Fourteen years ago today 2,977 innocent people lost their lives when 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The world watched in stunned disbelief as the attacks unfolded live on TV: Exploding planes, burning buildings, people jumping to their deaths…the Twin Towers falling.
The initial confusion gave way to a collective sense of desperation, fear and outrage. It was the single deadliest day for firefighters and law enforcement officers in our nation’s history; 343 firefighters and 72 officers died.
Terror won that day…
for a moment.
But courage rose from the carnage.
Soon, the media was flush with stories of how passengers fought the terrorists aboard Flight 93, how First Responders spent their final moments selflessly rescuing others, how co-workers, friends and strangers risked everything to help one another.
On September 11, 2001 America came under attack. The nation mourned but stood united.
It’s a day we will never forget. Here’s how some Now Habersham readers remember it:
Carol Hasty This is one of those dates, like where were you when President Kennedy was killed, or when the space shuttle blew up, or MLK was killed you will never forget these terrible moments. They live with you forever.
Kathy Oftedal I was housecleaning at Debra’s. I turned on the Fox News Channel. They had just announced the first plane went into one of the twin towers. As I was watching this horrific event I saw the second tower being hit. So shocking. When the third plane went down in Pa. I called my husband. To this day, I tear up whenever I think of what happened to all those people. I pray we never are attacked like this again. Things are very precarious in the middle east. It causes me to worry .
Susan Lewis Ellis In Kauai on a working/vacation. My husband’s phone started ringing at 3a.m. and we ignored it until he finally answered it around 5a.m. (11a.m.EST). Someone in his office said, “Turn on your TV. The world is ending.” I remember watching TV from paradise, feeling safe there, but so far away from home-so concerned about my family and many co-workers in NY. I also remember feeling guilty about being in such a relaxing, beautiful place when our country was suffering. Our hotel ran out of some basics that they usually brought in by ferry. The airport in Kauai opened up just one day past the day when the transportation ban was lifted. We flew home to reality, changed forever.
Tim Miller I was taking a friend to get his tire fixed and was in my truck when he first plane hit. Thought it was a radio skit. We were turning back into work when the 2nd hit. We all sat and listened dumbfounded at the radio until we had put off work long enough.
Nora Cordell Almazan I was cleaning stalls with my daughter Hart who was at the time around 5 years old. We were going to ride my horse Hope and Stephanie Provine was with us. We ran up to our house to watch the news and the reality slowly sunk in. I remember going to the grocery store and people walked around the aisles like Zombies. My son Bo asked me, “Mom, everything is going to be good, right?” I told him, I knew God was with us, we just had to trust Him. It is a day I will never forget.
Lynn McCollum I was mowing the 16th green at Skitt Mountain golf course. I was listening to my headphones with a local radio station on. By the time I finished up, washed the mower up and went to the clubhouse to watch it on TV, the 2nd plane had just made contact.
