“She worked at the World Trade Center, and she’d shop on her lunch break. She ALWAYS had the most out-of-this-world clothing. She was constantly turning heads. ‘Do you think Grandma is gone?’ All I remember is the way she looked at me.”
‘The principal came over the loudspeaker. ‘What’s going on?’ I panicked as we left. ‘They can’t find your Grandma Myrna.’: Woman remembers grandma lost on 9/11, ‘I still miss her laugh’
‘My daughter arrived on 9/11. I woke up to see the first tower falling. I thought my family was watching an action movie.’: Mother gives birth on September 11th, ‘I was not emotionally OK’
“My OBGYN came in to check on me while not knowing where her own husband was at Ground Zero. I was in a hospital where they were calling in extra nurses and doctors for the casualties that should be arriving, but never came. Everyone knows where they were on 9/11, but I lived that day in a strange reality.”
The medics arrived, and he couldn’t hide his pain. My husband extended his hand, looked him straight in the eye and quietly said, ‘thanks for the ride.’
“It was then that I saw it. My husband was a hero. In that moment I witnessed in his deepest, darkest despair, yet he still did the right thing.”
‘Hon, I know if you’re alive, you’ll make it out.’ I could see the Pentagon from my office. I was 32 weeks pregnant.’: Military couple recalls ‘pure fury’ felt by 9/11 attack, realizes ‘we are a part of history’
“After the first plane hit, my Senior Intelligence Officer was in my office. When the second plane hit, I looked at her. ‘Cathy, this isn’t an accident.’ The phones started ringing. It struck us – all at the same time – my husband was in that building. Our son was home with our nanny. ‘Is Daddy’s shirt ripped?,’ he asked as he saw people streaming out of ‘Daddy’s Pentagon’ as he called it.”
‘We ran away and married in secret. I fell in love before I knew her name. Right then, I confessed, ‘I’d marry you in a heartbeat.’: Veteran recounts whirlwind romance, ‘We were meant to be’
“It was love at first sight. Every time she entered the room, it felt like the world stopped turning. Life had different plans for us, and it wasn’t quite our time. I was deployed and we lost touch. After returning from Iraq alive, I had a fresh perspective on life. There was an instant bond between us.”
‘I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked. I’m putting a plan together. Tell the kids I’ll talk to them later.’: 9/11 hero’s final words to his wife, his heroic actions played out minute-by-minute
“Deena: ‘Where are you? Are you in the air?’ Tom: ‘Yes, just listen. Our airplane has been hijacked. It’s up to us. I think we can do it.’ Deena: ‘I love you.’ Tom: ‘Don’t worry, we’re going to do something…’ Tom’s last act on earth was one of the most courageous things imaginable. I’ll never forget Tom’s last words. I hope you won’t either.”
‘It took us a second to realize this firefighter was walking the flights of stairs as all the firefighters did on 9/11. It’s little things like this that make you stop and think.’: Firefighter honors fallen brothers by reenacting their steps
This year, 17 years after the fatal attacks, the tradition continues. Never forget.
‘I saw a tower had been hit. I opened the curtain and saw the smoke over lower Manhattan.’: Man credits random encounter with ‘lifelong best friend’ for saving his life on September 11
“When I woke up, I heard the shower going. Then I heard someone leave the apartment. I rushed to Mike and Elena’s bedroom and hollered for him. No response, so I kept hollering, ‘Mike, Mike are you in there?’ Moments later, his tower was hit.”
‘I mustered up courage to ask where he was on 9/11. ‘The 47th floor of the North Tower,’ the museum worker said.’: Young woman’s chance encounter with September 11 survivor makes her ‘proud to be an American’
“We were near the 9/11 Memorial entrance. It was POURING rain. ‘You guys come with me.’ He escorted us past the long line, past the police officers, and told the security guards, ‘These are my two friends, let them in.’ Before he left, he told us to look for him in the museum; we would find his picture and the watch he wore that fateful day. Sure enough, we did.”
