story5490.xml
Title
story5490.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
My brother called from work on September 11, 2001, to tell me to turn on the news, that a plane had hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center. I was scheduled to work later that day and was watching my nephew, Harrison, who was just 2 years old at the time. My mom was home with me, too.
It was as beautiful a day here in Pittsburgh as it was in New York, and I kept thinking how shocking it was. What was wrong with the plane? How could it crash into a building? Why not the river or ocean where it would still be tragic, but the loss of life would be so much less?
As we were watching, we saw the second plane hit the towers. We sat for minutes in shocking disbelief before we realized it had to be an attack. The news was sketchy. Lots of information was coming in from a variety of sources. We saw people looking in awe at what had happened. We saw a man sitting underneath the towers and actually record the second plane hitting. We saw people falling from the buildings to the ground below. We saw rescuers. We saw countrymen. We saw patriots. We saw heroes - right there in New York, in our own country.
We watched incredible footage, incredible history unfold before us. It was not like watching man step on the moon, it wasn't like watching Viet Nam or the Gulf War. It wasn't like Somalia. It was right here, right in front of us.
My nephew was playing on the floor in the den while we were watching. I was glad to have him near. He didn't know anything about what was going on. He was putting curlers in his hair. I was taking pictures of him.
As I watched, I kept thinking one thing. I wasn't afraid or unsure. I was angry. Who thought they had a right to come into MY country and do this to MY people?
Moments later, the news cut away to Washington, D.C. The Pentagon had been attacked. We were listening to a woman, I can't remember her name, talking from her cell phone. She had see the plane hit. She was on the highway that turns into the Pentagon grounds.
The scenes there were as unbelievable as the scenes from New York. We heard a loud plane go overhead travelling southeast. Within minutes there was news from home that a plane had crashed in Somerset County, just 60 or so miles from Pittsburgh.
We learned that downtown Pittsburgh was being evacuated. I couldn't understand why. We live in America. We are strong and safe. What was going on?
All day long, on that beautiful late summer day, we sat inside watching television, not wanting to pull ourselves away. As the day progressed, we learned a lot. We learned who our attackers were - how they hate. We learned that in the face of this great tragedy, America was still here. We learned that in crisis, our country rallied, quickly and as one, to protect us, to keep our freedom going.
To this day I am struck by one thing - no one panicked. People reacted, but there were no riots or looting or people attacking each other. Instead, there was comforting, aiding, sharing. People reached out, consoled one another, assured each other. This was more awe inspiring than the level of tragedy of these events.
In the days that followed, we learned one more important thing. We learned that heroes come in all forms in those who serve us daily as firefighters, medical personnel, law enforcement, in those who make and enforce our laws, in those who defend us, in those who touch our lives in any way.
In the year that has followed, we've been dedicated to upkeeping our patriotism and to being aware of our surroundings. We are discovering new things about ourselves as a nation and what we believe. We are taking positive, strenuous steps to ensure freedom at home and abroad. We are still here. America is still strong.
And I am still angry. I want the cowards who participated, planned, funded or otherwise encouraged these attacks to know we will not go quietly. I have never been afraid to say, act or be an American. I will not let anyone intimidate me or try to make me ashamed of my country. America is not always the perfect country, but she is still the best country on earth. I LOVE HER!
I have news for Osama bin Laden and his followers - don't come my way. I won't put up with you. I, and millions of my countrymen, won't let you do this again!
In every other way, life here is pretty much normal. My nephew is now 3. But we will not forget what happened - not ever!! This day, September 11, 2002, has been a very emotional day. I am more proud of my country and it's citizens than ever. I am honored by the men and women who gave their lives one year ago. Their memories will be with etched in every one of us forever.
It was fitting to have the Gettysburg Address read at the Ground Zero ceremony as it was for President Bush to rally the Pentagon festivities and for Appalachian Spring to be played in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All of these were proper tributess to mark the day.
My hope is that this day, Patriot Day, stays with us always as a day as important as the Fourth of July. I want the families of those who died to know we are with them and cherish them. We are all survivors, we will overcome our enemies, and we will endure. God bless America - land of the free, home of the brave.
It was as beautiful a day here in Pittsburgh as it was in New York, and I kept thinking how shocking it was. What was wrong with the plane? How could it crash into a building? Why not the river or ocean where it would still be tragic, but the loss of life would be so much less?
As we were watching, we saw the second plane hit the towers. We sat for minutes in shocking disbelief before we realized it had to be an attack. The news was sketchy. Lots of information was coming in from a variety of sources. We saw people looking in awe at what had happened. We saw a man sitting underneath the towers and actually record the second plane hitting. We saw people falling from the buildings to the ground below. We saw rescuers. We saw countrymen. We saw patriots. We saw heroes - right there in New York, in our own country.
We watched incredible footage, incredible history unfold before us. It was not like watching man step on the moon, it wasn't like watching Viet Nam or the Gulf War. It wasn't like Somalia. It was right here, right in front of us.
My nephew was playing on the floor in the den while we were watching. I was glad to have him near. He didn't know anything about what was going on. He was putting curlers in his hair. I was taking pictures of him.
As I watched, I kept thinking one thing. I wasn't afraid or unsure. I was angry. Who thought they had a right to come into MY country and do this to MY people?
Moments later, the news cut away to Washington, D.C. The Pentagon had been attacked. We were listening to a woman, I can't remember her name, talking from her cell phone. She had see the plane hit. She was on the highway that turns into the Pentagon grounds.
The scenes there were as unbelievable as the scenes from New York. We heard a loud plane go overhead travelling southeast. Within minutes there was news from home that a plane had crashed in Somerset County, just 60 or so miles from Pittsburgh.
We learned that downtown Pittsburgh was being evacuated. I couldn't understand why. We live in America. We are strong and safe. What was going on?
All day long, on that beautiful late summer day, we sat inside watching television, not wanting to pull ourselves away. As the day progressed, we learned a lot. We learned who our attackers were - how they hate. We learned that in the face of this great tragedy, America was still here. We learned that in crisis, our country rallied, quickly and as one, to protect us, to keep our freedom going.
To this day I am struck by one thing - no one panicked. People reacted, but there were no riots or looting or people attacking each other. Instead, there was comforting, aiding, sharing. People reached out, consoled one another, assured each other. This was more awe inspiring than the level of tragedy of these events.
In the days that followed, we learned one more important thing. We learned that heroes come in all forms in those who serve us daily as firefighters, medical personnel, law enforcement, in those who make and enforce our laws, in those who defend us, in those who touch our lives in any way.
In the year that has followed, we've been dedicated to upkeeping our patriotism and to being aware of our surroundings. We are discovering new things about ourselves as a nation and what we believe. We are taking positive, strenuous steps to ensure freedom at home and abroad. We are still here. America is still strong.
And I am still angry. I want the cowards who participated, planned, funded or otherwise encouraged these attacks to know we will not go quietly. I have never been afraid to say, act or be an American. I will not let anyone intimidate me or try to make me ashamed of my country. America is not always the perfect country, but she is still the best country on earth. I LOVE HER!
I have news for Osama bin Laden and his followers - don't come my way. I won't put up with you. I, and millions of my countrymen, won't let you do this again!
In every other way, life here is pretty much normal. My nephew is now 3. But we will not forget what happened - not ever!! This day, September 11, 2002, has been a very emotional day. I am more proud of my country and it's citizens than ever. I am honored by the men and women who gave their lives one year ago. Their memories will be with etched in every one of us forever.
It was fitting to have the Gettysburg Address read at the Ground Zero ceremony as it was for President Bush to rally the Pentagon festivities and for Appalachian Spring to be played in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All of these were proper tributess to mark the day.
My hope is that this day, Patriot Day, stays with us always as a day as important as the Fourth of July. I want the families of those who died to know we are with them and cherish them. We are all survivors, we will overcome our enemies, and we will endure. God bless America - land of the free, home of the brave.
Collection
Citation
“story5490.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed April 16, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/13494.