story2470.xml
Title
story2470.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
On the day of this tragedy I was sitting at my desk at work listening to the radio. When the first plane hit, I thought it was an accident. I thought, "Oh my god, those poor people." It was a horrible plane crash. Then they announced that a second plane hit. Following that was the plane in to the pentagon and then the plane in Pennsylvania. It was very clear that we were under attack. We immediately turned on the TV at work to find out what the heck was going on.
You could see the fear in everyone's eyes as we watched in horror. There were people trapped above the fires, people running on the streets. I just sat there hoping that people were getting out of those buildings and wondering if there were to be any more. Is something going to happen in Boston? No one knew.
Something that still gives me chills is that my work had asked me if I wanted to fill in a 3 month position out in California. The week of September 11th would have been when I would have headed out if I would have said yes. What if it was my plane that was hijacked? What if it was me going in to those buildings? I still feel guilty knowing that when this happened, for one brief moment, I thanked God that it wasn't me. Is that wrong?
When names started being released, it was shocking to hear local people had died in this tragedy. Names that I actually recognized. The Oganowski farm is a few houses up from me in Dracut. I have never met any of them but knew the name. I even sent the family a card of sympathy even though we never crossed paths. I just felt and still feel so sad that they lost a father-husband-brother-friend.
The amazing thing that came out of all this was the way people came together. Flags were flown high. Tears were shed during services of people you didn't even know. I started reading quotes from the people whose lives were lost and I cried. They had called loved ones after the first plane hit letting them know they were ok and then were never heard from again after the buildings collapsed.
Still to this day, hearing the stories of families that lost someone, hearing the last words of people on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, knowing what they did. It just makes me cry. Songs on the radio in rememerance makes me cry.
And today, one year later, I wear my red, white and blue, my rememberance ribbon in pride. Knowing I am an American and even though they knocked down our buildings and destroyed countless lives, we will fight for our country, for everyone that died and all those struggling to cope with htis tragedy.
Stand tall America! Don't be afraid to remember 9/11/01!
You could see the fear in everyone's eyes as we watched in horror. There were people trapped above the fires, people running on the streets. I just sat there hoping that people were getting out of those buildings and wondering if there were to be any more. Is something going to happen in Boston? No one knew.
Something that still gives me chills is that my work had asked me if I wanted to fill in a 3 month position out in California. The week of September 11th would have been when I would have headed out if I would have said yes. What if it was my plane that was hijacked? What if it was me going in to those buildings? I still feel guilty knowing that when this happened, for one brief moment, I thanked God that it wasn't me. Is that wrong?
When names started being released, it was shocking to hear local people had died in this tragedy. Names that I actually recognized. The Oganowski farm is a few houses up from me in Dracut. I have never met any of them but knew the name. I even sent the family a card of sympathy even though we never crossed paths. I just felt and still feel so sad that they lost a father-husband-brother-friend.
The amazing thing that came out of all this was the way people came together. Flags were flown high. Tears were shed during services of people you didn't even know. I started reading quotes from the people whose lives were lost and I cried. They had called loved ones after the first plane hit letting them know they were ok and then were never heard from again after the buildings collapsed.
Still to this day, hearing the stories of families that lost someone, hearing the last words of people on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, knowing what they did. It just makes me cry. Songs on the radio in rememerance makes me cry.
And today, one year later, I wear my red, white and blue, my rememberance ribbon in pride. Knowing I am an American and even though they knocked down our buildings and destroyed countless lives, we will fight for our country, for everyone that died and all those struggling to cope with htis tragedy.
Stand tall America! Don't be afraid to remember 9/11/01!
Collection
Citation
“story2470.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 20, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/18467.