General Chit Chat

I visited it 8 years ago today for my 18th birthday. Such a bittersweet moment seeing a fence around and all the construction going on. Hopefully can go back one day and since the memorial site. Always have a moment of sadness every year when I'm happy to be celebrating another birthday yet remembering all the lives lost that day. #neverforget

I live about 100 miles from NYC, and we typically share the same weather. What I will never forget about 9/11/01 is how gorgeously blue and completely cloudless the sky was on that day. It was a rare and spectacular weather day, the kind that, even as you're going about your busy day, you stop and take notice of. Maybe it's seared into my memory so well because I, like a lot of people, looked up at the sky frequently that day (trying to understand, speaking to a higher power, taking note of the absence of any sights and sounds of airplanes). In the past 15 years on a few rare occasions, the weather and sky have been an eye-catching repeat of 9/11/01. It is always bittersweet to me. As soon as I recognize that brilliant blue color and clarity in the sky, as soon as I think to myself what an awe inspiring beautiful weather day it is, I am immediately taken back to that day.

I've been to the 9/11 Memorial Museum in NYC. It is a beautiful tribute to the events of that day and the lives lost. I would highly recommend a visit to anyone who visits NYC. May we never forget. May we forever stand strong.

On 9-11 I was having my morning coffee talking to a close friend who worked in one of the World Trades. (there are about 5 buildings, perhaps then 7).
She told me: OMG a plane just hit one of our buildings. Turn on CNN.
At first we thought it was a strange accident until we literally saw on tv(and her out the window) the second plane hit. Then it was apparent it was deliberate.
I was glad my older daughter was at college, away from NYC and my area. I am 15 miles outside of NYC and thought this was "it" for NYC. So at least she was safe.
I was on "call" for triage for any casualties.(I'm a nurse) Of course, we now know there were none.
My youngest daughter had gone to camp for years with Jeremy Glick's little sister. He had been on the Shanksville, PA plane trying to foil the hijackers.
A very close friend of mine was supposed to be on flight as a veteran attendant on one of the flights that hit the World Trades. She traded shifts that day so she could go shopping for her mother of the bride's dress. Her whole team perished.
15 yrs ago, seems like yesterday.

I was in Las Vegas with my sister in law. We had just attended the 35th anniversary of Star Trek convention, and were taking Monday as an extra day before we went our separate ways. On Tuesday morning, I got on the elevator in the hotel to get breakfast; a British lady asked me if I knew about what happened. Got my breakfast, and went back to the room. Immediately turned on the TV. I was stuck in LV until Saturday; my sister in law did not get out until Monday. It was funny how Las Vegas went on, so to speak, but very subdued, and a huge memorial of flowers was erected in front of the New York, New York hotel. A unique experience, to be sure, and one hopefully never to be repeated.

I was on my way to a meeting. I heard it in the car, it was confusing, they thought it was an accident. By the time I got to the meeting everyone was around the tV monitor. We were told to go back to our branches, close for the day and let the staff go home. Glued to the TV for days on end watching tragic events and stories became the norm.

The only person I knew in NYC was a son of a very good friend of mine. I confirmed with her that he was ok. I didn't know anyone else, but I certainly felt everyone's pain.

I remember being angered at the lack of understanding I sensed from most of the rest of the country. I cannot express how many people I know who knew someone directly involved: kids my kids went to camp with, volunteer emt's and firefighters, people who worked for C/F. My first cousin worked in tower 5 my friend was in tower 4, I think.

My mind cannot even phantom the thought of anyone outside
of New York not understanding the pain and injury 9/11 
brought to the great people of NY. I can't speak for the entire
country but I can tell you the state of Ca. Shed tears said
prayers right along with you. OC sent firefighters to help search
for loved one's. Kasha mabe you can elaborate on why you
felt angered at the lack of understanding from the rest of the 
country. I might be unaware.

I think people are very supportive of the event. What I mean is I don't think everyone lived it the same and the effect can be different.

I remember how proud I felt as a Canadian that Gander Newfoundland opened their hearts and homes to the 6600 passenger that were diverted there. They literally let strangers in their homes, fed them, gave them a safe place to stay.

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2016-09-11/article-4637992/9-11-survivor-says-Gander-was-therapeutic-experience/1

It was an act of kindness that has never been forgotten and a delegation from the United States arrived in Gander on Friday morning to show their appreciation through a Tour of Gratitude, making presentations to organizations and departments involved 15 years ago.

GA,  I just read an article about this about an hour ago.  Wonderful people!

I visited the memorial a few years ago just before the tower was going to open for office clients.   The whole area just has a power I cannot express.  I was very moved and saddened but felt the strength there as well.   I had worked for one of the companies headquartered in the North tower.  I had been laid off in LA and was getting ready to go on a job interview in LA the morning of 9/11.  Like everyone, I was in shock.  I was worried especially for a friend who worked in the building and used to call me in the LA office and tell me he was looking down on the clouds.  It took so long to find out information about folks.  Thankfully he was out with a client breakfast that day, but two of my friends, who did not even work in the towers were there for meetings.  They along with thousands more died that day.  When I went to to the memorial I felt a strange pull to walk up to a section of where the names were listed.  I looked down and saw I had walked right up to the name of my friend who was a mentor to me and had helped me acclimate to such a large corporation.   I just broke down and cried.  I didn't know what came over me. These were two folks in my practice group who I did not see all the time but who were definitely memorable.  My heart is with all who were much closer than I was to them and all the others.  I can not imagine their grief.  God bless us all.

@pavalygurl You gave me chills reading your story. I believe in fate. Breakfast with a friend instead of being in one of the towers, unreal.

The power of the unknown, pulling you directly to the names, IMO was very real. Wow!

It was my first month of graduate school and my classmate and I were in the library finishing assignments due that day. She and my roommate were both from the northeast and both were in complete shock. I stayed on campus for a while and watched them evacuate the CDC, then I went home. My roommate could not reach anyone to find out about her friends and the plane that crashed in PA really freaked her out. She was truly frightened and away from home and family for the first time. We ended up going to my parents house in rural NE Georgia for a couple of days.

She was lucky to not lose anyone, but she and my mom, who was from Hackensack, NJ both had a sadness that the rest of us who weren't from there and had never been just could not quite understand.

Watching the people of NY and NJ respond is still one of the most amazing things. To Kasha and all those who lost people my heart goes out to you.