378 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: I was at home, watching a morning news show (Canada am) while nursing my 3 month old son. I thought the image I was seeing was that of a small plane, a cesna perhaps, which had gone into the building either by accident or because the pilot was committing suicide. I called my husband, who was as work, and listening to the description of events on the radio, and neither of us could believe it. As I was on the phone with him, I saw a second plane on my tv screen. Outside I saw my neighbor leaving to pick-up her kids for lunch, and it seemed strange to me that life was going on while so many people's worlds had ended. I thought of the children mostly, and how they were dropped off at daycare and would not be picked up by Mommy or Daddy. I cried many tears that day, and in the days, weeks and months that followed. I cried every time I hear Alan Jackson's song about September 11th. What kind of world have I brought my son into? What kind of people do these things? What is wrong with them? I have so many questions and I'm so hurt at all this hatred they have in their hearts, and this hatred they are teaching others. I felt complete rage when I saw images of people rejoicing in the streets. I can still see that one woman who seemed to be happier than the rest. My son is a happy child and he doesn't understand any of this, and I'm glad for that. I just hope there is still some decency left in this world when he gets out there. 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 story8924.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. 2003-01-05 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 172.147.119.213 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 the terrorist attacks occured on september 11,i was at my house getting ready to go to school, and the tv was on. then i started to change the channels i was going tunning up fast then i see a building on fire and then i think on my mind well, that's a movie and i kept on changing channels and then i stopped on a channel and like in 5 seconds after i had stopped the channel the lady on the news said "we have some news from the last minute then she said the world trade center in manhattan ny had been attacked by a commercial airplane".the images of the tower was on "live", then i saw anothe plane coming to hit the second tower and that's when i thinked that what i just saw in the channel before was not a movie that was real. i realize that the united states was under attack. 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 story6564.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. 216.202.129.4 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 Sept. 11, 2001 I was off work that day and at home with my two small children (ages 2 and 1 at that time). I was doing the normal morning routine of cleaning up from breakfast and starting some laundry. The kids were watching a video tape of Barney and the tape had ended. Brittany, my oldest, wanted to watch it again so I started to rewind the tape. As the tape was rewinding, the tv went back to the normal broadcast mode and the first image that I saw on the screen was that of the first tower with smoke coming out of a very large hole. I instantly turned up the volume and began hearing of a small plane that had crashed into the tower. Just hearing that a plane had crashed into the tower was shock enough, but then I saw the second plane live on tv hit the second tower. I called a friend of mine and asked if he was watching tv. He was going through the same morning routine with his girls and hadn't seen anything. After turning on his tv, we both just talked on the phone tring to make sense of what was going on. I actually had panic setting in and was starting to worry about what was happening to our country. After talking with my friend, I can remember sitting in front of the tv the whole day. I called the Dr.'s office where my wife was at waiting for an appointment and told her to come home. I just didn't want to be alone. The only other thing that sticks out in my mind about that day was later on in the afternoon I decided to go out for a drive to calm my nerves. As I approached a popular gas station in town, I noticed that there were cars backed up for blocks and I couldn't understand why. I saw police cars and uniformed officers out on the street directing traffic and I assumed that it was because of an accident. I then realized that it was due to the lines at the gas pumps because of the fear of gas prices going way up. That night my wife and I with our children fueled up our vehicles and went to the grocery store and bought about a months worth of groceries and water just to be prepared for the worst. 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 story11723.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. anonymously 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. 2005-08-13 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 12.205.189.47 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: Estaba en recreo en mi Liceo donde estudiaba, cuando vi en las noticias locales que un avi?n hab?a chocado contra una de las Torres Gemelas, yo qued? pero impactado cuando vi la repetici?n, realmente sin aliento, la cantidad de personas muertas al instante y cientos despues. Tuve mucho miedo porque la torre era muy dificil de apagar el fuego y que pod?a caerse encima de la otra torre y el desastre ser?a aun peor, luego choc? el otro avi?n, Dios M?o!!! Por poco me pongo a llorar, m?s personas muertas en solo sagundos... luego dos aviones m?s caidos, y m?s aun el antrax, esto ya es un caser?o de personas. Yo quiero mucho a los Estadounidenses porque, ojala que yo cuando tenga la posibilidad de ir, ir?a super feliz, es el pais que desde chico he querido visitar, y llevar? conmigo una flor Chilena en memoria de muchas personas en los atentados. USA, aunque tiene cositas malas, bueno, muy malas, igual me gusta como el country, jejeje. Americanos, no pierdan la esperanza de seguir viviendo, aun hay una larga vida pero algunos la seguiran sin sus seres queridos, realmente duele mucho, mucho. Buena suerte, me despido con un abrazo enorme a todos, y los chilenos les dicen "Que Dios los Bendiga" Adios, suerte, se despide Ariel Alberto Aravena Espinoza desde Chile. Chao... 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 story7275.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. 2002-09-13 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 200.10.225.75 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: SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 About 45 minutes into the 8:00am flight from Boston to L.A., the plane begins making a significant turn to the left. I remember thinking for a split second that the wings banked like the arms of a child pretending to fly - it was that kind of motion, my body moving into the turn. My mind is on alert though - what is this about? Why would we be turning as if drastically off course? Very soon the pilot's voice comes over the speaker saying we are landing in Cleveland, quietly stating there had been an incident at the World Trade Center in New York, that the stop was purely precautionary. We land and remain on the runway awaiting word from the authorities about how to proceed. We wait two hours. The flight attendants seem nervous. We must remain in our seats with seat belts securely fastened until the pilot turns off the fasten seat belt sign. The twenty or so people on the flight talk with quiet, anxious concern. What was going on? The pilot comes on and says the Marshals would be boarding the plane shortly to explain everything. An American airline flight with a Los Angeles destination and 8:00am departure from Boston, had been hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center. Fifteen minutes later a United airline flight with the same destination and departure had also been hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center. These airlines had the same departure and destination as our Delta flight, two of the three that left Boston that morning, only now we were safe in Cleveland and they were incinerated along with thousands of other human beings - they and the terrorists. I've got to let George know I'm ok. Everyone is using their cell phones. I don't know the number of the hotel in Boston. My purse is on the airstrip along with everything else except my I.D. that I am instructed to carry with me. We learn there has been a bomb threat to our aircraft. They are bussing us to a FAA building on the tarmac so the FBI can question us each individually. I'm desperate to find a phone. Everyone is talking frantically and emotionally to their families, friends - anyone familiar they can speak to. I can't use the payphone, I can't use the FAA phone. I volunteer to go first so I can get back and find a phone that may be clear by then. Did I see anything odd at the airport or notice any suspicious behavior? I tell them about the cab driver of mid-eastern decent who picked me up at the hotel and was confused about the airport. He tried to drop me at the arrival level for Delta Airlines, then dropped me off at Delta Shuttle explaining they had no curbside check-in and the Shuttle was the only plane that serviced the States. Our eyes had met as he unloaded my luggage. Was it nervousness, sympathy, nothing? I remember the letters of his last name, his cab number. The counter person was surprised a cab driver wouldn't know the correct location and re-directed me across the huge parking garage to Terminal C where my Delta flight would depart. Along the way I asked directions to the curbside check-in, and a guy in the elevator helped me. He was flying on American. I checked my bags curbside and purchased a New England calendar. It was 7:14 am in Terminal C…. still time. It is now approximately 5 hours after we landed. A woman gets the number of the hotel for me and lends me her phone. George answers and I just say, " It's me, I'm ok." He is screaming and crying and my heart is just outside of myself feeling his pain. I tell him, "it's ok - it's ok - I'm here…." We're both crying, he in grief with the thought of my death, and I with so much sorrow for him. And everywhere around me people are feeling their own pain, an anxiety that morbidly pulsates in the air we are breathing. We begin to sense the magnitude of this brilliant gesture of hate. We arrive at the hotel via bus, and go to a banquet room where the airline reps tell us what is going on. Stunned silence. It's beginning to settle in. We have yet to hear any news over the radio, though, and have not seen a TV. It is now 5:00pm. Once in my room I immediately turn on CNN and call George, again. I call my sister. My Brother calls. I'm on my knees and crying and praying for everything and everyone. I thank God for my life. Friends begin to call. I have a deep weariness I can't shake. A sense of morbidity and mortality and sorrow hangs on my shoulders. I'm reminded of a description I once read of death: "That fragrant cup of dark light". Was that what it was like? I begin to understand that my life and our lives, will NEVER be the same again. I order three Martini's - straight up. Before leaving my hotel room that morning, I noticed the Bible that is always placed in the drawer, and opened it to see what wisdom it would impart (the significance of which only hit me later) - it fell open to Job 24. In this book there is reference as follows: 24:2 Some remove the landmarks;they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. 24:12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out. 24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. 24:17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death. The next day all airports are closed and several of us take a bus into town and walk around a mall for a couple hours. We try to shake the burden. I buy three pairs of shoes. We meet for drinks and dinner. The two younger ones order the weirdest food: garlic mashed potatoes, pasta (no sauce) and white fish, for one. Everything was white. The other gets a bowl of pink sauce with a couple shrimps sticking out. Everything was pink. We laugh and it feels good. . . so good! On Thursday, we go to the airport and try to get out. Everyone from our group is going different directions at this point. Some just go home. Some rent cars and drive to L.A. because they are afraid to fly. One company arranges a limo to drive its employees back to Boston. I get routed through Atlanta the following day. It's chaotic. We wait and watch. I have a growing sense of dread as my day to fly approaches. In retrospect: When the FBI came on board the plane on the runway one said, "there's two of them" and quickly eyed all the passengers. Once inside the FAA building they escorted a young man with dark, mid-eastern features immediately into an office for questioning. I would find out later from a Delta employee that this man was questioned extensively, that he was from a wealthy family in Saudi Arabia and was in the U.S. with a Saudi Visa. I remember his expression being absolutely blank - no life in his eyes, not a trace of fear or compassion on his face. I want to remember the people I met, from the lovely older couple who lived in Belair/Beverly Hills, to the hooker at the bar downstairs in the Clarion Hotel in Middle America, Middleburg Heights, Ohio. And all those in between: Katie, who lost six business associates on the United flight that crashed into the World Trade Center. Serene & Kathy who were going home to Singapore. Lisa who was on her way as a first year teacher to Japan. Cathy and Wendy who shared time, dinner, and their personal lives. Paul @ the bar who once lived in California, could relate to the band "Fresh Cream" and shared his gentle spirit. Terry, who started every sentence with "those poor people" and would start to cry. Harold from Delta, who saved me from making the return trip through Atlanta when he knew the detained Saudi from our original flight, would be travelling on that one, too. He had also heard there were threats of possible terrorism in that city, and actually personally pulled my luggage off that flight and booked me through Cincinnati to L.A. in First Class! This is what I think of most: How lucky I am! That life has been given to me and love is constantly being extended to me, not only from my family and friends, (ESPECIALLY from them), but from new friends, people who were strangers. I'm feeling that these people, from all walks of life, nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, etc., are like a blueprint for all people around the world. In our own ways, we all want to be loved, and hopefully to give love in return, to live in peace, to laugh. These words have been used in abundance, and may be intellectually and philosophically naïve, but isn't this truly the bottom-line - simply to 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 story20322.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. 2006-09-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 68.231.217.15 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: Hi, I,LeeAnn Rice, just wondered about why all employees stop working and keep talkings; I asked my boss, Steve Smith, what's going on, but he told me to go with him to Break Room to show me the television of Today News and I asked him what's this about then he explained about WTC being attacked, because I am deaf and didn't expect that happenings, so end of the shift, I told my boss that's my birthday and he was in shock! I felt real hurt on my birthday and the years to come, because I am in their hearts FOREVER! Then, a year later on my birthday at works, we the employees were stop workings at 8:46 between 9:03 a.m. and I cried for them in my heart and I NEVER will forgotten about since 911! My birthdate is 9.11.60 and mother of two teenage sons(one in college and one in Jr.in high school) by the way, my whole families and my special sons were NEVER forget my birthday forever! I really am feeling being an ANGEL to all the people we lost on 911 as well as I do collections of angels,cherubs as I am beleiving that they are happy being in HEAVEN! Please feel free to email me: prissium@msn.com May Bless Our America!!! ~LeeAnn Rice~ 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 story8401.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. 2002-10-08 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 24.56.198.27 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 a high school math teacher and I was in class on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. My students were working on a lesson when my phone rang. It was my husband. He told me, "Turn on your TV. Some planes just flew into the World Trade Center." I really had no idea what was going on at this point. I just thought that there had been some kind of strange accident with some planes hitting skyscrapers, but when I turned on my television I started to hear differently. My students and I watched as the commentators explained that they were hearing the planes were deliberatly flown into the buildings. Aside from the television ther was complete silence in the room. We continued watching and we heard the news that a plane had also crashed into the Pentagon. I remember the news anchors were stunned. Some were saying things like, "What is going on here?" Everyone was in total shock. The WTC planes were absolutely shocking, but then to hear of the Pentagon being hit in addition was an even greater shock. The students continued to watch and begin to ask question: "Who would do that?", "What's so special about the World Trade Center?", "Why the Pentagon" and "What are they going to do to catch them?" We talked about the terrorist and the importance of the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon and what they represented to the world. Then we watched as President Bush came on from the school he was at and make his statement about finding the terrorist and "hunting them down like dogs". Most of my students liked that because we're from Texas and that seemed like a Texan statement! By now most of the teachers in the school had on their TV's watching the news channels. Even as the classes changed, my next class came in and it was all they could talk about. I knew this was all we were going to do for the rest of the day. My next class and I sat and listened to the commentators talk about the situation and we watched as they covered when the first building fell. I had students ask, "They didn't all have time to get out did they?" I just remember replying, "I don't know, I hope they did!" Then a little later when the second tower fell, we actually watched it live. Again there was a silence. I also hearing about the plane that went down in Pennsylvania and waiting to see if this was a realted incident or just a coincidence. All day long my TV stayed on, whether students were in my room or not. At the end of the day when it was time to leave school. I left and went to my husband's work. He is a youth pastor at a church nearby. I rememeber walking in and they had set up a TV in the foyer of the church and most of the staff was watching every so often for updates. I sat with some of the teenagers who come over after school and we watched and talked about the events of the day. Like most Americans the rest of the evening was filled with conversations at home with my husband and watching continuing news coverage all night long. I will never forget the events of September 11, 2001. I was very greatful that I could share this day with my students and other young people who I could help discuss the events of the day and how they felt about it. Although I might not remember all of the details of my day forever, I will never forget the looks and questions that came from my students. I know I, along with all Americans, will remember and share my recollections with others forever. 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 story2622.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. 168.171.11.200 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: At about 8:45AM on 9/11 I sat down to migrate the morning QVC.com homepage live to the webfarm, as we always update it at 9am. A teammate of mine had tuned the TV in the Migration cubicle to the news covering the 1st tower, which shocked and dismayed me, but I thought it was just an accident. I remembered that a bomber had crashed into the Empire State during WWII and figured it was another such situation. As I checked the links on the homepage, dividing my attention between my job and the live news coverage, I saw the second plane strike and heard the shocked silence, then startled cries of the newscasters as the realization sunk in. I migrated the homepage, walked back to my team in a daze and told them a second plane had struck. Soon, there were a dozen people milling around the TV watching the coverage, blank expressions of incomprehension on their faces. I went back to my desk and started working. I had too much to do to consider the implications. People kept asking me if I thought they would collapse, and I said no, citing the bomber accident. A little while later, our EVP, R.R., came out of his office and said "the first tower just collapsed." I said "really?" and he said yes. I stood up so I could see him, and he has a look of deep pain in his eyes, something one hardly expects to see in an experienced exec that had been around the block more than a few times. I sat down and went back to work, eyes watering. People were still hovering around the TV monitor. About a half hour later, R.R. came out of his office again, and said "the second tower just fell," and the question "really?" sounded hollow and distant as I said it. About a half hour after that, QVC broadcast went off the air, and Doug Briggs sent everyone in the company home. My best friend John's birthday was that day, and I had planned to meet him for lunch anyway. We drove to a cafe and had a quiet lunch together, trying not to think too much about what was happening. We didn't want to sit in front of the TV any more than we had to. The weather was wonderful, and we talked a lot about how we were experiencing our own Pearl Harbor, and how our generation was finally finding out how it must have felt to our parents. We talked about the war that was sure to follow. The next day, I removed all the products and promotions from the homepage of Qvc.com and replaced them with a link to the American Red Cross and this message: "Today, we grieve with America. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones, or whose family members or friends have been injured in yesterday's tragedies in New York City, Washington D.C. and outside of Pittsburgh PA. We wish to express our gratitude to all those who have been helping...and continue to help in rescue efforts." I migrated the page, and a printout of it still handgs in my cubicle today. 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 story8092.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. 2002-09-23 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 207.140.171.114 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: The day before this horrible tragedy I was flying home from New Jersey. We had a hard time flying out and had contemplated staying over an extra night. We finally made it home and had returned to work on September 11th. As the bell rang, to change classes, we heard rumor that a plane had hit the Twin Towers building. I was beginning my planning period so I went to the Social Studies wing and we all piled into one classroom. I will never forget watching the television with our students. You could see horror and disbelief on their faces. Our principal would come over the intercome periodically and let everyone know what was happening. He also announced that any teacher who felt the need to turn on his/her T.V. could do so. We watched it all day long. When we got home, we had to explain to our four year old why these buildings were on fire. All we could say was that some bad men had crashed into the buildings and hurt a lot of people. We use to have struggles with our students standing for the pledge. We do not have as many problems with that anymore! 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 story2799.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. 168.9.35.14 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 woke up at 6:00 a.m. by my sister. I got mde because I thought she was just waking me up erly. I went back to sleep and woke up again at6:15 a.m. When my sister told me what had happend, I got mad at myself for ignoring her. I did not have school today so, I watched the news the entire day with out a break. I was justshocked. I still am. 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 story8101.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. 2002-09-24 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 66.8.140.95 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: They say we'll never forget where we were on the morning of September 11, 2001. I was making the short drive to work from Oak Cliff when I first heard the news on a rock station...I thought, "My Lord, these shock jocks have no conscience left." I switched stations as I approached the Commerce Street bridge towards downtown Dallas. I heard the same news. As I crossed the bridge, I looked up at the panoramic view of downtown Dallas directly in front of me. There was not an aircraft in site...anywhere. Never in my 40+ years had I seen the empty skies above Dallas. My heart sank and then reality sank in as well. I will never forget the empty sky and will always remember that moment of dispair and wondering what would happen next. I hope peace will someday be the rule for all. 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 story4466.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. 207.136.50.183 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 trying to install a computer in a small office, when I heard the new come over a radio. I was shocked, stunned...then the second plane hit. I couldn't think straight. This was America ! By 5 P.M., I was totally confused...didn't know what had happened (speculation was terrorism). I had to get home to my teenagers...I knew that if I was shocked about this event, they needed me to help understand the events... I thanked God that my parents weren't alive to have witnessed this happening to our nation...My Dad was a WWII veteran (Navy), then a Pediatrician, and my Mom, a teacher. They loved their country, and taught all of us that our country's strength was in it's diversity...accepting all races, creeds, cultures, religions - that made us unique...and also a democracy... Days later, I found out 2 friends of mine had perished. On 9-11, we were damaged and bruised...but we also became more determined than ever to be "one Nation, under God, indivisable, with liberty and justice, for ALL. 9-11 victims, families and heroes will live on in my mind and heart forever. May we help provide the strength and the determination for you to go on. 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 story5601.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. 207.251.206.138 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 awoke at 7:30 a.m. and got dressed, for I had to play at the innauguration of our new university president. As I was leaving I walked through the lobby of my dorm and on the big screen was footage of what was going on in New York. I was in total awe. I had no idea what was going on, and really didn't have time to watch the news. There was one other man in the lobby and I asked him what had happened. He just said that America was under attack. I kind of shrugged it off because I one, was late and two, was under the impression that no one could "attack" America. As I arrived to the ceremonies of the innauguration, there was alot of commotion over what was happening. All anyone knew was that the World Trade Center Towers had been hit by airplanes,, and that the Pentagon had been hit also. As the orchestra sat in their chairs Dr. Hawthorne, our Dean of Music, got up on the podium and explained to us what everyone already knew. It was sad that our new president's celebration was being overshadowed by this horrible act of cruelty. After the ceremony was over my roommate and I headed back to our room, because classes had already been canceled due to the innauguration. We got back and ordered a pizza and proceeded to watch the news channels. Most of America was in shock just like us. At 10:45 is when I found out that the towers had collapsed, and that four planes had been hijacked by terrorist. Two crashed into the towers, one into the Pentagon, and one crashed landed in Pennsylvania. Everything in this great country was at a complete standstill. All my college buddies and I stayed glued to the tv for the rest of the day. When President Bush came on tv that night at about 7:30 we were all there to watch. His message was short, sweet, and to the point. The people who did this will pay and so will the people who house them. I was in total shock. This could very well have been the beggining of World War III or it could just be one very dark day in American history. My roommate, Keith Dodgen, confessed that he had full faith in God and that his Will shall be done. That conforted me alot. America is a great, strong, and faithful country and these events may scar us but will not beat us. Everywhere I look now there are American flags and symbols of American pride. After sporting events started back up every one of their uniforms bore and American flag on it, and the National Anthem was being sung and everyone was praying. America had turned straight to God to help defend us. This act was meant to destroy us, but it in fact had united America like nothing else since World War II. This day shall never be forgotten and should be a call for America to stand up and defeat terrorist. 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 story348.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. 2002-04-03 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.216.57.67 Annotation Annotations to this item. Patriotism Politics and politicians Religion Terrorism DOMESTIC 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: At the time of September 11th, at 8:40, I was in the 7th grade, in my math class. We'd been doing probability. I wasn't really there, I was inside my head, listening to my brain play songs by Green Day. My teacher was called into the hallway for an important message. He came back into the room, and announced that there had been a terrorist attack. I hadn't understood what he was saying, because I wasn't listening much. Soon, I had learned little about what he said, but, the only thing I knew was that a terrible accident happened in the city at the time and my dad took the train under there sometimes. He was actually going to the city that day because he worked 10 blocks away. I was torn inside and was horribly worried. I prayed to God that nothing had happened. Students were being taken out of school, and still, I hadn't really known the entire story. When I got home, I discovered my dad, safe and sound, and ran to hug him and saw the news. Some silent tears ran down my cheeks; Those of relief that my dad was safe, and those of sorrow and disbelief that the twin towers were gone. Forever. I was sad and angry. I thought to myself, "Those terrorists. I'll never know the awe of being at the top of the World Trade Center." I wanted to kill the engineer of the plan. I was later informed that those who were on the plane were the terrorists. Suicide bombers. I asked my mum about it, and she said that when she saw the first plane hit it, she fell upon her knees at her job, which was on Queens Boulevard. She was on the 11th floor. The haunting images I witnessed on tv still creeps into my thoughts every now and then. I feel so fortunate for my father that he was not near there at that time. I am happy to be alive, and I feel complete sorrow for the families of/and the ones who died. 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 story11389.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. 2005-05-01 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 4.236.171.123 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 doing a safety training for a company and while I was doing the training my cell started to vibrate, I didn't think nothing of it until it went off again and again which was telling me that something was wrong either with family or I had a customer that needed me really bad. So after the training I went to my vehicle and looked at who was calling me and it was my brother, so I called him back and he advised me that the towers where hit by terroists. I said no way and he advised me that we were meeting at my parents home, when I arrived at the house and walked in and saw it on tv I knew at that time he was not joking and I got this really empty and sick filling in my stomach. The first thing I thought was my dear lord please be with all these innocent people and their families and then I said a prayer for my daughter who is serving in the US NAVY on the USS PEARL HARBOR and my nephew who is in the US ARMY. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! Bob Hessler 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 story6190.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. 204.248.168.152 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 getting everyone ready for school and myself for work. I had the news on and it said a plane hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center and at that point the news said it was an accident. I was passing the T.V and happend to look over at it when the second plane hit- the news casters and myself were shocked and it hit me that this was no accident- I began to wake the rest of the children and was then glued to the T.V. set- when it was announced that the pentagon was hit I immediantly started calling my family members and my husband at work to tell them I loved them and to watch the news. I didn't go to work until noon that day and watched the news unfold for almost two straight weeks. I will never forget the way I felt that morning and how it has changed my life and thoughts. I applied for a job at Morgan Stanley about two months before and was denied the job. I was so upset that I did not get it and was depressed about it. My training was to have taken place in New York-Now I know why I did not get it and I am grateful. God bless America now and always. 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 story4496.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. 209.142.21.148 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: 100 Blocks in Septmeber ?UGH! I hate work!?, I said for the 6th consecutive business day that month. The alarm went off for the third time and for the third time I pressed snooze. The intolerable smell of stale beer escaping from my mouth was matched in severity only by the pounding in my head - just your typical Tuesday morning in the city so nice they named it twice. The night before, a Monday, wasn?t that different from any other ? I had stayed out too late, drank too much and didn?t get to sleep at a responsible time. Oh well, ?priorities, priorities?, I always say. Through the sliding glass door that served as my room?s floor to ceiling window (and that I always left a little bit open) in my upper east side apartment, I could tell it was beautiful out. The sun was shining, a cool breeze was rolling into the room; an Indian summer day. ?Damn?It?s 8:30 already? I blurted out as I stumbled out the door. Thankfully, I was always quick to get washed up and quick to get dressed. A quick brushing of the teeth, a wash of the face, some deodorant and I was halfway out the door. Dressed in a pair of chinos, a green Hilfiger shirt and of course my book for the commute ? Ken Follett?s Pillars of the Earth ? and I was on my way. To a New Yorker, how we get to work is as much a series of options and choices as work itself. Will it be a bus or should I walk? Should I take the subway or a ferry? Ok, I?ll take the train, but which one? Should I take the local then switch for the express, or maybe walk a couple of blocks this way, so I can take the express the whole way down? For me it was an express train, then the PATH one stop into Jersey. My commute wasn?t even that bad. After my ten minute hike to 86th and Lexington I was on the downtown 4 train to Fulton Street that ran express. From there, it was a 3 minute walk to The World Trade Center, where I could pick up the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH, for short), for my 5 minute jaunt across the river to Exchange Place, NJ and finally, the office. Door to Door, one hour max. As always, I paid little attention to the stops or the people getting on and off. Habit told me exactly when I needed to get off the subway. I had my head down and was engrossed in my novel, which was one of the best I had ever read. When I finally did get out of my literary coma, we were at Wall Street! I had apparently missed Fulton street by one stop. ?What the hell?? I thought. ?Was I so lost in this book that I didn?t remember to get off the damn train? Did I drink more than I thought last night,? Oh well? The Wall Street stop put me only three blocks further away from the WTC than Fulton would have and besides, I was already late anyway and it was such a nice day out. Looking back, those few seconds standing there underground on a dirty New York City train, were the last ones during which America would ever be the same for me. The time was about 9:30am when I surfaced and pandemonium was the norm. Even for a Tuesday morning rush hour, something was wrong. A quick scan to the left and right showed me something was not right, but what? I made the right and pulled my cell phone out of my back pocket, I wanted to call work and let them know I was running late but would be there shortly. I dialed once, nothing. Lousy cell phones. I dialed again and again I was met only by a fast busy signal; I was still heading North towards the WTC. People were walking, though with a quicker stride in their step, in every direction. It was on my third attempt that it hit me, literally. ?You?re not gonna get anything with that? the man said as he bumped into me (or did I bump into him). ?What was that?? was my reply. ?The antennas are broken. They hit us today.? Was his quick response. He was a black guy, about 28 years old maybe 5?8? and on an ordinary day, he was a bike messenger. Today however, was no ordinary day. ?What do you mean, ?they? hit us today?? I asked, making no attempt to hide the confusion in my voice. ?They hit us today.? He repeated. ? Terrorists. Terrorists flew two planes into the Trade Center a little while ago, cell phones aren?t working.? ?Are you kidding me?? was all I could say though with an expletive unintentionally thrown in there. I noted to myself even then, that I never swear to strangers and even less in public. I reserve that kind of language for friends, home and when the situation warrants it, at work. ?No man, I ain?t kidding? was the last thing he said to me, with a look on his face that can only be described as disbelief in my asking him if he was serious. Next thing I knew he had disappeared into the growing crowds of people. As I took my next step and turned my head to the left, I saw the World Trade Center for the first time that morning, (I had seen it every single business day for the last year and a half from a distance measured in meters not miles), and I realized why the stranger gave me that look. The top floors of the World Trade Center ? both towers - were on fire. As I would soon realize, this would be a day of many ?firsts? for me as well as a day where I knew, even then, that I would see things that would stay with me for the rest of my life. The police had closed off certain streets and were herding people down others. I could see that several floors near the top of both towers were replaced by gaping holes, black ash and fire. Because of all the papers that had fallen and were falling out of the building, the sky looked more like a ticker tape parade than the beautiful sunny day I had seen when I left my apartment. Slowly, very slowly, I started to get information. In retrospect, this was one of the scariest parts of my day. I have always been one to crave information. My love for knowing my surroundings eventually developed into a need for knowing what was going on around me and around the world. Cut off from news sources and my cell phone, I was completely ignorant to the events of that morning as they had unfolded and were continuing to play out. People were huddled around vans and cars listening to the radio. The scene reminded me of old World War II pictures and stories I had seen and heard of families huddled around the radio yearning for news and was an exact duplicate of scenes across the country following Japan?s invasion of Pearl Harbor. I was not scared. No, I wouldn?t call what I was feeling fear (that would come soon enough). My emotion was, as sick as it made me feel at the time, excitement. I was excited to be seeing first hand what I immediately knew would be, for lack of a better word, history. I had no doubt about that. The second emotion coursing within my veins was anger. I was infuriated. Someone had methodically planned and executed an attack on civilians in my city. In my book, you don?t get to do that. I spent a few minutes standing in the street alongside ten others, all of us trying to learn all we could from the radio coming from a parked white van. From that, as well as people exchanging pieces of news in the street, I heard a lot of unsubstantiated rumors. By some accounts there were many planes still in the sky. By others, the White House and the Pentagon where already hit. And in yet other stories, there were as many as five planes still unaccounted for circling somewhere in the skies over America. Just then, the jets from two planes roared overhead. Everyone I could see, including myself looked up. Ok, maybe now fear was setting in a little. After what could not have been more than 6 or 7 minutes, I continued my journey and followed the crowd away from the World Trade Center. The police were softly telling us to ?remain calm? and were pointing us in a direction that would get us quickly away from where we were. My thoughts wandered places that I can?t remember - anger and disbelief I?m sure where a general theme though and things went from very bad, to unbelievably worse. I have never experienced an earthquake. But I think I know what they feel and sound like now. I was startled in mid stride by a rumbling ? both under my feet and in my ears ? coming from what is best described as, all around me. I stopped what was a slow walk, turned and saw the World Trade Center for the last time. There are hundreds of phrases and sayings that we all use in everyday life that are not intended to be taken literally. One of them is ?I couldn?t believe me eyes.? Now that I know what that really means, I doubt I?ll ever say it in jest again. As I turned around to face the towers, I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. I was no more than 200 feet from the North Tower when it collapsed. Literally paralyzed in disbelief, I watched with nothing at all between me and it, as the top of the tower fell to the earth and then disappeared behind an opaque cloud of smoke, ash, and debris that its own demise had created. It was not until the blast cloud exploded outwards that I started to run. As I turned I remember clear as a bell addressing myself in the third person ?Moe, (a nickname of mine) I don?t know how this one is gonna turn out.? In retrospect, I see that phrase as proof-positive that I never ever panic in any situation. Or it could be the mind simply trying to maintain order in the body. Either way, I (and this is where the next usually exaggerated statement comes into play) ran for my life. Every cell of my being wanted to live. Every muscle in my body ran with that sole purpose in mind. I pushed myself as fast as I could run. I have always prided myself on being blessed with speed rather than strength, and have always known that when I?m being chased, you had better be on something faster than foot to catch me. That day I proved myself right yet again. As I ran, and it turned out to be a distance of no more than 100 feet, I heard and saw two things that I will again, never forget. I remember seeing a cop in uniform, standing his ground, his back to the corner of a building, completely composed shouting ?come on people, move it, move it, move it!? his arms flailing like a 3rd base coach urging the runner home. I am amazed that during the scariest moment of my life I kept my presence of mind as well as I did and how much humor I found in certain things. I remembering actually grinning (while I?m in a full sprint) at the contrast between the 1st cop that was softly telling people to remain calm and telling us where to go and this cop, only a few minutes afterwards, screaming and pumping his arms, to be quite a funny sight. The other thing I remember from my sprint wasn?t so funny, but at worst it saved me a lot of healing and at best, saved my life. My plan was simple. Run as fast as I can, for as long as I can, straight ahead, thinking I would just outrun the blast. I was well on my way to carrying this out, when I heard a woman shout ?oh my god!? At those words, I turned my head ? and undoubtedly lost some speed as a result ? and knew exactly what she meant by what I saw. The cloud - that not 5 seconds before - was 200 feet away, was now maybe 30 feet behind us ? we would never outrun it! I focused all my attention again to the task at hand ? running ? and banked left while maintaining my speed. There was a luncheonette there with a glass door and I decided there and then that this would be my only chance. I ran for it, and as it turned out, through the door. It didn?t break, but did slam open as I dove through it and proceeded to destroy the potato chip rack. I could tell by the sound of the blast wave passing that I had missed the cloud by no more than a second. When I got to my feet, the combination of the adrenaline, the sprint and the quick stop made me feel nauseous. As I stood there, my hands on my knees, and my head down, I remember thinking how sad it would be if I made it through all of that without puking, but now, while I was in relative safety, I threw up. Fortunately, I didn?t. I spent about 30 minutes inside that store and saw some great things, and some terrible things. People would stumble in at first, covered from the top of their heads to the soles of their shoes in gray soot. Every inch of them front and back was covered in the soot; they looked like zombies. The proprietors of the store ? middle eastern men as it turned out ? where quick to dispense napkins as well as open their coolers to all who wanted water, drinks, and food all for free. I did the best I could to get some answers from these people and asked rather loudly, ?does anyone here know from a reliable source and not something they heard in the street, what exactly happened this morning?? Some people engaged me in conversation and I learned a few things, most notably that no one knew that much of anything for sure. While I was talking to some people, two women started getting hysterical (and I mean this in the truest sense of the word) and complaining that they wanted, no they had to, go outside, they couldn?t stay here. Many of us in the store told them to sit and calm down, they couldn?t go outside. Reason being, that ?outside? was nighttime. The visibility was zero, to say nothing of the fact that the air, what little there was, was not breathable. Even with the stores full glass front which made it quite obvious that nothing was safe outside ? it was black out ? they still insisted. After some insistence on our part, they stayed inside. After about 30 minutes, the air was by no means clear, but at least you could see where you were walking. I didn?t know where to go exactly, but I did know that I had to get out of the Financial District, and that meant heading north. I grabbed some napkins to use as a makeshift air filter and headed out. I?ve heard many people who were down there that day refer to the scene as a nuclear winter. I am sad to say that that was no exaggeration. There was an eerie quiet to everything. You could hear the sounds of emergency vehicles in the background, but for the most part there was this stillness and quiet. Tiny pieces of debris were still falling like snow, and what was not covered by soot from the original blast, was now covered as a result of this stuff falling. People were walking, some were bleeding, some crying, all completely hidden beneath a veil of ash. I headed north, block after block the same scene repeated myself. I could not believe how much ground the blast wave had covered. But on and on the devastation went. I saw the Brooklyn bridge and the mass exodus that it supported. It was obvious that I was simply one of thousands that wanted to get off Manhattan island. I saw plainclothes officers and policeman toting submachine guns and assault rifles. I saw fear, I saw panic. When I reached City Hall, I felt it again - the rumbling sensation that I had felt maybe 45 minutes earlier. I stopped for a moment. I knew what it was and didn?t even bother to turn around to see it, once was enough for two lifetimes. The second tower had fallen. After the fear for my life had subdued, I realized that people were most likely looking for me, most importantly my family and girlfriend. They knew how I got to work and my propensity for being late. Those two facts were going to make them nervous. I continued north. I had walked maybe 20 blocks at this point and I was around 3rd street when I see this girl I had not seen since my sophomore year of college, Suzie. As it turned I spent the night I got into my fraternity with her. I laughed as it struck me funny that of all the days to run into someone like that, it would be this one. It was at this point that I stopped to use a pay phone. My cell phone was still dead, and every pay phone I had seen up until now had long lines in front of them. As much as I wanted to let people know I was alright, I had to get as far away from the chaos as possible. I waited ten minutes on line for this pay phone, realizing that it had been quite some time that I had to use a pay phone rather than my cell phone. I called my father, and as soon as he got on the line, I could hear the relief in his voice. The conversation went something like this: ?Dad, it?s me. I?m alright. But a lot of people died today?? I began. ?I don?t give a damn about other people right now!? he replied, sounding almost angry. ?You?re alive and talking to me and that?s all I care about.? I realized that in a way he was angry. Angry about what had happened. Angry that he was made to feel worried, and angry of what could have been. We spoke for a little while longer, getting the basics down. Was I close? Was I safe? What was I going to do now? I hung up to free up the phone and resumed my trek. I tried calling my girlfriend at work, on her cell and at home, leaving messages everywhere but didn?t get in touch with her. A different kind of fear was setting in. I kept heading north and around 30th street I ran into Brett, a good guy that lived on my floor in the dorms my freshman year of college but like Suzie had not seen since. By the time I reached 42nd street, I was tired. The adrenaline, whatever was left, was fading fast. My feet hurt and I was very curious how I was going to get off the island ? I was more interested in getting back to Queens to see my family and my girlfriend than I was in spending the night at my apartment. Continuing the oddity of seeing random people, I bumped into Jody, the girlfriend of a close friend of mine - Adam. She convinced me to go down with her to Adam?s place and let time pass before I kept going. So we walked back down to 23rd street and the peace of his apartment. It was there, at around 12:30pm that I first saw the planes hit the World Trade Center. Up until then, I had only seen the effects of the terrorism, not the cause. Even watching it on the news, it seemed more Hollywood than reality. I was inundated with horrible news. The scene at the Pentagon, the field in Pennsylvania, all of it came to me in clear and color detail. I felt sick, but seeing what was going on in the world that day and what I had already been through that morning, I felt fortunate to be alive. I stayed there for about an hour to recoup and rehydrate then I headed for Queens. I walked to Grand Central Station, about 20 blocks more and hopped on the Queens bound E train. That alone should be seen as a credit to the Metro Transit Authority since the World Trade Center was the end of the line for the E. 20 minutes after that I was in the arms of my very healthy, and vey happy (though crying) girlfriend. My ordeal on September 11th lasted 6 hours and about 100 blocks. That was the worst I had ever seen my city. It was in the days that followed that I saw it at its best. 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 story1090.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. 2002-08-19 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 199.43.48.21 Annotation Annotations to this item. Environmental/Health Impact Police Officers Rescue/clean-up workers/volunteers Rumors Struggle to get home WTC, attack NY:2 Feature 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: United We Stand; Together we Embrace bin Laden the Bastard, fluke-knocking... Bitched-in-the-heart-son of a Saudi millionaire, Though he and his kamikaze-pilots Dealt the dolorimetry dolor of death Upon our virgin shores, shores virgin like Elizabeth I With all the filth of his oil money, Dark, dreadful and ditch-like... like an oil spill That would suck and suffer and slay My beloved off-shoots in the seagull family -My twisting terns and my glorious grebes In my storied myth that I Buddha today for Wisdom's Way For whom I sing of arms and the man Soaring for our armies, navies, marines and airmen 'Cause our social-knit is the weave Of Aristotle's supreme government - The kingdom of a President Birthing the substance of the French root of society -"friends" -As we have become again "rolling" Like the heroes in a Pennsylvania ditch... Americans whose Democracy Re-incarnates the Indo-European root Of friend - "pri" Which bears forth A Mediterranean family... "pri" meaning "love," as now we bury fear - The hobgoblin of all terrorism - In the word-kin of all Kings - freedom C copyright 2001 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 story627.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. 2002-05-17 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 146.96.95.21 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 work for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, but I am from Columbus Georgia. I had just come back from lunch (Ireland is 5 hours ahead of New York) and someone casually mentioned that a plane had flown into the world trade center. I immediately went and found a TV. RTE, the Irish television station was carrying CNN and I watched as the second plane flew into the WTC. I had just stayed at the WTC 2 years earlier on a surprise birthday trip...I even had a picture of it on my desk. I sent frantic emails back and forth to my Mom in Georgia. When the plane crashed into the Pentagon, I couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. My husband and I had lived in DC before moving to Ireland and I really feared for the lives of my friends who worked in the Pentagon, National Press Building and State Department among other places. I couldn't go into work the next day...I could barely move. That Friday was declared a National Day of mourning in Ireland and all businesses closed. I stood for 3 hours in line at the US Embassy to sign the book of condolence and went to a beautiful memorial service at the Pro-Cathedral. My story of 9/11 still goes on. There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not reminded of all the lives lost. I'm moving back to the United States in January. It's my home, it's where I belong. 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 story1308.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. 2002-08-20 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 194.125.59.170 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: The phone rings. I'm too tired and too lazy to get it. I had to work 'till midnight the night before. After couple of rings I finally get up and answer the phone. "Honney turn on the TV. Something is wrong" It was my husband. He sounded worried. " I cant talk but I'll try to call you back as soon as possible." My husband served in the U.S. Army at that time. My heart stopped when I saw the World Trade Center. At first I couldnt believe it. I called my mom and she confirmed the terrible news. I tried to call my husband back but his and all the military cell phones were confiscated. No one could contact their love ones. The military post closed out from the rest of the world. I started to worry. President Bush talks about terrorist attack war and military deployment. Will I ever see my husband? Week ago we found out I was preagnant, now I might have to face the preagnancy and the war all by myself. I had to go to work that morning. It was the worst day of my life. All the businesses closed down. People were in panic. No one knew if we would be under attack as well. It seemed like the day would never end. I was stuck at work with my mind in New York. Not knowing where my husband is and whats worse not knowing if hes still in the states. I had to stay calm because of the preagnancy. Finally my shift was over and on my way out stood my husband. "Don't worry babe, everything will be OK, We'll see in due time" My husband was not deployed that day, but his company was next on the list. Luckily he was ordered to stay and protect the base. My prayers were answered. I still get the goose-bumps thinking about that day. And I thank God for saving my husband and his company. 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 story6204.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. 12.45.22.124