story8722.xml

story8722.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-12-08

I am Scottish and I was on holiday with my sister in Orlando on September 11th. We were staying in an apartment and had gone out to sit by the pool that morning. I was reading and half listening to the radio. When I heard it reported that a plane had hit the WTC I assumed it was a light aircraft but I said to my sister "Are you listening to this?" We both abandoned our books and moved closer to the radio. As the news came through that planes had hit the other tower and the Pentagon we just listened in complete shock and disbelief. I remember hearing a reporter who was in New York getting more and more upset to the point where she was actually crying and the other presenters were trying to calm her down. There was a small cinema in the club house so we followed the other guests inside to watch as it was showing the news. Everyone just stood watching in complete silence as the first tower collapsed. It was a very surreal experience to be standing in a cinema in my bathing suit watching such a tragedy. I felt sick and I couldn't stop shaking. We went back to our apartment so we could call home but we couldn't get through. We switched on the tv just in time to see the second tower collapsing, a woman who had witnessed people jumping decribed what she had seen then my mum called and when I spoke to her I just said I cant believe this is happening and started crying. All day we watched tv until we felt we couldnt stand it anymore but we couldn't stop watching either. Being in the US at that time gave me a greater appreciation of the shock and grief that the country suffered as well as the enormous courage, strength and dignity that followed. I am proud that we are standing "shoulder to shoulder" with you in the war against terror.