Where were you and what were you doing....

When Kennedy was shot I was watching my younger sister performing in a Brownie concert. I remember the news rippling around the audience as we waited for the concert to start.

On 9/11 we were on holiday in a small French village, with no TV and only French radio. We knew nothing about it until about three days later, when our son contacted us to ask if we'd be abke to get home ok due to the ensuing airport disruptions.

No idea where I was when the news about Kennedy came through [I was 12] presumably at home if it was evening, but it made no impact on me, a foreign president being killed [not like a neighbour.]There seemed to be a lot of idolatory about the Kennedy clan...... hmmmmn.He was no Nelson Mandela, and may have gone on to be a good President [or maybe not.] the tragedy at Aberfan did have an impact on me though, so many children lost.When the planes went into the towers in NY I had just come back from doing a Tesco shop, and my daughter came running out of the house in tears, saying 'are we at war?' I rushed in and was just in time to see the footage on tv, very shocking indeed. years before, at primary school in the 1950's, I remember being in the playground one lunchtime and a child rushing about shouting about the death [I think! memory is a dodgy thing] of Gilbert Harding, I knew the name but nothing about him but pretended to look sad as others did.If Gilbert Harding did NOT die in the 50's then this is a totally odd memory!

ps this was in addition to Maniac's post on page 2 (thought "Add comment" meant it would appear after her post.)

We didn't have TV either - it must have been from the radio too.
I was 27.

On 9/11, I had been at work in the morning. I came in at lunchtime and, instead of going straight to the kitchen as I usually did, to put the kettle on, I switched on the TV and tuned in to the BBC 24 hour news at the exact moment when the second plane hit the second tower. Was that prescient or what?

I remember my son ringing up and saying turn the tv on quick on 9/11.

No one saw the American Airlines plane hit the North tower on the television on 9/11 although I think some footage that had been taken by chance emerged later. The United Airlines plane hitting the South tower and the collapse of both towers a couple of hours later were shown and repeated throughout the day.

Memory plays tricks.

I was babysitting with my best friend (still close) when the news was announced.

I had just set up the ironing board in the kitchen & switched on the TV and saw the planes crash into the twin towers. I thought I was watching a disaster movie, thinking it was special effects. I was horrified when I realised it was actually happening. I was also terrified, thinking it would trigger World War 3 or something. I was so scared.

I was at boarding school. For some bizarre reason my parents tried it twice and I ran away both times. I remember hearing the news though.

I was a first year student nurse on my first spell of night duty.It was all we talked about that night.
I was also on night duty when Diana died.I was enjoying my lunch break in the ward dayroom when one of my colleagues rushed in to put the TV on.They had just heard it on the radio outside.

By chance we were watching tv when 9/11 happened, and saw it all live. I wish we hadn't.

I don't remember either, but do remember aberfan as the children were my age. What did we all expect of Kennedy? I feel a bit ignorant of that. I do remember my parents talking about it over the years, but not in a way that suggested anything other than that it was a shocking event and feeling sorry for the immediate family.

This always baffles me. I was 16 when Kennedy got shot and I do not remember it.

It's not old age and a failing memory as I never have been able to tell you where or what I was doing when I heard the news.

I now wonder what I was doing at the time that was so interesting that it blanked out such an important event?

I was 32 with 3 children aged 4,3 and 1. Preparing for their bed/bath time when I heard the news on the radio.-we didn't have a TV.

It was just a week after our 2nd boy was born, the first being born Oct. 1962 when the US backed down from military confrontation with Cuba.
I remember thinking, the world is in a mess, what are we bringing these 2 little mites into?

I was in utero at the time, born three months later in Feb '64! x

we were in my MiL house when it happened,my youngest was just 3 weeks old. my dear MiL had a picture of Kennedy on the one wall the pope (i think it was pope john) on the opposite wall and the sacred heart with a little candle light on the third wall.We were all upset,it just felt like the bottom had dropped out and that comfortable feeling was gone. (shock)

I was at my boyfriend's (to be husband then ex) flat in Glasgow. There were various people there after a party and we were all stunned.

Yes I shall never forget the shock of it.
Jackie in her blood spattered suit is one image and the second is little John John aged 2 saluting at the funeral.
I cried and cried.

It was the day before my brother got married, I was 13 and about to be one of the bridesmaids. I remember the adults being stunned by what had happened.

I was at my wedding rehearsal

I was at home writing to my American pen friend. I remember adding a ps to the letter saying we had just heard the news. Will never forget that evening.

What do you mean. Bach? According to your profile you are five years younger than I am!

I was in ill in bed but can't remember what was the matter with me. I remember my mother being upset and dragging me down to watch it on a little TV we had.