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Where were you on 9/11?

(21 Posts)
Marzipan22 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:18:13

I had walked into a printers' office in Cornwall where I live, for a marketing meeting. I was stunned by the images on the screens around the room. Someone said, 'They've hit the Twin Towers,' and the room fell silent. We didn't hold the meeting.

This is from our local news feed:
Today a parade and ceremony are taking place to honour a Cornish hero who died saving thousands of lives during the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks in New York, 25 years ago.

A Cornish man Rick Rescorla was head of security for Morgan Stanley and was working in the South Tower on 11 September 2001. He evacuated more than 2,500 people before returning inside. His body was never found. He has a memorial plaque in his home town.

TheWeirdoAgain60 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:21:26

I was 36 at the time and working in restaurants and cafes here in the UK.

Primrose53 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:22:34

I was ironing at home with the TV on and the footage of the planes suddenly came up. My parents walked in and my Dad said “watching films in the daytime” (pulling my leg). I said it was actually real and happening now just as it showed the second skyscraper being hit. They went ashen and had to sit down. We were all in shock.

Smileless2012 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:27:57

We were going to the 'Magic Kingdom' in Florida and as we approached what should have been long queues for the car park, couldn't understand why there weren't any and we were waived through before being turned around and told it was closed.

There was such a strange atmosphere we put the car radio on and that's when we learned what had happened.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:29:07

We had arrived home from a holiday with friends and family around 2.00am. I had got the children off to school (they were tired) and I was sitting in the kitchen pairing up washed socks and folding clothes ready for ironing.

I turned on the TV to take my mind off of the tedious task, I still remember the fear and horror I felt when the second tower was hit. I was glued to the TV for the rest of the day.

DH and I had lunch a few years earlier at The Windows to the World restaurant at the top of the tower…

AGAA4 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:29:38

I had just come in from my yoga class and put the news on. I thought this must be a film at first until reality hit and shock.

NotSpaghetti Fri 11-Sept-26 08:33:13

I was at work in supported housing - I went to sort a problem out for a resident and the TV was on (but he turned the sound off when I walked in).
We saw it "live" and we didn't believe it.
It was just confusion and muddle at first.

RosesandLilac Fri 11-Sept-26 08:35:36

I was at work at the hospital when DS phoned and said find a television. I initially thought it was a light aircraft and couldn’t understand why they didn’t swerve to avoid the Twin Towers. It didn’t make sense for several minutes then the true horror began.
Incomprehensible that anyone would do such an evil act.

Witzend Fri 11-Sept-26 08:35:53

I was at work in the morning, and came home to find dd1 white faced at the front door. Immediately I thought of dh, who was abroad on business, but soon saw the TV.

We were glued to the TV for hours.

And I still remember dh’s old aunt phoning at 4 pm, complaining bitterly that Countdown wasn’t on.

I said, ‘But surely you’ve seen the terrible thing that’s happend in New York?’

‘I don’t care! I want Countdown!’
Sadly it was entirely typical of her.

Grandmabatty Fri 11-Sept-26 08:36:54

I was teaching. The janitor came in and told me. He had a reputation as a joker and I didn't believe him at first.
My friend's daughter had been visiting New York and she, along with a group of friends decided to meet at the World Trade Centre. Fortunately for them all, they went the day before. A lucky escape.

Cossy Fri 11-Sept-26 08:40:35

I was working in the beings at this time, so I was in our living room ironing and watching “neighbours”.

I will never forget the programme being interrupted and seeing the plane smash into the twin towers, I wasn’t really aware what it was, then very swiftly followed by the second plane and the news simply stayed on for the rest of the day.

Utterly shocking, utterly horrendous.

My husband working for a large American Insurance company and my cousin a USA bank, they were both based in London, but they knew colleagues killed in this horrendous attack.

Cossy Fri 11-Sept-26 08:41:38

“Evenings” not “beings”

Jane43 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:43:58

I was on the platform at Shrewsbury train station, I had been to a meeting and was on my way home. A young woman came up to the young man sitting next to me and told him what had happened, when I got home I switched the tv on and when my DH came home from work we watched it for ages hardly able to believe what was happening.

ferry23 Fri 11-Sept-26 08:46:17

I was due to fly out to NYC the next day, and I was on the phone to my friend in New York confirming where we would meet up in the evening. She worked about 4 blocks from the towers. She suddenly said I've got to go and put the phone down.

LindaPat Fri 11-Sept-26 08:54:12

I was in the bedroom putting away the laundry. I had the tv on for background noise. At first glance I thought the programme had switched to a new film review, but then realised it was a live news report.
I rang my (then) fiance at work and told him to find a tv and watch the news! I then sat on the bed in tears and watched the horror unfolding. I still get shivers when I think of it, such unbelievable evil.
We flew to Paris 2 days later for my birthday treat, and the security was unbelievable.
xxx

lizzyb Fri 11-Sept-26 08:54:28

I was at hospital with my Mum ... she was having her first chemo appointment. I went over to the waiting area and watched the TV whilst waiting for her. Thought I was watching a film until I realised what was happening.

Basgetti Fri 11-Sept-26 08:58:31

Glued to the tv. My husband had several colleagues based in the towers - a company called Cantor, I think.
It was almost unbelievable.

eazybee Fri 11-Sept-26 09:00:12

I was in school, expecting a meeting with another teacher. When she arrived she was gabbling about a plane having crashed into the Twin Towers and another plane was missing; we had no idea what she talking about, so as soon as possible found the school television, switched on the news, and the full horror was revealed.

Galaxy Fri 11-Sept-26 09:00:35

I was at work, at a childrens home, the children were at school. The TV was on in the background. Gradually every time a member of the team walked past the TV they stopped until we were all gathered around the TV.
A terrible terrible day.

TheatreLover Fri 11-Sept-26 09:02:31

I worked in a medical establishment, so none of us were aware until someone who lived in the building told us. On the way home, it seemed as though every shop window had an outward facing television so that people passing by could watch events unfold. When news came through that a third plane had crashed at the Pentagon, and a fourth plane, believed to be heading for the White House, but diverted by passengers and had crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, the enormity of what was happening that day was terrifying.

aggie Fri 11-Sept-26 09:06:10

We were arriving home having just collected my daughter from the airport back from working in Japan , my son was glued to the small tv on the kitchen counter and I scolded him for watching horror movies !
We couldn’t believe what was happening
She had left her Japanese friend in Heathrow waiting for her flight to NewYork