Remembering 9-11: We Will Never Forget

Posted on September 10, 2011 Written by 6 Comments
remembering american flag 9-11

It was early in the morning on September 11, 2001 just like any other day.

My family and some friends were taking our annual vacation in Destin Florida, and were staying in condos on the beach.

My parents were still in bed, so I was one of the few people awake. Sitting on the couch downstairs eating cereal for breakfast (my favorite food ever), just casually watching TV.

One of our friends bursts through the patio door and said “Turn on the news”. I was like okay, and thinking what’s the big deal.

On every news channel they were showing images of a plane hitting one of the World Trade Centers. I didn’t even know what the Twin Towers were, and to be honest I thought the plane was just a random crash/accident (as did most of the reporters).

After a few minutes of coverage, and me trying to make sense of it all, BAM! I watched the second plane crash into the building LIVE. I was so confused. What. was. happening? A terrorist attack, from who?

It was a life changing event for me and for Americans across the nation. I’ll never forget how much the attitude and atmosphere of the trip changed.

For the rest of the “vacation” the adults spent the majority of the time watching the news and listening to updates. We ended up having to stay a little longer in Florida just because of the travel uncertainty.

Not only did the daily lives of my family and friends change, but anywhere we went Americans were uniting. Joining efforts and supporting each other, which is probably one of the few positives that came from this catastrophic event.

I definitely think about my life and the economy more carefully now, but with the knowledge that something can happen any day, at any time that can change our lives completely. I am much more thankful and appreciative for the opportunity to live in this great country.

Where were you when 9-11 occurred? How has it changed your life?

Photo Credit: Ethan Prater

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  • http://www.moneymastered.net Andrea @MoneyMastered

    I was driving to a college class when the radio DJ broke in to announce what was happening. I ran a red light because I was so busy listening and trying to figure out what was going on. When the second plane hit and the talk turned to terrorism, I stopped at a convenience store and bought a newspaper because I figured our world would never be the same – there would be life before 9/11 and life after 9/11.

    I’ll never forget my public speaking instructor breaking down in front of us. Her son was on a trip to New York and was supposed to be touring WTC that day. Luckily his group had decided to do something else, but she wasn’t able to reach him for hours to find out he was safe.

    When I think back to that day, I mainly remember utter chaos and confusion. I don’t think any of us ever believed something so horrible would happen on our own soil.

    • http://carefulcents.com Carrie

      I remember being confused and everything changing in a second. I agree with you that none of us really believed something like this would ever happen on our soil, and that’s what shocked us the most.

  • http://www.bankaim.com Ben @ BankAim

    Carrie, Its great to see so many people take the time to write a post about 911. That day will forever change all of us. I think we will be a stronger Nation because of it and that our children will be safer because we know we aren’t invisible any longer.

    • http://carefulcents.com Carrie

      Great answer, I definitely agree. Thanks for commenting

  • http://thefinancegeek.com/ Megan

    I was in Germany on study abroad in September of 2001 with a group of 60 other Americans. We landed in Frankfurt early in the morning on September 7th, having flown out of Washington D.C. on the 6th.

    On September 11, 2001 I was in my fourth day of German language immersion school. I got home from school around 3 pm local time (9 am EST) and turned on the TV to try to find commercials to watch, which a classmate had recommended for picking up the lanugage faster. Flipping through the channels, I stopped on a German news station, which was showing the New York City sky line on a beautiful day with an odd cloud or fog or mist among the buildings. I remember thinking it was odd that the sky was so clear and yet there was that cloud.

    Not speaking very much German at the time, I had no idea what the reporters were talking about. For a few moments of shock and disbelief, I thought somehow I was watching scenes from an upcoming disaster movie, or who knows what.

    Over the next two hours (until my host family returned from work) I finally started piecing together what had happened from the images and video they kept showing over and over and over again. I was staring at the TV in mute horror when my host mom walked into the family room, gave me a huge hug and said, “We have CNN in English, if you want.”

    I didn’t get to experience the immediate after-effects of 9/11 on America, but the upswell of international support was incredibly apparent to all of us abroad; everyone just wanted to know if I wss okay, if my family was okay, and what I thought they could do to help.

    When I returned home ten months later, I found my country transformed in a way I had never imagined, and I, too, and more thoughtful and grateful everyday than I had been before.

    • http://carefulcents.com Carrie

      Wow, that is a very touching experience. I would be so scared to be in a foreign country while trying to figure out all the news and stuff in a different language.

      It’s nice to hear that everyone over there was so supportive though. I can’t imagine how different everything was when you came back, it will probably be something that always effects you.

      Thanks for sharing your story.