Remembering September 11

Memorial Marker

The president has been shot. He’s been rushed to the hospital. Some of us think of JFK and where we were at that moment in time, some like me think more of Reagan. We remember what things smelled like, exactly what was around us, where we were, and what we did afterwords until the day the good Lord takes us home.

Coffee, and a drive to work. The routine of waking the kids for school, and a football game. Thoughts of an upcoming harvest. To many of us, September the 11th was just another day, like every other day. It’s a Tuesday morning, were catching the stride of the week after forcing our way past Monday. We were rushing towards classes, many of us were already at work at 7:45 central time when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

Life continued for the rest of us, some still sleeping from working overnight shifts, as others started to hear vague reports of a small plane that accidentally crashed into the Trade Center. Our world was still normal for most people. We were safe, this is America and we have nothing to fear. But unknown to all of us, just 1 minute after the plane had crashed into that tower, NORAD scrambled jets from Otis Air National Guard Base.

The cable news channels started streaming live pictures of the damage to the North Tower of the World Trade Center. People are uncertain as to what has happened, and itself a tragic event. So while people are catching up on this news, at 8:03 local time people around the world witness a most shocking event of seeing a full size airliner, Flight 175, slam itself into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. At that moment, people stood frozen in time. That moment has happened again. You remember everything in exact detail. You can see in your minds eye that plane crashing into that building over and over again, but yet can’t believe what you have just seen. Then you realize, America is no longer the same, we are not safe, you are not safe, and you are not sure what is happening.

At 8:24 NORAD is suspecting that Flight 77 is a hijack, and one minute later the FAA shuts down all airports across the nation, no commercial flights or civilian flights at all. By 8:31 President Bush makes a brief statement from the elementary school he has been visiting that morning to tell the American People something that is already painfully evident, that we are the target of an apparent terrorist attack.

The pain continues when at 8:40 local time, we find out the Pentagon has been struck. Flight 77 plowed into the heart of our military might. The FAA now orders all flights to land at the nearest airport, while they evacuate the White House and the US Capitol. Fighter jets are seen and heard patrolling the skies over Washington DC for the first time, performing Combat Air Patrols.

Back in New York, at 1 minute to 9 am, the South Tower collapses. America stands even more shocked at this sight. Cries are heard around the nation for those suffering this tragic event, and also for ourselves as we understand more and more how much our lives will change. By 9:10 central time, sections of the Pentagon collapse, and all the while we hear of yet another hijack plane. People see planes over Washington, reports that the Sears Tower had been hit, and the rumors grow. But at 9:28 our time, the North Tower of the World Trade Center falls in on itself. People stand stunned, not only in New York but around America.

We all learn of a plane crash in Pennsylvania,  United Flight 93. It would be some time before we learned of those new American heros that jumped into action to save their fellow Americans. This is the first battle of the war on terror. With decisive action and that confidence of “Let’s Roll”, they made their stand.

The Nation stands silent. Our president is airborne, those in power are moved to “secured locations”. Uncertainty fills the air and the minds of everyone. Then those self preservation moves that people do, start to kick in. Have to have groceries, gotta fill the tank on all the cars. Oh, do I have enough rounds to defend my family, or as many others did, buy their first firearm. Cries to God for the pain and sorrow went up. America wept.

By 3:36 central time, President Bush along with his fighter escort were the only planes to be seen in the sky as they passed over the area making the fastest time possible to Washington. And for me personally, for what ever reason as I was sitting outside in the yard that afternoon, it came to my attention that I had never seen the blue sky without the traces of aircraft contrails, and how quiet it was, as one doesn’t realize the noise even the most faint jetliner makes miles and miles away, and the silence carried two meanings for me that day, the other being as though the Nation collectively had it’s head bowed in prayer and silence.

When 7:30 central come along, and the President makes his famous speech, our horror has started to turn. The nation as a whole was taking it’s deep breath, building itself for the fight to come. We were still rattled, had been knocked down, but we were standing up proud and we were preparing for all that was to come. We were united.

I would like to share some of our Facebook users memories of that day as well. Please consider joining us on Facebook for any discussions, your thoughts about that day or how you believe life is or is not different now.

Melissa R Van Donselaar
I was on my way to class at Wm Penn (Ed. Psych) and heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into one of the towers. I said to myself–“duh, how could they not see the tower!” thinking it was a small private plane. When I got to class th…e TV was on and I realized what was happening. All we could do was sit in complete disbelief and watch. Watching TV for days/weeks of the stories and details became just too overwhelming emotionally. It was a moment in history when the people in America united–flags flown proudly everywhere. There was just a true sense of unity. All that seems forgotten now. But the people that lost their lives that day and those fighting to protect us from it ever happening again, will never be forgotten.

Tania Fallis Whitlow
I was working and heard about it on the news at work. I had been married only for 3 days when this happened and 8 months pregnant with my 1st child. We didn’t do a honeymoon with me being pregnant at that time. Our 3 day happiness instantly… turned into mourning for all the families involved, firefighters, police, hospital workers, the children left behind and so many more. With the same thing that Melissa says above, all we did was watch the news for weeks on end and even though we were suppose to be happy with just being married, it was really hard to do when we just wanted to cry everytime we turned the TV on, then our daughter was born and that kinda took our attention somewhat off the TV for awhile. Not that I will ever forget, but I will always associate my marriage and the birth of my daughter to this day and be thankful I still have both. To all those that lost their lives and still fighting to protect us, the families, friends and the heros of that day that saved so many by going in without thinking and bringing others out, you will always be in my heart and never forgotten.

Renee Roorda-Hamburg
I was working @ Osky Gas & Oil, when KBOE broke in with the news. I listened for a few minutes, then turned on the tv. Watched in disbelief. It was like a bad dream seeing the towers fall. Business that day was very slow until around 2pm…. The rumors had started that there was going to be a major gas shortage. We did know that the gas line was shut down in DM & our driver was stuck in line. Then, the phones started–farmers wanted more fuel.. we started taking names & numbers & within 30 minutes, both lines were ringing non stop. Around 3 or so, is when it all broke loose @ the pumps… I swear every customer we had came in to fill up…& alot more ppl we’d never seen before! Around 4-ish, I remember looking out the window & seeing the lines for Kum & Go also..they were lined up clear up to Cunningham’s!
Our owner, finally talked to a couple of our regular ppl, who were in with their trucks & trailers & had them block the drive ways. At that time, we didn’t know if we were going to have fuel for the next few days, either. FINALLY around 6 or so, my husband called..I was so relieved! He’d been in OK that day & really had no idea of the total destruction, until I told him what I’d seen on tv. To this day, even seeing the pics from that day, it still don’t seem real. A sad day for America to be attacked like this, & knowing we as a country will never be the same.

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