Black smoke engulfed the south tower of the World Trade Center. The image portrayed sorrow and confusion across thirty one year old David Golod face and he didn’t know how to react to what he was seeing. It wasn’t until fifteen minutes later when the second plane hit the north tower that David, as well as most of the world began to realize that the U.S. was under attack. Dr. Golod was at his office in Kennesaw, Georgia at 8:45 a.m. the morning of September eleventh, when a jet plane hit the first tower. Though he was not affected directly he watched as the country changed in a blink of the eye. Dr. Golod first found out about it when he logged on to cnn.com, a very common thing for golod to do to start his day. “I was the only one in my office to get Internet because practically everyone in America was on at the time. We all crowded around my desk and watched as the second plane hit. At that moment everyone watched as an accidental plane crash turned into an act of terror.” Dr. Golod was not affected directly by the attacks and did not loose anyone in the act of terror however felt that “everyone felt as if they lost someone that day.” He felt that “the whole country felt empathy for those directly affected. It could have been anyone they could have chosen to kill.” Golod was working at Solvay pharmaceuticals, and noticed some difference in his own company as well as the world around him. He was no longer aloud to go on abroad trips in airlines that are distinct to the United States in fear of attack. He also noticed much stricter security as well as fears of flying beginning to occur. He also said everything safety related was taken more seriously. When visiting New York Dr. Golod noticed, “There were missing persons signs scattered across the city. Unfortunately unlike an earthquake where there are survivors, there were none. No survivors, no happy stories, nothing.” Dr. Golod was in disbelief and still continues to be in shock of the events that occurred on September 11th. He doesn’t understand how someone could hate America so much to do something this horrific. He is mortified that innocent people were attacked and hopes that this event will never come close to repeating itself. “Twelve years later we have acts of terror such as the Boston bombing and the Sandy Hook shooting. Although those are severely smaller then nine eleven we as a nation, continent, world need to find an end to terror. Before something this horrible indescribable event repeats itself.
When the people of America woke up on September 11, 2001, they looked outside and saw the bright sun shining, birds chirping and the beginning of what they thought would be a beautiful fall day. Little did they know that this would be one of the darkest days in American history.
On this very sad day, 19 members of a radical Muslim terrorist group called Al Qaeda hijacked four planes and attempted to fly them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and another location in Washington, D.C. When these tragic events were going on, Frank Santo was at the Citizens Bank in Dedham, MA getting the money for the addition to his house.
“My first thought, and this was probably very selfish of me, was that no one was going to come out to eat at the restaurant I owned that night,”said Santo. As it turned out, the restaurant was actually much busier that night. People wanted to get out of their houses and be around other people, since it was not save to travel into Boston.
“The events of 9/11 were very scary because no one knew what would happen next, if there would be more attacks on our country. When they shut down the airports I think we all started to realize the seriousness of the situation,”he said. It made him realize that there are lots of bad people out there who do not particularly like America and want to hurt us.
“I understand how some people would be afraid to fly after the events of September 11th. However airport security has increased dramatically since 9/11 and overall I think air travel is much safer than it was 12 years ago,”said Santo.
A Snapshot of Everyday Life- Remembering 9/11 By Olivia Gieger
It was a perfectly normal day. The sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the sky and Americans everywhere were enjoying the day just like any other. However, this was the last day September 11 would be just another day.
Most Americans could easily recall exactly what they were doing when two planes crashed into the twin towers. Michael Gieger, originally from New York, was living in South Texas at the time, working as a neurosurgeon. He recalls being in the operating room listening to an old radio with poor connection when the broadcast was interrupted when he first found out that a plane had crashed into one of the two twin towers.
Dr. Gieger said, “Of course when something like this happens, the first thing people think of is ‘Why?’” He said he believed it was an accident at first, but as the day went on and the second plane crashed Gieger said, “[He] knew someone was up to something, but terrorism was so far out of the question, it was hardly suspected at first.”
Adding on to his ideas, Dr. Gieger’s wife, Lisa, brings up an interesting point, saying “The part about 9/11 that I find so intriguing is that it captures a snapshot of everyday life” Lisa claims she can remember that day so clearly, as can many others old enough to acknowledge the significance at that time.
To conclude the interview Dr. Gieger, despite being miles away on the day of the attacks said he “felt so much empathy towards the people and during that time after the attacks, it didn’t matter if you lived in Courpus Christi, Texas or New York City but America as a whole was united.”
As the words of her husband’s voice sunk into Shayroz Ladhani, so many thoughts billowed inside her head. The thought that someone would attack the country they called home, the country that provided opportunity. This resonated a shock that would stick forever. On September 11, 2001, two planes crashed into the twin tower world trade centers, but that is no where near Shayroz Ladhani, mother of three, spent her day. To her life in suburban Philadelphia, she started her daily routine, unaware of the events that would transpire. “It was just like any other day. I woke up, sent my kids to school and my husband went to work,” Ladhani said. She adds, “No one expects these tragedies to happen. I mean you can’t just wake up and anticipate these things.” Due to her nonchalant attitude about just another day, Mrs. Ladhani went to Macy’s. While checking out she claims that she overheard some people talking about, “ a plane that had crashed into one of the twin towers, but naturally I just thought it was a small plane causing little damage,” she said. Only after speaking over the phone with her husband, did Ladhani learn the truth. “It’s not like I had access the Internet. This was 2001, there were no news alerts on my phone and I was out the whole day,” Ladhani said. “I did what any mom would do, I picked my kids up from school, made sure they were occupied elsewhere, turned on the TV and watched the story unfold before my eyes,” Ladhani said. Mrs. Ladhani claims she only had two purposes for that day, “learning the truth and protecting her kids.” Shayroz Ladhani truly remembers that day, as the one she hoped would never happen. 9/11 was so unexpected and surreal, that it took time for the events of the day to digest into the nation. Mrs. Ladhani said that while watching the news, “all [she] felt was sad, scared, and just shocked”.
David Clapham drove to work on September 11th, 2001 thinking about all the work he had to do. He thought it was just going to be an ordinary day.
David Clapham was working at Children’s hospital the day of the attack. He was sitting his office around 9:15 when a colleague told him that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. He was shocked when he heard the news.
“ Everything was so chaotic, I didn’t have any idea what was going on,” Clapham said. “I had a little television is my office that I immediately turned on, my coworkers all gathering around.”
Clapham was unsure of how it happened. “I was not sure if the plane (the first plane) crashed purposely, it could have been an accident,” Clapham said. “But after the second plane hit, I knew that it was no accident.”
Clapham was astounded to see the towers fall down on TV. “I never thought the towers would fall, a while back a small plane hit the Empire state building in bad weather conditions, but it didn’t fall. That thought just never occurred to me, ” Clapham said. He was very shaken up.
“ I was shattered. I had many friends living in New York City at that time, and I was concerned for their safety,“ Clapham said.
“I also kept thinking ‘how could we have let this happen’. It seemed like such an easy event to stop.”
A Beautiful Day Turning into a Tragedy By: Ethan Chiu It was a clear bright day with no clouds in view. In New York City, workers at the World Trade Center were just beginning their work for the day. Frannie Chiu was working in Massachusetts doing physical therapy for her clients on September 11, 2001 for the whole day during the catastrophic events in New York City. “I just heard a couple screams in the physical therapy gym and I looked over and saw what happened…” Chiu was working her shift early in the morning. The TV was on as usual and all the patients were on time for their therapy. Chiu soon realized a couple minutes after 8:45 am, that a plane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. “All my coworkers and clients were astonished,” Chiu said, “but most of them shrugged it off and hoped that no one was hurt.” Chiu believed that the plane crashing was just an accident. It was horrifying and gut wrenching for her. She just continued to work for the next 5 minutes. “ After a few minutes after the first crash, I heard one of my patients tell me to look at the TV,” said Chiu. She could sense that there must be something very bad happening in New York. On 9:03 am there was another plane that crashed but into the south tower of the World Trade Center. “After the second plane hit,” said Chiu, “I knew that this was not an accident, but an act of terror.” Instead of continuing to work, she stopped and stood astonished. Everyone in the room was shocked physically and emotionally. She could not piece together how two planes could hit each tower in the World Trade Center. “When the first plane crashed, everyone was confused and shocked,” said Chiu. “After the second plane crashed there were many emotions like feeling unsafe, scared, and horrified. People soon realized that this was not an accident, but a planned attack.”
An opaque black stream of smoke drifted from the twin towers, obscuring the otherwise perfectly clear blue sky. Suddenly, without warning, the building collapsed, crumbling into a heap of carnage. Although more than a decade has passed since the horrific 9/11 incident, this tragedy still remains in the minds of all Americans.
A recent interview with Martin Chiu revealed the horror and fear experienced by viewers across the nation on September 11, 2001. Chiu was working in his EMC office as usual when the tragedy occurred. Seeing a crowd of workers surrounding a television, Chiu joined in to get a glimpse of what was going on.
“Everyone was talking really quietly and nervously, calling family members to check on their safety. Once I saw the flames in the world trade center, I immediately knew something awful had happened.” Chiu said.
Disturbed by the vivid images displayed on the television, Chiu rushed to check in on his family. He knew that they were probably safe, but he wanted to inform his wife about the unfortunate incident. While none of his close relatives and friends was impacted directly, some of his co-workers lost a loved one by 9/11.
“I’m extremely grateful that none of my family was hurt from this tragedy, but I send my best regards to those who were directly impacted by 9/11. For everyone, this event was saddening and devastating.” Chiu said.
Circumstances worsened dramatically after the second plane crashed into the twin tower, Chiu recalled. “People were already freaking out and running about, but after the second plane hit, the whole workplace descended into complete chaos.” Chiu said.
“This was the point where there was no doubt that this was an act of terrorism, not a simple plane accident. There was no way that these two plane crashes could have been a coincidence. I knew I was witnessing history.” Chiu said.
Maria Ashbrook remembers the first day in her entire life when she couldn’t see or hear an airplane in the sky.
That day was September 11, 2001, when nineteen terrorists hijacked four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The morning of September 11th, she was at her office in Waltham, Massachusetts.
She reflects on how the morning began. “My sister called me, and told me a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. She reminded me that our brother in law had an office there, and she couldn’t get in touch with him or his wife, our other sister.”
After hearing the news, Ashbrook went across the hall into a conference room, where some of her colleagues had the news on. “I watched what I thought was a replay of the first plane hitting the building,” she said. “Looking back now, I realize that it was in fact the second plane hitting, on live TV.”
Not believing what she was seeing, her thoughts turned back to her sister and brother in law, who live in Lower Manhattan. “All the phone lines were busy,” she recounts. She was later able to ascertain that her brother in law was alive and unhurt.
“We learned that he was at a health club, and was safe,” she said. However, Ashbrook’s sister was still unaccounted for. Her family learned from her brother in law that she was on a flight to London, which had just taken off from John F. Kennedy International Airport. “It turns out, she had taken off just minutes before the attack.”
Upon arrival at London Heathrow Airport, Ashbrook’s sister learned of the attacks. The local police came on the plane and informed all the American citizens. “For hours, she had no idea if her husband was alive or dead.” She was relieved to find out he was okay when she got to her hotel, where he had left her a message for her.
As it turned out, all her relatives were unhurt, but she still took the attack very personally. “For many people, the World Trade Center was just some office towers in New York, but I had lived a stones throw away from them after college, and my sister’s family lives there. I had a deeply personal connection.”
“I just remember looking up at the sky that night. It was a beautiful clear sky, as it had been a beautiful clear day. I could see all the stars. There wasn’t a single plane in sight.”
This question is common when speaking of the tragic destruction of the World Trade Towers. One man, Dr. Raffaele Baffa, recalls his own experiences early that morning on September 11, 2001. He was working at Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA when his wife called at about 8:50 AM to explain that an airplane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers.
“I thought a small airplane went down; that is was an accident. I didn’t think that it was serious,” said Baffa.
Baffa had heard news in the months before of other, smaller planes falling on buildings, without many horrible results. Still, he asked a post-doctoral fellow from the office if he could join him at the fellow’s house just across the street to drink coffee and watch the news.
Minutes later, Baffa watched as a plane struck the second tower on the television screen.
“At first, I thought they were taping a movie, like a joke. When I realized that it was real, I froze. My heart stopped,” said Baffa.
Years later, many remember a sense of denial surrounding the events of that day. When they could no longer pretend it was okay, something – their sense of security, maybe – shattered.
“There was a feeling of desperation. Some people couldn’t say a word; others cried. Then, there was fear because we didn’t know if any other attacks would occur.”
Communities across the U.S. and other places across the globe were in a state of confusion and grief, with many people unsure what to do. Even now, twelve years after that fateful day, people are shaken by what they witnessed and felt.
“[I will never forget] the image of the second plane hitting the tower. You can’t forget that.”
Never Forgotten
ReplyDeleteBy Celia Golod
Black smoke engulfed the south tower of the World Trade Center. The image portrayed sorrow and confusion across thirty one year old David Golod face and he didn’t know how to react to what he was seeing. It wasn’t until fifteen minutes later when the second plane hit the north tower that David, as well as most of the world began to realize that the U.S. was under attack.
Dr. Golod was at his office in Kennesaw, Georgia at 8:45 a.m. the morning of September eleventh, when a jet plane hit the first tower. Though he was not affected directly he watched as the country changed in a blink of the eye.
Dr. Golod first found out about it when he logged on to cnn.com, a very common thing for golod to do to start his day. “I was the only one in my office to get Internet because practically everyone in America was on at the time. We all crowded around my desk and watched as the second plane hit. At that moment everyone watched as an accidental plane crash turned into an act of terror.”
Dr. Golod was not affected directly by the attacks and did not loose anyone in the act of terror however felt that “everyone felt as if they lost someone that day.” He felt that “the whole country felt empathy for those directly affected. It could have been anyone they could have chosen to kill.”
Golod was working at Solvay pharmaceuticals, and noticed some difference in his own company as well as the world around him. He was no longer aloud to go on abroad trips in airlines that are distinct to the United States in fear of attack. He also noticed much stricter security as well as fears of flying beginning to occur. He also said everything safety related was taken more seriously.
When visiting New York Dr. Golod noticed, “There were missing persons signs scattered across the city. Unfortunately unlike an earthquake where there are survivors, there were none. No survivors, no happy stories, nothing.”
Dr. Golod was in disbelief and still continues to be in shock of the events that occurred on September 11th. He doesn’t understand how someone could hate America so much to do something this horrific. He is mortified that innocent people were attacked and hopes that this event will never come close to repeating itself.
“Twelve years later we have acts of terror such as the Boston bombing and the Sandy Hook shooting. Although those are severely smaller then nine eleven we as a nation, continent, world need to find an end to terror. Before something this horrible indescribable event repeats itself.
***The image portrayed sorrow and confusion across thirty-one year old David Golod's face***
Delete****Dr. Golod was at his office in Kennesaw, Georgia at 8:45 the morning of September eleventh, when a jet plane hit the first tower.***
Peter Santo
DeleteNo One Will Come
When the people of America woke up on September 11, 2001, they looked outside and saw the bright sun shining, birds chirping and the beginning of what they thought would be a beautiful fall day. Little did they know that this would be one of the darkest days in American history.
On this very sad day, 19 members of a radical Muslim terrorist group called Al Qaeda hijacked four planes and attempted to fly them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and another location in Washington, D.C. When these tragic events were going on, Frank Santo was at the Citizens Bank in Dedham, MA getting the money for the addition to his house.
“My first thought, and this was probably very selfish of me, was that no one was going to come out to eat at the restaurant I owned that night,”said Santo. As it turned out, the restaurant was actually much busier that night. People wanted to get out of their houses and be around other people, since it was not save to travel into Boston.
“The events of 9/11 were very scary because no one knew what would happen next, if there would be more attacks on our country. When they shut down the airports I think we all started to realize the seriousness of the situation,”he said. It made him realize that there are lots of bad people out there who do not particularly like America and want to hurt us.
“I understand how some people would be afraid to fly after the events of September 11th. However airport security has increased dramatically since 9/11 and overall I think air travel is much safer than it was 12 years ago,”said Santo.
A Snapshot of Everyday Life- Remembering 9/11
ReplyDeleteBy Olivia Gieger
It was a perfectly normal day. The sun was shining, there was not a cloud in the sky and Americans everywhere were enjoying the day just like any other. However, this was the last day September 11 would be just another day.
Most Americans could easily recall exactly what they were doing when two planes crashed into the twin towers. Michael Gieger, originally from New York, was living in South Texas at the time, working as a neurosurgeon. He recalls being in the operating room listening to an old radio with poor connection when the broadcast was interrupted when he first found out that a plane had crashed into one of the two twin towers.
Dr. Gieger said, “Of course when something like this happens, the first thing people think of is ‘Why?’” He said he believed it was an accident at first, but as the day went on and the second plane crashed Gieger said, “[He] knew someone was up to something, but terrorism was so far out of the question, it was hardly suspected at first.”
Adding on to his ideas, Dr. Gieger’s wife, Lisa, brings up an interesting point, saying “The part about 9/11 that I find so intriguing is that it captures a snapshot of everyday life” Lisa claims she can remember that day so clearly, as can many others old enough to acknowledge the significance at that time.
To conclude the interview Dr. Gieger, despite being miles away on the day of the attacks said he “felt so much empathy towards the people and during that time after the attacks, it didn’t matter if you lived in Courpus Christi, Texas or New York City but America as a whole was united.”
The Everyman’s 9/11 Experience
ReplyDeleteBy Natasha Ladhani
As the words of her husband’s voice sunk into Shayroz Ladhani, so many thoughts billowed inside her head. The thought that someone would attack the country they called home, the country that provided opportunity. This resonated a shock that would stick forever.
On September 11, 2001, two planes crashed into the twin tower world trade centers, but that is no where near Shayroz Ladhani, mother of three, spent her day. To her life in suburban Philadelphia, she started her daily routine, unaware of the events that would transpire.
“It was just like any other day. I woke up, sent my kids to school and my husband went to work,” Ladhani said. She adds, “No one expects these tragedies to happen. I mean you can’t just wake up and anticipate these things.”
Due to her nonchalant attitude about just another day, Mrs. Ladhani went to Macy’s. While checking out she claims that she overheard some people talking about, “ a plane that had crashed into one of the twin towers, but naturally I just thought it was a small plane causing little damage,” she said. Only after speaking over the phone with her husband, did Ladhani learn the truth.
“It’s not like I had access the Internet. This was 2001, there were no news alerts on my phone and I was out the whole day,” Ladhani said.
“I did what any mom would do, I picked my kids up from school, made sure they were occupied elsewhere, turned on the TV and watched the story unfold before my eyes,” Ladhani said. Mrs. Ladhani claims she only had two purposes for that day, “learning the truth and protecting her kids.”
Shayroz Ladhani truly remembers that day, as the one she hoped would never happen. 9/11 was so unexpected and surreal, that it took time for the events of the day to digest into the nation. Mrs. Ladhani said that while watching the news, “all [she] felt was sad, scared, and just shocked”.
Boston During 9/11
ReplyDeleteBy, Julia Clapham
David Clapham drove to work on September 11th, 2001 thinking about all the work he had to do. He thought it was just going to be an ordinary day.
David Clapham was working at Children’s hospital the day of the attack. He was sitting his office around 9:15 when a colleague told him that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. He was shocked when he heard the news.
“ Everything was so chaotic, I didn’t have any idea what was going on,” Clapham said. “I had a little television is my office that I immediately turned on, my coworkers all gathering around.”
Clapham was unsure of how it happened. “I was not sure if the plane (the first plane) crashed purposely, it could have been an accident,” Clapham said. “But after the second plane hit, I knew that it was no accident.”
Clapham was astounded to see the towers fall down on TV. “I never thought the towers would fall, a while back a small plane hit the Empire state building in bad weather conditions, but it didn’t fall. That thought just never occurred to me, ” Clapham said. He was very shaken up.
“ I was shattered. I had many friends living in New York City at that time, and I was concerned for their safety,“ Clapham said.
“I also kept thinking ‘how could we have let this happen’. It seemed like such an easy event to stop.”
A Beautiful Day Turning into a Tragedy By: Ethan Chiu
ReplyDeleteIt was a clear bright day with no clouds in view. In New York City, workers at the World Trade Center were just beginning their work for the day.
Frannie Chiu was working in Massachusetts doing physical therapy for her clients on September 11, 2001 for the whole day during the catastrophic events in New York City.
“I just heard a couple screams in the physical therapy gym and I looked over and saw what happened…”
Chiu was working her shift early in the morning. The TV was on as usual and all the patients were on time for their therapy. Chiu soon realized a couple minutes after 8:45 am, that a plane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
“All my coworkers and clients were astonished,” Chiu said, “but most of them shrugged it off and hoped that no one was hurt.”
Chiu believed that the plane crashing was just an accident. It was horrifying and gut wrenching for her. She just continued to work for the next 5 minutes.
“ After a few minutes after the first crash, I heard one of my patients tell me to look at the TV,” said Chiu.
She could sense that there must be something very bad happening in New York. On 9:03 am there was another plane that crashed but into the south tower of the World Trade Center.
“After the second plane hit,” said Chiu, “I knew that this was not an accident, but an act of terror.”
Instead of continuing to work, she stopped and stood astonished. Everyone in the room was shocked physically and emotionally. She could not piece together how two planes could hit each tower in the World Trade Center.
“When the first plane crashed, everyone was confused and shocked,” said Chiu. “After the second plane crashed there were many emotions like feeling unsafe, scared, and horrified. People soon realized that this was not an accident, but a planned attack.”
The 9/11 experience of Martin Chiu Nathan Chiu
ReplyDeleteAn opaque black stream of smoke drifted from the twin towers, obscuring the otherwise perfectly clear blue sky. Suddenly, without warning, the building collapsed, crumbling into a heap of carnage. Although more than a decade has passed since the horrific 9/11 incident, this tragedy still remains in the minds of all Americans.
A recent interview with Martin Chiu revealed the horror and fear experienced by viewers across the nation on September 11, 2001. Chiu was working in his EMC office as usual when the tragedy occurred. Seeing a crowd of workers surrounding a television, Chiu joined in to get a glimpse of what was going on.
“Everyone was talking really quietly and nervously, calling family members to check on their safety. Once I saw the flames in the world trade center, I immediately knew something awful had happened.” Chiu said.
Disturbed by the vivid images displayed on the television, Chiu rushed to check in on his family. He knew that they were probably safe, but he wanted to inform his wife about the unfortunate incident. While none of his close relatives and friends was impacted directly, some of his co-workers lost a loved one by 9/11.
“I’m extremely grateful that none of my family was hurt from this tragedy, but I send my best regards to those who were directly impacted by 9/11. For everyone, this event was saddening and devastating.” Chiu said.
Circumstances worsened dramatically after the second plane crashed into the twin tower, Chiu recalled. “People were already freaking out and running about, but after the second plane hit, the whole workplace descended into complete chaos.” Chiu said.
“This was the point where there was no doubt that this was an act of terrorism, not a simple plane accident. There was no way that these two plane crashes could have been a coincidence. I knew I was witnessing history.” Chiu said.
Clear Skies
ReplyDeleteBy: Keenan Ashbrook
Maria Ashbrook remembers the first day in her entire life when she couldn’t see or hear an airplane in the sky.
That day was September 11, 2001, when nineteen terrorists hijacked four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The morning of September 11th, she was at her office in Waltham, Massachusetts.
She reflects on how the morning began. “My sister called me, and told me a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. She reminded me that our brother in law had an office there, and she couldn’t get in touch with him or his wife, our other sister.”
After hearing the news, Ashbrook went across the hall into a conference room, where some of her colleagues had the news on. “I watched what I thought was a replay of the first plane hitting the building,” she said. “Looking back now, I realize that it was in fact the second plane hitting, on live TV.”
Not believing what she was seeing, her thoughts turned back to her sister and brother in law, who live in Lower Manhattan. “All the phone lines were busy,” she recounts. She was later able to ascertain that her brother in law was alive and unhurt.
“We learned that he was at a health club, and was safe,” she said. However, Ashbrook’s sister was still unaccounted for. Her family learned from her brother in law that she was on a flight to London, which had just taken off from John F. Kennedy International Airport. “It turns out, she had taken off just minutes before the attack.”
Upon arrival at London Heathrow Airport, Ashbrook’s sister learned of the attacks. The local police came on the plane and informed all the American citizens. “For hours, she had no idea if her husband was alive or dead.” She was relieved to find out he was okay when she got to her hotel, where he had left her a message for her.
As it turned out, all her relatives were unhurt, but she still took the attack very personally. “For many people, the World Trade Center was just some office towers in New York, but I had lived a stones throw away from them after college, and my sister’s family lives there. I had a deeply personal connection.”
“I just remember looking up at the sky that night. It was a beautiful clear sky, as it had been a beautiful clear day. I could see all the stars. There wasn’t a single plane in sight.”
An Image to Never Forget
ReplyDeleteBy: Caterina Baffa
Where were you during 9/11?
This question is common when speaking of the tragic destruction of the World Trade Towers. One man, Dr. Raffaele Baffa, recalls his own experiences early that morning on September 11, 2001. He was working at Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA when his wife called at about 8:50 AM to explain that an airplane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers.
“I thought a small airplane went down; that is was an accident. I didn’t think that it was serious,” said Baffa.
Baffa had heard news in the months before of other, smaller planes falling on buildings, without many horrible results. Still, he asked a post-doctoral fellow from the office if he could join him at the fellow’s house just across the street to drink coffee and watch the news.
Minutes later, Baffa watched as a plane struck the second tower on the television screen.
“At first, I thought they were taping a movie, like a joke. When I realized that it was real, I froze. My heart stopped,” said Baffa.
Years later, many remember a sense of denial surrounding the events of that day. When they could no longer pretend it was okay, something – their sense of security, maybe – shattered.
“There was a feeling of desperation. Some people couldn’t say a word; others cried. Then, there was fear because we didn’t know if any other attacks would occur.”
Communities across the U.S. and other places across the globe were in a state of confusion and grief, with many people unsure what to do. Even now, twelve years after that fateful day, people are shaken by what they witnessed and felt.
“[I will never forget] the image of the second plane hitting the tower. You can’t forget that.”