254 20 70359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: Cuando ocurrieron los atentados estaba en el trabajo, en un principio cre? que era solo un accidente, pero luego, cuando empec? a ver y leer las noticias por internet me d? cuenta que era un espantonso atentado, realmente no lo pod?a creer; todav?a casi despu?s de un a?o, mi mente no logra entender como puede haber gente con semejante maldad, gente con tanto odio. Quiz? mucho no pueda agregar ya que solo saben el sufrimiento que genera perder un ser querido aquellos que lo padecen, ya sea un familiar,amigo, compa?ero,etc ,pero,si s? que la justicia divina ser? la encargada de juzgar a estos asesinos. Me despido con un fuerte abrazo para todos aquellos que les ha tocado vivir esos momentos terribles y espero que estas pocas l?neas sirvan para unos que quiz? desde muy lejos mi coraz?n est? con ellos, y para otros que no van a triunfar con la maldad, el odio y la injusticia. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story1680.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-03 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 200.49.159.36 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I remember watching cartoons with my children when my husband called on the phone. I remember him telling me to turn on the news, that the twin towers were just hit by planes. I couldn't believe my ears. I turned the television on and cried. Seeing the buildings fall, knowing how many people could have been trapped in their and the innocent people on the planes. I remeber feeling relief that all my family was safe. We had just returned from Ohio a few days before from a family reunion. I remember feeling guilty for everyone I knew being safe. I remember the anger I felt towards the terrorists that did this. I also remember thinking how could anyone have this much hatred towards people they didn't know anything about. I cry every once in a while thinking about everyone that lost their lives that day. I pray for all the families. I feel bad for all the children that lost their parents, knowing how hard it is losing my mother at the age of 7 myself. I try to explain to my children that their is just some evil in the world today and we need to just put our trust in God. I just pray that someday there will be peace in the world. I love America. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5984.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.12.96.8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I was at work when I heard the news all we did at work that day was watch the TV and it left me and a lot of my Co-Workers in shock. LeaAnn Johnson Austin, Texas Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5847.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.27.20.77 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: It is a day that I will never forget. I remember standing in the day room in the Liebowitz unit of Cedars Nursing Home. I was assisting residents with their breakfast. The Today show was on. Just as I looked up to the t.v. I saw the first plane going into the building. I was stunned, I was unsure of what I had seen. As we all stood transfixed by what was going on suddenly the second plane flew into the second building. This is when we realized that our nation had been attacked. My first thought was of my three kids at home alone, and how frightened they must be, and then it dawned on me that my husband and dad were in danger. They work at a naval ship building facility. We were scared that more attacks would be coming, I was terrified that they may hit the shipyard. The yard was closed within the hour. It was a day that I will never forget, and the terrorists who did this thing now have to stand before God and justify that they did this for him and of course the virgins. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story4043.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.38 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: My mom woke me up for school just as the first tower collapsed. At first I thought to myself that this has to be a dream, but in fact it was a real life nightmare. As the day went by, no one could stay on track of what they were doing. As time went by and I saw the American people pull together like I have never seen before. Lines around the block of people wanting to help by donating blood or giving contributions. The streets turned into streams of red, white, and bluewith all the flags. Now a year later as I look back on that day I realized that the American people are all somewhat like the mystical bird that my city is named after, the Phoenix. We have risen from the ashes of Ground Zero and showed the world that no one can bring us to our knees. The American people now more than ever are a force to be reckoned with and I hope that the rest of the world will realize that messing with us isn't such a good idea so this will all end. So, in this day of rememberance, we should all be proud to live in the greatest country in the world, I know I am. God Bless! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5995.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 65.59.7.182 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: As a Naval officer with 17 years of service, I feel I have been lucky in my career ?one the luckiest days of my life being Sept. 11, 2001. Like many people, that day changed my life. But my life changed for the better because I have more to be thankful for this year than in my entire career, as well as my entire life. I'm thankful for my job and my good fortune. For my wonderful family and friends. Mostly, though, I'm thankful I made it to my 36th birthday -- which was Sept. 18, exactly one week after I walked away without a scratch from my desk in the Pentagon the day the plane crashed into it. That plane stopped just 20 feet from my office. I was 20 feet away from being a terrorist casualty. That day started as pretty much all days at my former command, the headquarters office for the Chief of Naval Information. It was my first day back at work after having completed a week of packing and getting my house for sale in preparation for my move to my next duty station in Naples, Italy. We watched as the initial reports came in about the first Trade Tower being hit. Then we watched as all nine televisions in our office broadcasted the second plane crash as it happened. At first we were all dumbstruck. We then started to air our opinions about what could have been the cause and how awful it was. After watching for a few more minutes, I walked back to my desk thinking how it would be a slow news day for the Navy. I had picked up the newspaper ? the Sept. 11th edition of the Washington Post ? to read about the events of the world, but I had put it down to check my email when we felt the building suddenly jolt and heard the muffled, sickening thud of the impact. People looked around startled as someone yelled, ?What the hell was that?!?? I immediately turned around from my desk to look out the window and saw concrete flying along with dust and smoke billowing everywhere. Someone yelled back, ?I don?t know, but I?m getting outta here!? The fire alarms started to sound as we began to evacuate the office. Since we had moved to the new section of the building six months before, we had participated in a few evacuation drills. People seemed to treat it like that, moving toward the center courtyard outside at a quick, orderly pace with the type of chatter heard from people filing out of a movie theater after a show. Before leaving my desk, I had the presence of mind to gather my coat, hat, PDA, important papers and my purse. Later, I was so very thankful I did that. Some people went home that day without keys, wallets and many other important items. I saw an office co-worker on the stairs as we left. She truly was pale. I asked if she was OK. Her stammering, stumbling words tumbled out of her mouth. She was shaking with shock. As she spoke on the phone with her husband, she'd seen the plane coming straight at us. I tried to calm her down as we got outside to the courtyard, not even stopping to consider we?d just walked away from a terrorist attack. I still had no idea how close it had been to my office. Upon reaching the outdoor courtyard, I immediately reached for my cell phone, like every other person evacuating the Pentagon that day -- workers like me. But also admirals and generals, service secretaries, contractors, vendors, visitors on tour, and people applying for jobs. Most walked out or were carried out. Some were trapped until the crews could dig out their remains. Some of those people I knew. There was a lot of confusion. Offices tried to account for people, but no one knew exactly where to go. We wandered around the inner courtyard of the Pentagon looking for co-workers as the black mass of smoke expanded up and out. I knew what had happened, but I didn?t know how bad it was. Someone ran group-to-group asking for people with CPR qualifications and medical training. I didn?t think, I simply handed my purse and briefcase to a co-worker and went to help. As those of us who volunteered to help with the triage tried to do what we could, everyone else was told to leave as quickly as possible. Evacuating the building never crossed my mind ? I couldn?t have walked away. I started off trying to calm people who were injured and in shock. People were walking around in a fog of incomprehension. Some were missing shoes; some had debris in their hair. Some wore ripped pantyhose or shredded uniforms. Some were bleeding. Some were in need of immediate medical attention or they?d probably die. Many people had trouble breathing. They needed to clear the debris out of their throats, so we took water from the courtyard restaurant, which everyone had always called ?Ground Zero.? Other people tried to help dress burn injuries or simply keep the injured calm. It was comforting to see a few people I knew working by my side, but many other people I saw helping that day were faces I knew only in passing while walking down the Pentagon corridors day after day. Rank didn?t matter. We all worked together to get done whatever needed to be done. When we finished one task, we ran around until we could find something else useful to do. We ran through the empty building corridors grabbing every fire extinguisher we could find. The extinguishers were being emptied as fast as we could get them to the fire. But it wasn?t enough to do any good. We were desperate to help in any way we could. Those of us were there because, like all the others responding to the call, we had to do something. Anything. It somehow helped us cope with what we were going through. Then came the word there was another plane inbound, they didn't know what its intentions were, and to get out now. We looked around at each other. This was the most scared I have ever been in my life. We didn't know which way to go, but we knew we had to get everyone out. We used whatever we had as stretchers. We grabbed what we could, and we ran. Despite our overwhelming desire to not go back into the building, we had no choice but to go back through it -- it was the only way out. I helped carry out a woman who couldn?t walk. It took about 12 of us to carry her on large flat board with wires and nails hanging off it. I punctured my finger on a nail as we half-walked, half-ran down the corridor trying to keep our patient calm enough to get her out of the building as she sobbed with shock the entire way. The other Navy woman who helped carry the ?board litter? was in a skirt and heels, which she kicked off to keep up with us. She preferred to go barefoot rather than letting go of that board. We did make it out. We set up a second triage out on the grass along the Potomac River. Calls for oxygen, dressings, needles -- we needed so much but really didn't have enough. I tried to answer every call for help I could, but I felt hopelessly inadequate. We were told to stay under the cover of the trees ? just in case. I truly felt like I was in the middle of a war zone. We took down a list of casualties. We dug out flat rocks and branches to stick under the wheels of the emergency equipment to keep it from rolling downhill. My hair, put up neatly that morning, had come down when I?d lost my barrette. My uniform pants knees were stained with grass and dirt. I didn?t think about it. I just kept going. I tried to answer questions from scared parents and co-workers. Did such-and-such get out? Do you know where a working phone is? Where are we supposed to go? I left the triage site when someone yelled for help in getting to a hospital. I jumped in the passenger seat of a man?s car with a doctor in the back trying to save a woman barely gasping for what air she could get. We drove like maniacs in a faded silver Subaru hatchback station wagon with the tailgate bobbing up and down because the makeshift plywood stretcher was hanging out the back. I felt the full weight of one life on my shoulders. She was relying on my memory of the quickest way to the hospital in my neighborhood. The doctor was yelling, ?GO, GO!? We screamed off toward the hospital. At first the road was free of traffic because of the police roadblocks. But that didn?t keep people from standing in the middle of the road, gasping in disbelief at what they were watching. Once we passed all the roadblocks, the streets were completely crammed. Columbia Pike was like a mall parking lot during the height of the Christmas rush, but much less orderly. The driver blasted the horn as I hung half my body out the passenger window waving my arms and screaming for people to get out of the way. We made fitful progress through the traffic. The entire way the doctor kept alternating between telling the woman to hold on and demanding to know how much farther we had to go. Dodging our way in and out of snarled and oncoming traffic, we desperately fought to save one life. I realized that our success with navigating through what would normally be unremarkable D.C. gridlock would make all the difference to that one woman. I realized how precious life is -- how short it can be. How it can end so quickly, and how so many daily decisions could end up making such a monumental difference. Once we turned onto George Mason Drive, traffic had changed from the Christmas parking lot to the gridlock reserved for especially foul beltway pileups. It wasn?t moving at all. We kept honking, screaming and waving, fighting for every single foot of progress as our survivor fought for every single breath. I was so scared she?d die. I felt it would be my fault. That?s when I got out of the car and started running down the street. I screamed and banged on each car, startling each driver by the sight of such a disheveled crazy woman in a dirty uniform. Some people saw me coming and just moved. Others seemed to be sitting in their cars in a state of shock, probably listening to the news. I screamed, banged, and ran; screamed, banged, and ran until I could no longer do it. I had no strength left. The Subaru with the plywood stretcher passed me as I knelt in the grass median of the four-lane road to catch my breath and gather my will while cursing my lack of strength. After a minute or so of resting, a nurse in a small car yelled out if I wanted a ride to the hospital. I ran around her car and dove through the open passenger window. And we started fighting again. I screamed and waved and she honked our way to the hospital. On the way we passed an ambulance crew who looked to be administering oxygen to the woman from the Subaru. I remember thinking for a brief moment of hope that she might live. But there were still other pressing tasks on which to focus ? like getting this nurse to the emergency room so she could do her job. We drove like screaming maniacs until we came to a screeching halt in the hospital parking garage. The nurse ran to the emergency room while I plodded out of the garage, attempting to gather my wits. Once I got to the hospital, it hit me I had nothing else to do. I also had no phone, no money, not even an ID card. I walked over to a reporter waiting outside and asked if I could have 35 cents to call my parents to tell them I was OK. Without a word, he pulled out a handful of change. I walked on shaky legs into the emergency room. After assuring the staff I was fine, I went to a phone and called a friend?s house to leave a message. I knew cell phones weren?t working but her pager would beep when she got a message at home. Within an hour, my friends and family knew I was alive. I stayed at the hospital the rest of the day helping where I could, but I most remember others helping me. A hospital worker who spoke broken English with a heavy Hispanic accent insisted she buy me something to eat and drink. A medical salesman insisted on giving me cab fare so I could get home. They were strangers, but somehow Washington?s city attitude softened that day as people did things they?d have never thought that morning they?d do. Despite everything that happened, I still wish I?d gone back to the Pentagon that day. I wish I could have helped more. I try not to dwell on that choice. I did go back to the Pentagon once after the attack to retrieve the last of the personal items off my desk. I and four co-workers waited about an hour for our turn to be escorted into office spaces that just 10 days before had been the newest, brightest section of the Pentagon. We dutifully put on protective clothing, plastic gloves and masks. We carried flashlights and boxes, which we were instructed to not put down anywhere inside. It was dark, dirty and wet. Even through the masks, the stench was awful. The newspaper from Sept. 11 was untouched on my desk, but now with a coat of black sooty grime and mold. It seemed odd that it still sat in the same spot I left it, detailing news from what seemed a lifetime ago. After placing in my box the few items I had left on my desk, I went over to the window. I had stood at that window many times looking up at the sky and across the small driveway to ?C? ring. The last time I?d looked out that window was just after the plane had hit. Ten days after the blast I stared speechless at that ring -- "blast-proof" glass was shattered. Burn marks scorched the recently renovated walls. And a huge hole gaped in the steel-reinforced first floor wall. It was then I knew how close I'd come to dying. I transferred from Washington, D.C., Oct.1 and arrived in Naples, Italy, Oct. 8. I have many feelings about what happened that day, as well as what my life was like the 20 days until my transfer. I was amazed how the city came back to life in stages. My office went right back to work handling the endless media calls and requests for interviews. The more than 4,000 displaced Pentagon office workers found ourselves working wherever we could find a place. My office squeezed 15 people into an office in the Navy Annex usually full with just four. The staffs made up new phone listings. We all tried to do business as best we could with what we had. All the while we were acutely aware that just down the hill, past the media camps, was the building we?d worked in that now looked like a burning ax had cracked it open. And life went on. I sold my house Sept. 13, on schedule. Relief workers set up tents in the parking lot to serve food to rescue crews. People called into radio stations asking what they could do. Streams of people came to see the huge scar in the building. Memorials of flowers, candles and hand-written messages sprang up all over, especially on the hill overlooking the Pentagon. It?s interesting that the side hit was the one that faces Arlington National Cemetery, just across the road. It serves as a reminder to me that I swore to give my life in the service of my country, and I now know the full gravity of that decision I made 17 years ago. Other people who died that day didn't swear an oath. But they still paid the greatest price for our freedom. We are all defenders of each other's freedom by virtue of being an American. Many things changed for me on Sept. 11th. In some ways I?m still numb. It?s hard to believe I walked away unharmed when I was directly in the path of destruction. In a way it?s hard to no longer be there to see the new construction rising from the ashes. In my mind?s eye, the Pentagon is the same jumbled wreck it was the day I left -- the black, gaping hole in the wall still visible from my office window. But the reality is my former office is now back in the same space it occupied before the attack. It may not be business as normal, but it?s certainly business as usual. Despite everything, my desire to serve others is stronger than ever. My priorities have shifted. My definitions of many things changed -- heroes, sacrifice, courage. ... how family, friendship and love are of the utmost importance. How God became a central figure in many peoples? live following that day. I am so very thankful that I was there that day, because I made a difference to one woman whom I'll never know. I?m thankful the Navy trained me on how to handle a crisis. I am thankful for my family and friends who immediately started trying to call me and have continually supported me in the difficult days since. I'm thankful for the Pentagon building designers and renovators. I am thankful to the people who fought the terrorists on that last plane and chose to die for me. I'm thankful not just for having made it to Naples safely, but also for the people here who continue to help me and have come to mean a great deal to me in my time here. And I am most thankful for being alive. I believe I survived the aftermath of Sept. 11 in great part because of the things I?ve been taught throughout life by my parents, church, teachers, friends, supervisors and by the Navy. Life is the greatest gift we have, and ?with love? is the best way we can live it. I think I knew this all along -- a terrorist attack reminded me of it. I now know beyond a doubt that the best way to serve our friends, family and country is through the things we Americans are taught to value and defend: honor, courage, commitment and love. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story2036.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-10 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 138.180.90.46 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: It was on what was seaming to be another day at school, but when it was almost time to go home we were informed by our homeroom teacher that there had been and attack on the United States by terrorists. As we watched the news station they gave us all we needed to know, that the World Trade Centers were demolished to the ground. As we kept on watching we learnd more about the attacks and that they had also hit the Pentagon. It was devistating and frightening for all Americans, but we got through it holding our heads up high and showing all of our patriotism. In a way these attacks made the United States stronger, but we wept for those who had lost loved one's. My teacher was told by the administration not to tell us about the attacks, why I do not know, but it made me very angry that they would not tell us about the attacks happing on our country. I think that we should have been told about those attacks because i think we have the right to know about what has happend to our beloved contry. My life in school has changed alot sense the attacks. Now in school we have to wear these tags that give our information like our name, and when were supposed to graduate. Life has changed also in govermental buildings and airpoorts. Now if you have a bag it must be checked and you must have the proper ID on you. The things that should be remembered about September 11, 2001 is not all what had happend but what we did about it. It has been almost a year now and were not any closer than we were to stopping the terrorists. Many Americans inculing myself have shown our patriotism for those whom have died, but now we must retalliate agenst the terrorist and stop it so something like this does not happen in the future. I do think that every year we should stop and remember those who died and maybe help out a family who's lives were changed because they lost money in stocks or they lost a loved one in the attacks. We should remember the heros who's bravery saved many lives instead of their own, but most of all we should do something about it, and try to stop the terrorism. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8452.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-17 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.60.58.139 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I had been at work since 5:30am and I was on my first break at work when I heard on the radio that planes had flown into the twin towers. I could not believe what I was hearing it was as though it was a bad dream and I had not woke up yet. It wasn't until others around me started talking about it that I realized something horrible had happened. I was in shock as my son was in boot camp and I could not communicate with him to find out if he was safe and OK. I was scaried to death probably not as much as I was in disbelieve and stunned. All kind of thoughts ran though my head my families safety first and for most. I couldn't wait to get home and when I did I turned on the TV and saw the distruction for the first time I broke down and cried hard like no other cry before. When the year marker past I was greatful to still have my family and friends around me, after all with out them life is a void not easily filled. So my heart goes out to thoughs who have lost someone in this past tragic year. Sincerely Heidi A Navy Mom Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story7833.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-18 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.38 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: It was my last day of my summer vacation. My mom was being nice and letting me sleep in. Then the first plane hit the tower. She woke me up after the second plane hit. She realized that this was no accident. At first I didn't believe that we were under attack. Then I saw the footage, I knew it was no accident. I was glued to the television. I could not beleive what was unfolding before the eyes of America. I was scared, sad, and worried about what would happen next. I wasn't sure where America stood. I know that I had never been more proud to be an American. As it turns out America has stood tall, and faced the challenge that was thrown at us. We came together and became the United States of America. That's something that we haven't been in a long time. We aren't scared to show our patriotism. We will always stand tall and wave our flag and be proud to be Americans. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5588.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 206.244.169.225 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: My name is Kevin Albrecht and I live in the United States of America in a city in Massachusetts named Marlborough. When I first heard that the Twin Towers had been bombed, I luaghed along with my friends thinking the bus driver running bus evacuation drills was trying to trick us into being quiet. I did not believe him until I went home to find my mom waiting, watching the horrific tragedy on the news. I stood in the room, stunned, realizing the bus driver had been telling the truth. As the news replayed the planes hitting the buildings and then the buildings collapsing, I hadnt even yet begun to think of all the people who were dying then and who had already died. Last year I went to the Marlboro Middle School for seventh grade and the teachers there were not allowed to inform us that the World Trade Center had been bombed. They decided that our parents could tell us. My mom had been sitting at home all day watching the terrible event and when I got home she was taking in new information more calmly then I was as we sat, watching the planes hit over and over again. Not until my mom told me that my sister's friend's dad had been in the Pentagon when the plane hit it, did I start to realize the impact of what happened on September 11th, 2001. I realizeed that it was a humongous tragedy, where some people were lucky, like my sister's friend's dad, and some were not so lucky. 9-11 will be remembered all throughout time as an extremely tragic attack on America. My life has changed a little because of Septemer 11th. I have also changed a little. I feel now that life should not be wasted. I have thought about September 11th many times and I have realized what the Taliban was wrong in what they did to America. My life has not changed much, but I have changed as a person now because of 9-11. Many things should be remembered about September 11th. The people that lost their lives should all be remembered. They should be honered for dying and their families should be given much respect. The tragedies of that day should be remembered, such as the Pentagon and the people on the fourh fligh who retailiated against the suicide bombers and succeeded, even though losing their own lives, saving the lives of others. The firefighters and other civilians and all other heroes that helped in the bombeings should all be honored and remembered for all of history. No one should be forgotten on 9-11 for it was a terrible day that reflected on all Americans. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8468.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-17 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.60.58.139 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I am still saddened by the events that took place 5 years ago today. Saddened that we as human beings take for granted the gift that we are given just be being able to live life! How unfortunate that others don't view this as a gift also, but a revenge and hatred. And the lack of understanding and respect for each other. Different or the Same. I thank God for what I have been have and pray for those that have lost so much. May they always know they are in our hearts and prayers! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story20557.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2006-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 56.0.84.24 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: When I first saw and heard what happened, I simply could not believe it. Nothing so horrible had ever happened to this country before. What a TRAGEDY!!!!! So many innocent men, women and children paid the ultimate price because of some derranged terrorists who were convinced they were doing "God's will". GOD'S WILL? The God I know would never ask his people to perform such an evil act. What they did was the work of Satan, pure and simple. No one can witness such devestation, and destruction and loss of life without being deeply affected. I saw only televised and printed reports of 9/11. By the grace of God, I didn't personally experience any of that horrible day, but that didn't keep me from shedding tears for those who did. My heart goes out to all the survivors and to the survivors of those whose lives were lost. May God hold them all in the palms of his hands and may GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story1552.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-08-29 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.96.0.101 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: On September 11, I was in my school when all the teachers started listening to the radio and they told the kids that the World Trade Center has fell. I couldn't believe it. My older brother went to pick me up and he told me what was happening. Then I went to his house and I was watching the News. I couldn't believe what I saw. Then I went up to the roof and I was looking toward Manhattan. I saw the smoke. When I was looking over there I heared some jets and when I looked up I saw a few. Till this day I still don't believe it. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8934.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-01-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.165 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I was driving to work when I heard the Donna Valentine from K102 report that a plane had his the WTC. They weren't sure what kind or how big the plane was. By the time I got to work we turned on the TV and couldn't believe what we were seeing. I have three children ages 11,9 and 4 and I just kept thinking how was I going to work through this day, knowing they were in school and at daycare. I called my oldest son's school and they told us that they were keeping the kids away from the televisions and inside during recess. Ironically enough, his school is across the street from a National Gaurd Armory.That gave me some peace of mind. Eric, my oldest was going to be the one I had to work with the hardest. When he got home, we sat down together and I told him what had really happened. Throughout the day, the kids had heard bits and pieces and had drawn their own conclusions. We watched the news together and we talked about what had happened. He wasn't scared, he was concerned, he was curious and he had questions which my husband and I tried to answer to the best of our ability. We saved the paper from the next day as a remembrance. I remember going through old boxes when I was little and found copies of the paper my mom and dad had saved when JFK was shot. Driving home from work that day I remember seeing people on the bridges and overhead walkways, waving flags and vetrans standing at attention as the cars rushed beneath them on the highway. Everything from that day seemed so surreal at the time, you didn't want to watch the tv but yet you couldn't turn it off either. The one question that Eric asked me that was the hardest to answer was "Mom, what makes a person want to be a part of a group that kills other people because they think God is telling them too?" He told me that there was no way God would tell anyone to do what these people did. I agree. Now, as we go on with our lives and I listen to news stories of people wanting to take the Pledge of Allegiance out of our schools or at least the "one nation under God..." part I think to myself how can you demand such a thing and who are the pleding their allegiance too? Right now I tell my kids to just love one another and be kind to each other and just have faith and believe. God Bless America Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3084.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 216.160.20.110 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: Being from England, September 11th didn't have the effect on me it must have had on millions of Americans. However, it changed the world, and I hope adding my story of that day will show that. Most people say Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, started like any other. Well, for me, it was a bit different. It was my first day back at College after the summer holidays. I was looking forward to seeing all my mates again, and having a laugh with them. I don't really remember exactly what I did at College, but I remember I finished early. Being the first day back, we didn't have the last lecture of the day, meaning I finished my shortened day with Film Studies. When this was over, I phoned my mother so she could come and pick me up. I remember waiting just up the road from the College, waiting for my mum to pick me up. After a few minutes waiting, she turned up, and I got in the car. At this point, I had absolutley no idea about what was happening in New York. I kind of got the feeling something was up when my mum didn't greet me as usual in the car, but just said 'have you heard the news?'. Normally, I would have done. My main subject at College is media, and this involves a lot of time on the internet, so normally I would have known what was happening. However, having Film Studies last, I hadn't been online for some time, and therefore, didn't know the news. My mum told me that two planes had crashed in to the World Trade Center in New York. Having never been to that part of America, I didn't know what they were by name, and it was only when she explained to me what the WTC was, did I start to understand the scale of this disaster. Being from a village in England, terrorism wasn't something really in my mind. However stupid, my first thoughts were 'two planes, thats a coincedence'. We had the radio on in the car, I think it was a local station. The adverts were on. I thought this obviously couldn't be as bad it sounded, or surely they would be talking about on there? Just as I thought that, the adverts stopped, and instead of the usual presenter, the independant news (who supply national news updates to local radio across England) were updating the latest news from America. That is when I first heard it was terrorism. I couldn't believe that people could do something like this. To be honest, when we arrived home, about 15 minutes after leaving College, I still didn't really know how bad it was. I didn't really know what was happening. All I knew was a big building in America had been hit by two planes in a terrorist attack, and there was possibly a third plane, heading for the Pentagon, and another one somewhere in the sky. I walked quicker than normally to my front door, unlocked and opened it, and walked straight in to the living room, and turned the television on. Of course, the news had taken over every channel, so I decided to watch it on BBC1. They were showing any footage they had. When I sat down and watched what was happening, they showed images of the first tower on fire. Then, seconds later, a plane came in to shot. For a second, it went out of shot, behind the towers, and then a fireball ripped across the sky. I never really knew where the term 'my blood ran cold' came from. Now I do. I went so cold I couldn't believe it. Then, and only then, did I notice the breaking news bar at the bottom of the page. It read 'America Under Attack : Plane Hits The Pentagon'. I quickly turned down the volume, and shouted down to my mum, who had only just come in to the house. I said 'mum, did you say a plane had hit or was heading for the Pentagon'. She said one was heading for it, or they thought it was. I shouted down again 'One's hit it'. From then on, the rest of the day was surreal. Obviously, with the time difference in England, it was quite a bit later in the day than it was in New York (I think it was about 1:00 here when the first plane hit). I sat, just staring at the television for the next couple of hours. My local football (soccer) team were playing that night. Normally it is the biggest part of my week, but tonight I didn't want to go. I decided that it would be better to get away from the TV for a bit, and go and get my mind off it. I have never been so wrong. Before a match, I go to my mates house, we have a laugh, have a drink, go to the match, and have a laugh with more people there. Tonight was different. I went to my mates house, but we just sat and watched at the TV. We were so shocked we hardly spoke, watching images of the first tower collapsing. We then dragged ourselves off the match. Not many others did. Unsurprisingly we had the lowest turn out for sometime, and when we lost, no body was bothered. We just wanted to get back to the news. We were cut off from the news...I think we all dreaded to find out more had happened while we had been out. I went home and sat in front of the television. I didn't go to bed until late that night. Part of me didn't want to leave the television. Part of me didn't want to wake up in the morning not knowing what else had happened. Part of me was scared to go upstairs to my room. I don't know why...it sounds stupid now, that I didnt feel safe in a village in the English countryside, but that's how it was at the time. I don't know what time it was when I went to bed, but it was late. I got up the next morning, and sat in front of the news again until it was time to go to College. It suddenely occured to me that the soccer match I was supposed to be watching on TV that night might be called off. It was only then I checked, and found out that the match I had been to the night before was one of the only ones actually played. It was then I realised how wide spread this disaster was, and how if would affect and change so much. During my lunch break at College, I went to the newsagents and bought a copy of all the papers I could...some of my mates thought it was a bit sick, but I thought, and still think, it's important to keep a record of this for generations to follow us. I went back, and sat by myself. I read through every tragic, heartbreaking story, trying to get as good as an appreciation as I could of what had happened. Life slowly got back to normal, and we could start to think of other things again. However, I still think about that tragic day a lot. I often read back through those newspapers from September 12th. On the one year anniversary I lit some candles to show my sadness and rememberance. It might not sound like much, but for me, it was all I could do. One day, whenever it arrives, I want to visit the scene of the disaster, even if it's been replaced by something else. Even it's in 60 years, and the next generation can't appreciate what happened, I want to go to pay my own, private respects, to those innocent people who lost their lives that day. So, those are my memories from that day, on a day when I cried for people I've never met, and prayed for a country I've only visited once. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story10721.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2004-08-01 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 195.92.67.69 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: On September 11th, 2001, My son Branson Michael was born at 8:30am. at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo New York. He came into this world on that day for a purpose. He wasn't due to arrive until September 20th, but God had other plans. I have been told that for every life that was taken on the day, one was given, he is our angel. I like to believe that for every evil there is a good and for every wrong there is a right. He and every baby born on that day, are proof. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story9115.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-03-01 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.153.8.78 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I was in government clss when we heard about the attacks. We were in the middle of our lesson when a techer came in to tell us that we should probably turn on the news, because two planes had hit the world trade center. We turned on the news, and watched for 45 minutes while they reported on the Teade Center and Pentagon attacks, and also on a fictional car bombing at the state department. The whole time, i think most of us were too taken aback by what was happening to say much. When we were let out of class, i told all of my friends that didn't know what had happened. Most people seemed to have been watching in their classes, though. Someone else told me that one of the towers had just fallen, but i told them that they must be wrong. I didn't think that was very likely. I got to chemistry class, and found out that it was indeed the case. My chemistry teacher, in a move that i thought was stupid, decided that we should continue with class, but keep the TV on without sound. I didn't think there was any way to have class without many of the students getting upset. About 10 minutes into her lesson, the second tower fell, and at that point she realized that there wasn't really any way for her to have class. My classes after that were all basically half watching the news, half doing the regular school work. The day went by pretty quickly. i went home to find that the rest of the day would be occupied by watching television. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story2223.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 198.109.168.234 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: MY NAME IS ELIZABETH DAVILA-LOPEZ. THE SADDEST DAY OF MY LIFE WAS WHEN I SAW MY HUSBAND DANIEL LOPEZ FOR THE LAST TIME. ON SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001. I REMEMBER SAYING GOOD-BYE,THE HUGS AND KISSES AND I WATCHED HIM FROM BEHIND. HE WAS MAKING A SANDWICH FOR OUR DAUGHTER BRITTANY. HE HAD HIS SLACKS ON BUT HIS SHIRT I REMEMBER WAS LAYING ON THE BED. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THAT WAS THE SHIRT I WOULD BE USING TO DESCRIBE WHAT HE WAS WAERING LAST. I GAVE HIM AND MY DAUGHTER KISSES AND HUGS. I REMEMBER LOOKING BACK AND SEEING HIS BARE BACK. SO MANY TIMES I GO BACK TO THAT SAME SPOT IN OUR KITCHEN WANTING TO FEEL HIM AGAIN. I WAS AT WORK WITH SOME CO-WORKERS HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT HUSBANDS. (WHAT A COINCIDENCE) I WAS ALWAYS SO PROUD OF OUR MARRIAGE. WE HAD THE PACKAGE DEAL. MY FRIENDS AT WORK LOVED IT WHEN I TOLD THEM STORIES OF HOW WE MET,HOW WE GOT ALONG AND EVEN WHEN WE WERE MAD AT EACH OTHER. I SAT DOWN TO START MY DAY. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A BUSY DAY. THE PHONES WERE RINGING OFF THE HOOK AND I COULD HEAR THE MUMBLE JUMBLE OF ALL MY CO-WORKERS TALKING ON THE PHONE AT THE SAME TIME. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PERSON SITTING IN FRONT OF ME(I'LL NEVER FORGET HIM)SAYS "A PLANE JUST HIT THE WTC". I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HEARD HIM SAY THAT---OF COURSE--BECAUSE MY HUSBAND WORKED THERE. I GOT UP FROM MY DESK AND COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS HEARING. I GOT SO NERVOUS. I COULDN'T DIAL HIS JOB NUMBER. WHEN I FINALLY DID THE CALL WOULDN'T GO THRU. I ALMOST YANKED THAT PHONE OUT. MY BOSS CAME OVER AND SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SMALL JET. I CALLED MY MOM. SHE WAS HOME ALONE. I REGRET CALLING HER. SHE WAS TAKING THIS IN ALL ON HER OWN. MY BOSS TOOK ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND CALLED HIS DAD SO HE CAN TELL US WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE NEWS. HE SAID IT WAS A BIG PLANE. I GOT UP FROM THAT CHAIR AND RAN. THEY GRABBED ME AND TOOK ME INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM. THAT WASN'T AND BETTER. SOMEONE HAD THE TV ON. I SAW THE OTHER PLANE HIT TOWER 2. I RAN OUT. A CO-WORKER FOLLOWED ME. I TOOK THE 7 TRAIN ONE STOP INTO QUEENS. I HAD TO TAKE A BUS NOW. HE PUT ME ON THE BUS. IT WAS THE WRONG BUS--GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I WASN'T THINKING---I JUST GOT ON ANY BUS. I GOT OFF THE BUS--WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW TOWER 2 COME DOWN. MY LIFE WAS SHATTERED AT THAT SAME TIME. MY HUSBAND WORKED IN TOWER ONE. I STILL HAD HOPE. I RAN OVER A BRIDGE WITHOUT STOPPING. I WAS HEADING TOWARDS MY FRIENDS HOUSE--THE REASON WHY I STOPPED THERE WAS BECAUSE HER HUSBAND AND MINE HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS SINCE CHILDHOOD AND THEY WORKED TOGETHER FOR YEARS. SHE WAS NOT HOME YET. HER MOTHER,BROTHERS AND HER TWIN 6 MONTH OLD GIRLS WERE THERE. WE WERE ALL CRYING. WHEN WE SAW TOWER ONE COLLAPSE IN FRONT OF OUR EYES WE ALL THRU OURSELVES ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING AND PRAYING TO GOD TO KEEP OUR HUSBANDS SAFE. THAT WAS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES I WENT WITH ONE OF MY GIRLFRIENDS BROTHER TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER. SHE FELT SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT SHE DIDN'T ASK. I WOULD NOT SEE MY DAUGHTER FOR THE NEXT 3-4 DAYS.SHE WAS ASKING MY MOM---WHEN IS DAD PICKING ME UP. I COULDN'T TELL MY DAUGHTER WHAT HAPPENED. I COULD'NT SEE HER YET. NOT UNTIL I FOUND MY HUSBAND. MY GIRLFRIEND CAME HOME--SHE HAD TO HIKE IT HOME. WHEN WE SAW EACH OTHER WE JUST THRU OURSELVES ONTO EACH OTHER AND CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED. IT'S BEEN 1 YEAR 1 MONTH AND SIX DAYS---WE ARE STILL CRYING AND HOLDING ON TO EACH OTHER. WE HAVE HAD TO CONTINUE THE BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP OUR HUSBANDS HAD. OUR DAUGHTERS WILL ALWAYS BE FAMILY!!!! WE WILL ALWAYS BE FAMILY. DANIEL LOPEZ AND EMILIO "PETE" ORTIZ. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH. WE WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE YOUR FRIENDSHIP. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU. DANIEL MY DEAR HUSBAND, WE HAVE SO MUCH LOVE FOR YOU--YOU HAD SO MUCH LOVE FOR US. I WILL PASS THIS LOVE ONTO BRITTANY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SHE WILL ALWAYS KNOW THAT WE WERE GREAT TOGETHER. THE THREE OF US. FOREVER. DAN-BRITT-LIZ NOSPACKAGE . . Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story8502.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-10-18 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 205.188.209.165 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I lived in Texas and was actually in the air when the first plane struck. We landed in Minneapolis to change plans around 8:45 - just in time to watch the 2nd plane hit the other tower. From there we sat glued and crying watching the towers fall and thinking this is a movie - it can't be real. My daughter was home alone in Texas without any family around. I was so far away and she was scared. We sat around the airport for hours wondering what was going to happen and what to do. Eventually, we went to a hotel and waited and waited. For the next two days we went to the airport trying to get home - unsuccessfully. On the 3rd day, a bunch of people got together in the hotel lobby and found out who lived where and who could share cars home. Four of us found a car and headed south. Two were going to Texas and 2 to Atlanta. When we got to Kansas, we found a small airline flying. We all finally made it home after 4 days of unknowning, saddness, and fear for what was to happen from here. I did meet some wonderful people along the way and was reminded that even in the face of death - GOD is all around us and loves us very much. Do not ever take a day for granted and do not be scared or embarrassed to express feelings to those who have touched your life in a small way or are a major part of your life - tell them you love them and thank them for being who they are. God bless all those who lost loved on this terrible day. Even though I did not - I felt the sorrow and grief for you all and wish that I could have offered comfort and support. Kathy Kelly Atlanta, GA Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3532.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 204.33.125.227 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: As I write this one-year to the day after the tragic incidents of September 11, 2001, all the pain and horror have returned. I was at home that Tuesday morning, getting ready to jump in the shower in order to be at a Bible study at church in just over an hour. The phone rang--it was my mother-in-law from upstate New York. We have a wonderful relationship, but rather than her normal warm greeting, I heard, "Where is your husband?" You see, my husband is a pilot for American Airlines, and he happens to fly the same jets (Boeing 757 and Boeing 767) that we lost that day. Unknowing of what had transpired approximately an hour before, I said, "He's right here. Why?" She told me to turn on the television. My husband and I did, and we quickly ended our conversation with his mother. By this time both aircraft had hit the World Trade Center towers, but the second AA jet had not yet hit the Pentagon. We watched in horror as that story unfolded. After a time my husband attempted to find out the names of the crewmembers that had been lost. I called my mother to relate that Bob was safe at home, but to ask the whereabouts of my younger brother, who is a pilot for United Air Lines. I was pretty certain he wasn't on the first UAL flight to hit the WTC as I knew he flew a different type of aircraft than the one that had been reported to hit the WTC (a Boeing 767), but I was unsure of his whereabouts as the story in Pennsylvania unfolded. After several calls on my mother's part to my brother's home in California, we found out that he was overseas on a layover in Hong Kong. My family was safe, but the horror of all the lives that were lost, and the pain of it happening to our airlines families intensified as the day wore on. I skipped my Bible study, as I just wasn't able to get myself together. I had an appointment that morning with my hairdresser, but called her to cancel it. She understood, and immediately asked if my husband was okay. You see, we live less than five miles from Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, and our community is made up of many, many airline families. When my husband found out that I had cancelled my hair color appointment, he told me to go anyway, as he thought it wasn't good for me to sit around in my nightgown all day, crying over the television coverage. He was right, so I dressed, got in the car and drove in to town, about 8 miles. I remember thinking how surreal everything was, and how shell-shocked people looked. In fact, I even witnessed a minor accident on the way to the hairdresser's! The TVs were on at the hairdresser's, so we were kept updated on what was happening. In the couple of hours I was there, my hairdresser and friend ministered to me. It's hard to describe how a visit to your hairdresser could be calming and healing, but it was. She is a wonderful Christian lady, and she basically took care of me for a couple of hours. After I left there, my husband and I met at our church with one of our pastors who was concerned with the whereabouts of several of our members who are airline employees. She had been making phone calls all morning, trying to track down all church members who might have been on any of those flights. Fortunately, all were safe, as the crews that American Airlines lost were from Boston and New York, not DFW. As the day went on, the surreal feelings continued. My three children (ages 13, 11 and 10) came home from school. The two older children had learned about the attack from their teachers, and even watched some of the television news coverage, but my youngest child, a daughter, had not been told at her school. Of course, all activities that afternoon and evening were cancelled. I remember going to the store to buy something to make quickly for dinner as our plans had changed for that evening, and still feeling shell shocked as I stood in the checkout line. It seemed like everything, and everybody, was quiet, or muted. Of course, the jet traffic had ended before noon that day, and not hearing a jet or commuter plane overhead where we live is highly unusual. I don?t ever remember hearing such quiet as we experienced that day. The rest of the week was a blur of tears, heartache, and prayer. We held a prayer service at church Wednesday night, where I learned that a friend of mine (who works for American Airlines as a dispatcher and who?s wife is a Flight Attendant) was concerned over his best friend and college roommate, a firefighter in New York City. He would learn later that this man had died in the rescue attempt. Of course, the air travel industry was shut down for several days nation-wide. My husband was to take out a trip the following day, but that was cancelled. He strongly felt that he needed to get back in to the cockpit, and show the public that he wasn?t afraid to fly, so he volunteered to fly any trip, anywhere, as soon as the airline needed him. He was selected to fly on one of the first trips out of Dallas-Ft. Worth. I was concerned, of course, but he called me from every stop he made. After three or four more trips, I settled down and tried not to show him that I was afraid for him, but I will never feel as I did before September 11th. The days and weeks after September 11th seemed to drag on and on. I remember thinking, when will the grief end? On November 12th, a Monday, my husband and I were at our daughter?s elementary school participating in a Veteran?s Day celebration (we are both former Air Force Officers and Reservists) in our Air Force uniforms, when we learned from other parents that another American Airlines jet had gone down in Queens, NY. I broke down, and ran from the area so the children wouldn?t see me cry, thinking it was happening all over again. As we now know, this was not a terrorist attack, but a mechanical or structural problem, but it brought back all the horror and pain of two months earlier. As an end to my personal story, we chose to travel to New York City in March over our children?s spring break. It just so happened that we were there the evening of March 11th, the six-month anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and we watched the twin beams of light being turned on. We also visited the viewing platform, and watched as several sets of remains were removed the following day. It helped me, personally, to be at the site, and to pray for the victims there where it happened. To all who lost a loved one or friend on September 11th, my heart goes out to you. I cannot fathom your grief, even as I deal with mine, and I did not have a family member or friend who perished. I pray that America will become stronger, that we will never forget those who died, and that we will continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. To do otherwise, would mean all those people died in vain. God Bless You all, and God Bless America. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story3380.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 204.32.146.156