story572.xml
Title
story572.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-05-09
911DA Story: Story
September 11 hit us like a ton of bricks. There is simply no better way to illustrate the complete and total shock I felt on that fateful and unfortunate day.
That morning, I had begun to awaken from a deep sleep. In my semi-conscious state, I was beginning to hear words and phrases coming from the T.V. that I left on.
"...a plane has just hit the World Trade Center..."
That cut through the grogginess and I sat upright in bed. I wondered what kind of pilot could lose sight of the Twin Towers. I was seeing it all with my own eyes, yet the reality of it all had not fully sunk in. It was like watching a movie. Then I decided to get dressed. When I returned, I saw
the South Tower erupt in flames. This was no accident. We were being attacked.
From that point, I sat watching the latest developements as they happened. The third plane crashing into the Pentagon,
the center of the U.S. military.
I didn't think it could get any worse. It did. Yet another plane was (heroically, it turns out) brought down in nearby Shanksville, roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours from Pittsburgh.
It was closer now. Downtown Pittsburgh was evacuated. People were in a mad rush to get home. Parents pulled thier children out of school.
The events of that day are now ingrained in every American's memory. Within hours both towers collapsing, the Pentagon on fire, thousands dead. No matter what happened, things seemed to get worse. Then, like a Pheonix rising from the ashes, the damaged American spirit returned stronger than ever. People tried to help any way they could. Some held vigils, some went to Ground Zero to help attempt a rescue, some made donations, children collected pennies. That is what I remember most of that tragic day. American solidarity was renewed in a big way.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
That morning, I had begun to awaken from a deep sleep. In my semi-conscious state, I was beginning to hear words and phrases coming from the T.V. that I left on.
"...a plane has just hit the World Trade Center..."
That cut through the grogginess and I sat upright in bed. I wondered what kind of pilot could lose sight of the Twin Towers. I was seeing it all with my own eyes, yet the reality of it all had not fully sunk in. It was like watching a movie. Then I decided to get dressed. When I returned, I saw
the South Tower erupt in flames. This was no accident. We were being attacked.
From that point, I sat watching the latest developements as they happened. The third plane crashing into the Pentagon,
the center of the U.S. military.
I didn't think it could get any worse. It did. Yet another plane was (heroically, it turns out) brought down in nearby Shanksville, roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours from Pittsburgh.
It was closer now. Downtown Pittsburgh was evacuated. People were in a mad rush to get home. Parents pulled thier children out of school.
The events of that day are now ingrained in every American's memory. Within hours both towers collapsing, the Pentagon on fire, thousands dead. No matter what happened, things seemed to get worse. Then, like a Pheonix rising from the ashes, the damaged American spirit returned stronger than ever. People tried to help any way they could. Some held vigils, some went to Ground Zero to help attempt a rescue, some made donations, children collected pennies. That is what I remember most of that tragic day. American solidarity was renewed in a big way.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Collection
Citation
“story572.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 24, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/10771.