story165.xml
Title
story165.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-03-07
911DA Story: Story
I won?t forget September 11th. It was a day filled with so many emotions that I?m still trying to sort them out. My roommates and I rose at eight o?clock that morning. We were eating breakfast around the kitchen table in our Arlington house as we casually watched the morning news on TV. Each of us had a full day planned ahead of us, or so we thought.
Shortly before we had all planned on leaving for the day, a special report popped up on the TV. The World Trade center appeared to be chugging black smoke out of a whole in the 60th floor. When the newscasters initially informed us that a plane had crashed into the building we all thought a small two-seater had just lost control. Moments later the truth became clear to us. We were under attack.
A thunderous boom shook the house. All the dishes and glasses sang aloud as we looked at each other in confusion. "Are they doing some major construction around here?" At least that?s what we wanted to think. In fact, minutes after the boom, the newscasters informed us that a plane had actually hit the pentagon, which lies just over a mile from the house that we were sitting in! We had discovered the source of the boom, and immediately began to panic.
Sirens began to blare down our street as we frantically called our loved ones. Cell phones were down, and traffic began to pick up. Emergency vehicles headed into town, while carloads of workpeople packed the street heading out of town. Immediately we thought that it might be best for us to follow suit, and head for the hills. Instead we stayed.
Both towers had fallen in New York. There was a plume of smoke visible from our porch. We felt powerless. Nervous energy seethed through our veins. We had to do something. Knowing this would be a day that we would tell our grandchildren about, we wanted to see the pentagon. We strapped on our tennis shoes made the call to go.
People walking out of town passed us with somber faces. Each time we passed a man or woman in uniform, our hearts ached. The reality of it all set in once we laid eyes on the pentagon. One of the most powerful buildings in the world lied wounded before us. That was a moment I will never forget.
We walked back to our house filled with very different emotions. Anger, fear, and confusion gave us the energy to walk to the pentagon, but now we felt the emotions of sadness for the first time. I didn?t want to do anything but be close to my family.
I still want to be closer to my family. It seems that I?ve taken for granted all that I have and as a country, we?ve taken for granted the peace that we?d seen for so many years. As we enter into this new era post 911, may we all remember those who were lost. Outstanding situations call for outstanding people. Thank God we have so many here in the United States. Through His guidance may all of us work toward a peaceful future.
-Andrew McIntyre
Shortly before we had all planned on leaving for the day, a special report popped up on the TV. The World Trade center appeared to be chugging black smoke out of a whole in the 60th floor. When the newscasters initially informed us that a plane had crashed into the building we all thought a small two-seater had just lost control. Moments later the truth became clear to us. We were under attack.
A thunderous boom shook the house. All the dishes and glasses sang aloud as we looked at each other in confusion. "Are they doing some major construction around here?" At least that?s what we wanted to think. In fact, minutes after the boom, the newscasters informed us that a plane had actually hit the pentagon, which lies just over a mile from the house that we were sitting in! We had discovered the source of the boom, and immediately began to panic.
Sirens began to blare down our street as we frantically called our loved ones. Cell phones were down, and traffic began to pick up. Emergency vehicles headed into town, while carloads of workpeople packed the street heading out of town. Immediately we thought that it might be best for us to follow suit, and head for the hills. Instead we stayed.
Both towers had fallen in New York. There was a plume of smoke visible from our porch. We felt powerless. Nervous energy seethed through our veins. We had to do something. Knowing this would be a day that we would tell our grandchildren about, we wanted to see the pentagon. We strapped on our tennis shoes made the call to go.
People walking out of town passed us with somber faces. Each time we passed a man or woman in uniform, our hearts ached. The reality of it all set in once we laid eyes on the pentagon. One of the most powerful buildings in the world lied wounded before us. That was a moment I will never forget.
We walked back to our house filled with very different emotions. Anger, fear, and confusion gave us the energy to walk to the pentagon, but now we felt the emotions of sadness for the first time. I didn?t want to do anything but be close to my family.
I still want to be closer to my family. It seems that I?ve taken for granted all that I have and as a country, we?ve taken for granted the peace that we?d seen for so many years. As we enter into this new era post 911, may we all remember those who were lost. Outstanding situations call for outstanding people. Thank God we have so many here in the United States. Through His guidance may all of us work toward a peaceful future.
-Andrew McIntyre
Collection
Citation
“story165.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 6, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/4323.