. I pray the American people will wake up before we become a country we don’t even recognize. All the blood that was shed let it not be in vein.<br />
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There is so much more I could say but would be typing all day.<br />
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America America God shed his grace on thee I was in Sociology class.
I…tag:wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com,2009-03-30:3029713:Comment:21442009-03-30T17:21:12.059ZTheresa Swansonhttp://wesurroundthemcentrecounty.ning.com/profile/TheresaSwanson
I was in Sociology class.<br />
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I remember a woman in the class received a phone call and rushed out, we all assumed there was an emergency at home with her children. Little did we know that it was 1000 times worse than any of us could ever imagine at that time. Her husband worked in the Towers! I never did find out what happened to him, she never returned to class.<br />
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After class I went back home and back to bed, still totally oblivious as to what was happening.<br />
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At about 10 am I received a call from…
I was in Sociology class.<br />
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I remember a woman in the class received a phone call and rushed out, we all assumed there was an emergency at home with her children. Little did we know that it was 1000 times worse than any of us could ever imagine at that time. Her husband worked in the Towers! I never did find out what happened to him, she never returned to class.<br />
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After class I went back home and back to bed, still totally oblivious as to what was happening.<br />
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At about 10 am I received a call from my Dad telling me to call my sister IMMEDIATELY! He said there was something wrong with her fiance and she was frantic. I of course placed a call to my sister and can only describe the noise on the other end of the phone as absolute hysterics. Adam had been working inside the Pentagon that morning when the plane struck and she did not know if he was alright.<br />
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I still was unsure what exactly was occurring and decided to turn the news on. I was in shock to learn what had happened. I spent the rest of the day engrossed in the news.<br />
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It was not until about 9PM that we learned that my sister's fiance was alright. He was on the direct opposite side of the building when the plane struck. Due to security purposes no one was allowed to make a call for quite some time. My sister, who was home at that point, collapsed into my mothers arms with such relief when she received the news.<br />
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I remember being quite fearful in the days that followed 9/11. I was in college at the time, a history major, and was able to draw on what I knew of history in speculating what may or may not occur. I was anticipating a declaration of war from President Bush, it never came. I was fearful of more attacks, attacks that may land closer to home. I discovered friends whose parents worked in the towers and lost their lives. (***I grew up in NJ, about 75 minutes from NYC***)<br />
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9/11 changed the world.