I was 16 years old.
I was going to school late that morning because I had to have some blood drawn at the hospital. I was wearing my new Gap khaki skirt, a white t-shirt and flip flips. As the nurse pulled the needle out of my arm, my eyes drew up at the small tv screens near the ceiling.
“WE JUST SAW ANOTHER PLANE COMING IN FROM THE SIDE. THAT’S THE SECOND EXPLOSION. FOLKS, TWO PLANES HAVE CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS IN NEW YORK CITY. IT SEEMS TO BE ON PURPOSE.“
I remember thinking it was a movie. Or some sort of sick joke. Who in their right mind would fly a plane into a building? I had never known evil until that moment. My life had consisted of 11th grade geometry, church group and cheerleading practice. Though I wasn’t personally affected, I suddenly felt like I had grown up way too fast. The next time I would feel that way would be eight years later when I watched my brother take his last breath.
Why isn’t life fair?
Despite it all, I’m so proud of our country and the men and women that risk their lives every single day so we might have the freedom we know and love. I’m proud of our troops and I’m proud of the courage and strength those who lost someone that day display.
God Bless America.
Brittany @ Itty Bits of Balance
September 11, 2011 at 7:59 amI can’t believe 10 years have already passed.
Molly @ RDexposed
September 11, 2011 at 8:10 amgiving blood + discovering the incident must have left you feeling so woozy
pinkflipflops44
September 11, 2011 at 8:11 amYou nailed it on the why isn’t life fair. I think that’s what it the hardest to me when it happened.
VeggieGirl
September 11, 2011 at 8:17 amI was in 7th grade. The second plane flew over my city. My brothers went off to war. So frightening.
R. Chandra
September 11, 2011 at 8:44 amit’s strange, i remember what i was wearing on that day too. my little limited too shorts with a flower on them, and a purple turtleneck. i was ten. i didn’t see it on tv or anything at first, my mom got a call and then told me.
god bless america & the world, always.
Sherry
September 11, 2011 at 9:02 amThank you for sharing with us……a very poignant day in the history of our country….my heart aches as I watch all the coverage today, thinking about the brave responders, the people who woke up and thought it was just another work day and went to their jobs, the people who lost loved ones……like you, I am so incredibly proud of our country and the men and women who fight for our freedom every day and keep us safe.
I was pregnant with my first child, working for an investment firm. We were sent home that day, even though NYC is a long way from Austin, Tx…..no one knew what was happening. I remember being in shock……I got home and could not tear myself away from the tv….I wondered what kind of world my unborn child would be coming into……then I felt him kick for the very first time……I can’t tell you how amazing that was, a very bright moment on a very sad day…….God Bless…..
Michelle
September 11, 2011 at 9:25 amI was 20 and getting ready for work when my mom told me to turn on the tv. The rest of the day was surreal, panicked parents at the school I worked at and worried co-workers with family in New York. The most surreal part of my day was meeting my bf at the beach that night and sitting on the sand in silence while it felt as if everything around us had slowed to a complete stop. So much has changed/happened in the past 10 years but I know I’ll never forget that morning.
Cait's Plate
September 11, 2011 at 9:37 amI felt the same way. I was only in high school and luckily was not affected, but I remember that exact feeling of innocence lost.
Amy@ahealthyandhappyheart
September 11, 2011 at 10:23 amCan not believe 10 years have gone by… never forget.
Hilliary@HappilyEverHealthy
September 11, 2011 at 10:28 amHard to believe that 10 years has already passed, never forget! I was in the 9th grade when I watched the horrific plane crashes, I am still taken back to that 9th grade class room when I see images from 9/11.
mary @ what's cookin with mary
September 11, 2011 at 10:29 amI was 20 years old, getting ready to head to my college job at a real estate office. My Dad was out in the garage (right across from my bedroom) and he came in all red, sweaty and huffing and puffing saying ‘come here! come here, right now!’ with a look of horror in his eyes. I was thinking… what on earth could be in the garage that was that horrible and when I walked out I saw on the little TV he always watched out there while working out that a plane had just flown into on of the buildings. I heard the same announcement as you did sitting in the hospital. Both our mouths were open and we both had goosebumps and then the second plane hit. I’ll never forget that moment. I had to get to work. I was late. When I got to the office no one was there. I sat there my whole shift alone, listening to the radio staring out the front window at the busy street. No one was on the road. I sat there in the silence until around 2:30, when someone finally came in and told me I should go home and be with my family. I will never forget.
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes
September 11, 2011 at 10:44 am10 years ago?! wow…
Caroline @ The G-Spot
September 11, 2011 at 10:59 amBeautiful post, Jenna. Thank you for sharing your story.
French Heart
September 11, 2011 at 11:34 amAmen…
B n B
September 11, 2011 at 11:36 amWeirdly enough, I was at the hospital that day too for blood work. But late for university and about 4 years older than you. I remember the nurses and doctors just stopping everything. Shocking and sad.
kellyo
September 11, 2011 at 11:51 amBeautiful…
Kristina
September 11, 2011 at 12:14 pmBeautiful, Jenna.
Moni'sMeals
September 11, 2011 at 12:28 pmThanks for the post and sharing. For sure a day of remembrance. We all will NEVER forget what we were doing.
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy
September 11, 2011 at 12:30 pmThis is beautifully written. It’s amazing that most of us can remember everything we did on that day, right down to the outfit we were wearing.
Marcella
September 11, 2011 at 12:38 pmI’ve been following your blog for some time now and this post inspired me to finally comment. I remember similar feelings, not fully understanding how this evil could happen to America. Ten years later… I’m still asking the same question “why isn’t life fair?” Thanks for all your wonderful words, Jenna!
Mellie
September 11, 2011 at 1:31 pmI was 5. I had noo idea what happened because my parents didn’t want to scare me. My heary goes out to the family and friends of victims. God bless America!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
September 11, 2011 at 1:34 pmJenna every time I read about your brother, I feel so sad for you. I am truly sorry he is n not with you and your family.
Nicole
September 11, 2011 at 2:24 pmThank you for sharing your story Jenna.
mom
September 11, 2011 at 2:29 pmI love you sweetheart ~
Kristen @ notsodomesticated
September 11, 2011 at 2:56 pmAmen! God bless America!
Katrina
September 11, 2011 at 3:57 pmBeautiful post today. And well written, of course 🙂
Jess McG
September 11, 2011 at 4:35 pmI was sitting in my AP US History class, funnily enough going over “This Day in History” from HistoryChannel.com when a teacher from the next room came in and whispered something into my teacher’s ear. We turned on the TV and watched as the second plane hit the second tower. It was very surreal, though I find it appropriate to have been in US History while the most important piece of US history of my life happened.
jane
September 12, 2011 at 6:26 amI was sitting in my AP US History class as well! Another teacher came in to tell my teacher to turn on the tv but he wouldnt until the lesson was over.
Emily @ the doodlebug
September 11, 2011 at 4:43 pmI was also in high school that day, spending a study hall in our commons area and I remember watching it on tv in all of our classes. I can’t believe ten years have passed since that day. This was a wonderful post, Jenna.
Nancy in Naples
September 11, 2011 at 5:29 pmBeautifully written, Jenna.
Becca
September 11, 2011 at 5:50 pmLet’s also make sure we’re not selfish. Let’s make sure we bless and keep in mind all people in other countries who are suffering currently from hunger, war, and disease. Let’s try not to inflict any more pain as we deal with our own.
polly
September 11, 2011 at 6:25 pmLove you, Jenna! This was so beautiful. I remember that day too. I was on the phone with Dan a lot, we both just could not believe it. I don’t think it really sunk in til much later. Abbi was onlyy 5 years old.
XO
AngryPorkchop
September 11, 2011 at 6:42 pmI was working in technical support for a major computer corporation. I just happened to be speaking to an older lady who lived in downtown New York at the time. All of the sudden she dropped the phone and started screaming to her husband to look out the window. I could hear them both crying and talking each other. It was obvious that she was not coming back to the phone so I hung up about 10 minutes later. It was at that point that the calls stopped. Five-thousand people were staffed but there were no calls for anyone to take. All of the news sites were overloaded and we had no idea what was going on. I still have the email that was sent out to all employes a few minutes later that said we were under a terrorist attack.
amy walters, aDESIGNdock
September 11, 2011 at 7:27 pmBeautiful tribute Jenna. I remember that day so clearly…I find it so hard to believe 10 years have passed. Even though I was living in a small town in the central part of Canada…it really stopped me, and everyone around me, in our tracks. It was such a sad day and weeks to follow. We were all glued to the T.V – mourning with our American neighbours and praying for their country. Thank you for this post.
Lorin
September 11, 2011 at 11:00 pmI remember I woke up and walked into the living room where my mom was watching t.v., which never happens. I was in 4th grade, I had a grasp that it was bad but I didn’t really understand. I still went to school, I remember people talking about it, I don’t remember if we watched though, I feel like we did, but sometimes memories aren’t always accurate. I say God Bless Everyone.
Elizabeth
September 12, 2011 at 10:59 amJenna, thank you for this beautiful post. Inspiring. God Bless.
Kristin
September 13, 2011 at 7:11 amIt was surreal and frightening. In the aftermath, I saw wonderful new patriotic pride and sadly witnessesed new levels of hate and prejudice.
I was really touched by all the memorial services shown around the world on Sunday. The world was in mourning. May God bless all those we hold close to our heart and help us to remember His love knows no bounds and touches all people.
Sharon
September 14, 2011 at 5:44 pmThat was such a bizarre day. I was here in Northern California when it happened. I had new hours at my job, and as a result, I was home getting ready for work with the television on as the events were taking place, rather than already at work taking phone calls as I would normally have been. I tuned in to the news and they were showing the destruction of the first tower. At that time it was thought to perhaps have been an accident-at least that’s what I remember the newscasters saying. As I watched, the second tower was struck by another plane and it was evident that this “accident” didn’t happen twice. The world trade center towers had been attacked. My boyfriend had already left for work, but suddenly he reappeared in the doorway, cradling something in his hands. It was a baby owl. He said he was about to leave when he spotted this small brown thing near his truck outside on the driveway. It was evidently dazed, or maybe injured, having fallen from its nest. At that moment I remembered being awoken in the wee hours that morning by the sound of an owl hooting and calling outside…an eerie sound in the early morning fog. He put the baby owl in a box, preparing to take it to the bird rescue center on his way to work. We both watched the tv in a daze for a moment, unsure of what to make of what we were seeing, or how to react…then he went on his way and I finished getting ready for work. So now I always associate the events of that day with owls…odd I know. We checked in on the injured owl baby later that day-it didn’t make it.