AccessWDUN asked our readers to share their memories of September 11, 2001. Below are the responses that we received.
My husband Jerry and I were at our camper in mountains for a few days. Got up early went to a flea market and stopped back by Walmart. Overhead someone in store say something about two planes. Went back to camper. I started cooking. My husband said turn stove off and bring the phone. Come quick! Next door, our elderly neighbor was on the ground. We called 911 and followed the ambulance to the hospital. We stayed with his wife until their friends got there. We went back to camper, but didn't turn on the TV. Our child called and told us to stay put and told us what had happened. Our neighbor died that day. For sure a day we will never forget.
Marie Trulove
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I was on a school field trip to Dukes Creek with Fair Street, I believe, as a bus driver. The crash in the field in Pennsylvania had not happened. I will forever remember Todd Beamer's statement "let's roll." It's unfortunate what happened 20 years ago is the catalyst for what's happening in Afghanistan today.
Jerry Castleberry
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I was working at our family-owned business here in Gainesville, sitting at my desk. One of our sons came to my doorway and said planes have crashed into the Twin Towers. Four years later he was in Iraq fighting with the Georgia National Guard. The good Lord brought him home safely to which we are forever thankful!
Brenda Garrison
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I was working in Scottsboro, Alabama. Our human resources manager came to our office and said that a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center. Our office used a bank there. So sad. The world stopped moving for a while
Jan Irvin Springsteen
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I have seen the same photos as everyone else. It’s still difficult to look at the pictures of that horrific day. However, the one thing I would share is this: In my heart, I sensed a “collective” feeling of unity in this great country of ours. I am not a member of “the Greatest Generation,” known as WWII folks, but I do believe I felt the same unifying spirit on that day. Just once, it was a blessing to feel this country, from coast to coast, connect. Whether one lost a loved one or not on that day, we all felt the same sense of shock, then compassion for our fellow Americans.
Would that we were unified again. I hope it does not take something so horrible to do that for us. My prayer for America would be “peace on earth, good will toward men.” God bless America and God bless those who bravely fight for the freedoms enjoyed by us all.
Stacey Green
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I remember that day like it was just this morning. I was getting ready to leave for work and sitting at my makeup table putting on some makeup. There was a small TV next to it and I would listen to the "Today" show every morning while I got ready to go. I hear Katie and Matt start talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center and they were speculating as to what kind it was thinking it was a small aircraft until they were supplied with video of it. I heard them gasp and I stopped what I was doing to look at the TV screen just in time to see the plane hit it.
I sat there not knowing what was happening until I saw the second plane coming in. I sat there in horror trying to gather my thoughts and wits about me. I picked up the phone as I kept watching and listening to call my husband and my son at the office to tell them. I called my office and told the receptionist what was happening and she relayed it to the sales meeting that was about to start at Northside Realty that Tuesday morning. I hung up and started calling my daughters to make sure they and their families were all safe. At that point, I was hearing more and more and it was a very scary time.
I knew it wasn’t the Rapture because I was still here, but we were under attack on American soil and that was frightening! The thoughts that we, as the greatest and most powerful nation on earth, could be under attack in New York City immediately made me feel unsafe at home anymore. Then my thoughts turned to Atlanta and the major airport and large buildings there, as well as other major cities and other major airports.
All the death and destruction was more than my senses could handle, after reality set in and I sat there and cried for a little while. I finally got myself together and out the door into my car and I went across the street to my parents to find them both in disbelief. My daddy was a Korean War vet and Bronze Star recipient. He was big man and I saw tears in his eyes. I hugged them both and told I loved them and that I had to go to get to the office and hug my husband and my son. Then I had to make it to get to the rest of my family as soon as possible. It is still at times rather surreal until I remember the feelings I had that day and those feelings were feelings of disbelief, horror, fright and bordering on sheer panic! Emotions and feelings were all over the place all day that day and on into the next days, weeks and months ahead.
All of those feelings resurface every time I see pictures of that horrible day, BUT there were feelings of being closer to our families, friends, neighbors and even perfect strangers all united in the pain, the fear, the hurt and the utter anger at those that perpetrated what happened that day pulled us all together, even if for just a short while, showed that we are all brothers and sisters of the United States of America. Those are feelings I will never forget and I certainly will never forget what I watched unfold on TV that day, September 11, 2001 as long as I live.
Nancy C. Gravitt
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I had just finished breakfast in Clarkesville with the Seniors from Bethlehem Baptist Church. Both of my sons were at school – Clarkesville Elementary and North Habersham Middle. I arrived home and my childhood friend had pulled in behind me telling me something had happened in New York. I walked into my home and saw the second plane hitting the tower. In disbelief, I prayed for our safety and for all of the victims. I then wanted to go pick up my sons and bring them home. I realized the world they would grow up in would look very different than the one I grew up in. I called family – watched the news – wept and prayed.
Lori Duke McAvoy
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I worked with Hall County Sheriff’s Office in the Criminal Investigative Division. I was in Lt. Terry Conner’s office with Sgt. Jack Wimpy discussing cases. Out of nowhere, our secretary Judith Mustin came in and told us that we were being attacked. Sheriff put us on high alert. Had SWAT team members escort then Representative Nathan Deal to airport. I truly know exactly how Americans felt when Pearl Harbor was attacked. It took an innocence away from me. God Bless America.
Ivan Spindola
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I was living in Mauldin, South Carolin,a at the time, working for Dominos Pizza. I was an assistant manager and woke up early that morning because we had a huge order to work on. I was just getting out of the shower as CNN was breaking the news of the first plane. I remember thinking about my trip the previous year to NYC. We drove by the World Trade Center and I just thought to myself, those are some really tall buildings. I remember telling my friends that I was traveling with that we would have to come back next year and go to the top of the building to see the view. Now I am watching as a huge hole was burning on the side of the building. I didn't think too much of it until I sat down to eat breakfast and the second plane hit. It was at this point I began to realize this was an intentional attack. I watched as most did, stuck to my TV as the towers came down and the reports from the Pentagon began to come out and the fourth plane. I made my way to work, listening to the radio and the horrific accounts of what was happening in that moment.
When I got to work, my manager had brought in a TV and we kept it there and it was so hard to turn away. We opened at 11, and we did not know what to expect. Our phones began ringing off the hook, many places had closed, kids were sent home from school, and I think so many folks were shellshocked and just wanted something quick and easy. What proceeded was one of the busiest 14 hours I ever worked. People were somber and kind that day. And everyone you encountered wanted to talk about what we had witnessed that morning. Some people wanted to hug and were kind with their words. It seemed ridiculous to deliver pizza that day, I felt we should have been doing something more productive. After all, there were first responders who were trapped under the massive rubble just trying to do their job and rescue people in the towers. There were volunteers and other responders trying to rescue the first responders. There were innocent people just trying to fly to their destinations, dead. They never got a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.
At the end of the day, I had made more money than I ever had on any Tuesday or pretty much any other day. It was a day full of driving around town, bringing people lunch and dinner as they stayed glued to their TVs to see what would happen next. It was all Americans, all races, all religions, all sexual orientations feeling the effects of that day. I will never forget one interaction I had with an older lady. She told me her nephew was in New York City. She wasn't able to get a hold of him, and she was worried that he was in the area of the World Trade Center. It was about 5pm and she hadn't heard from him. I could see that her eyes were welled up from crying. I don't know if she ever found out or not, I just couldn't bring myself to ask later on.
Kennie "JJ" Woolwine
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Was visiting my dad in Pittsburgh that week. Watched it all live. Originally thought a private plane hit the tower. Saw second plane while reporter was talking. He thought it was explosion from first tower.
Later reported plane (Flight 93) was heading toward Pittsburgh. Speculated heading to US Steel tower. I sweat outside watching for it but never saw it. Then later in the week I had to fly home to Atlanta. They said more could come. Prayed the whole flight home.
Skip Martin
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On the morning of 9/11, I was in Canton, Georgia, at a Builder Golf Tournament sponsored by Peachtree Windows and Doors, of which I was a Salesman. We had just teed off around 9 am and, which I have never again experienced, I could hear cell phones ringing in every area of the golf course. It was like bells ringing. We then found out what was happening and immediately went to the Clubhouse to watch the news. Unfortunately, I shared that sad day with many people that I don’t even know. My plan was to travel out of town after that but, I instead returned home to spend with my family in Gainesville.
I’ll never forget that day.
David Mote
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I was “relaxing” on my sofa watching the "Today" show while waiting for my 5-month-old granddaughter to arrive for the day and preparing for my Mentor Recruitment Meeting at the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. (I was Director of the Program after retiring from NGCSU, now UNG.). Suddenly, the silence and peace of the morning I had thus far enjoyed was broken by Katie Couric’s stunned expression and cameras quickly focusing on the Twin Towers. Of course, we all missed the first strike; but I was a TV witness to the second, as reports ran rampant of more strikes to come: the Pentagon and the heroically diverted crash in the fields of Pennsylvania.
I continued to watch as the first responders made their way to the inferno and rubble of the Towers, alternating coverage to the other two strikes. I was speechless and humbled by the tragedy and by how fragile life is, as I held my baby granddaughter more tightly than ever. The notes for my meeting somehow had been scattered at my feet as if paying homage to the devastation.
By noon, the Chamber meeting was cancelled, and the long day wore on with quietude and reverence in honor of those who lost their lives, in respect for the first responders, and in prayer for our country. I shall never forget the images—as clear today as they were then, and I more fully understand President Roosevelt’s words as he announced the attack on Pearl Harbor: “This day, too, [9/11] shall live in infamy.”
Kay Colbert
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Whew! 9/11 … my generation’s equivalent to Pearl Harbor.
I was living here in Gainesville, but I worked as a programmer/analyst at a software firm in Alpharetta. On those commutes, I never listened to the radio, but instead listened to cassette tapes … music and motivational.
As I pulled into the parking lot and left my car, I felt “something” was out of sync. It was too quiet. And even though the parking lot was as full as normal, it was really quiet. Weird quiet. Everything seemed “off”.
When I entered the building, I was the only one in the lobby. Again, weird. I got in the elevator … alone … weird … and pushed the button for the 10th floor. When the doors opened, the lights were on but it was completely silent. Double weird since one section of the floor was our phone support area that started at 7:00 instead of 8:30. And not a single phone was beeping.
As I cautiously stepped out of the elevator, I saw that literally EVERYONE was gathered at one end of the floor and one of the TV’s on a rolling stand had been moved out of the conference room. Without going to my desk first, I walked to the crowd, still carrying my purse and my insulated lunch bag. Not a single eye left the TV as I joined the crowd.
When I realized that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers and that they were saying that it was believed to be an act of terrorism, it was like every bit of the air had left the room. I couldn’t breathe! I just stood there, staring at that TV, and if anyone said anything, I didn’t … couldn’t … hear it. My heart was pounding in my ears.
Then the second plane hit. Everyone just gasp … like they couldn’t breathe. I could hear a few crying. We all just stood there like zombies. I don’t know how long we stood there, no one moved. Then the first tower fell. After that, we couldn’t stand to watch it anymore. We all started wandering to our desks, still in complete silence. Most of us had tears streaming down our faces. But there were no words.
And I wasn’t the only one scanning the skies outside our 10th floor windows that spanned from floor to ceiling the complete way around the entire floor.
After the second tower fell, the president of the company walked around the entire floor and informed us that the company was closing for the day. We should all go home and be with our families. He was white as a sheet.
It was our generation’s “Day of Infamy”.
You have to understand that I am an Army Brat and my Dad worked for the communications department in the White House. I grew up always being able to tell when something bad was going on because my Dad just withdrew from us … sometimes physically (he’d be stuck at the White House for days) but sometimes just emotionally.
On that fateful day of 9/11, I suddenly understood why.
Lin Arnold
