<p>As to the terrible toll in lives, I do remember the very early stages when no one had any idea, really, how many thousands of people might have died, and how overwhelming it was to think about what the extent of the loss might be. </p>
<p>I can still picture a televised press conference with Mayor Guiliani, where a reporter asked if there was any estimate of the number of deaths. It was too early for any real numbers. I remember Guilaini’s response: “More than any of us can bear.” It sent a shiver through me then, and still does now when I think of it.</p>
<p>I lived in Queens at the time, and my husband worked about a block and a half from the WTC. I remember every moment of that day, from the first phone call from my husband. But I also remember so many sad moments over the following weeks. One of our neighbors was a fire fighter who played in the Fire Department’s bagpipe corps. A few times a week for quite a while, when I was taking my kids to school or running an errand, I would see him leave his house and get into his car in full regalia – the kilt and all. He was a big burly guy and the outfit was impressive and amazing. But it was so sad to realize that each time, he must have been going to a memorial service or a funeral for a fellow fire fighter who had died on 9/11.</p>
<p>I felt exactly how NJRes felt. There was no way, being familiar with the area and the type of work hour patterns that people who worked in the WTC had, that you didn’t assume that the casualties would be in the five figures, once the towers fell. It’s the most awful thing I’ve ever witnessed and it’s still unbelievable that over 3000 people were killed on home soil, but I do remember thinking that it was a blessing that the numbers weren’t higher.</p>
<p>There were so many things that lingered after 9/11 that I’m not sure if out of area people ever knew about. Of course, the NY Media are on high alert on a good day, but every night they would be telling the latest threats and what color alert we were on. One of the big reported threats for a while was shopping malls. A lot of areas held their Halloween trick or treating at the malls. Well, there was a rumor that spread like wildfire that the terrorists were planning on hitting shopping malls on Halloween so they’d hurt parents & children. And on the heels of that were rumors that Middle Eastern people were seen buying halloween candy in bulk & perhaps there were plans to poison children. Turns out that the middle eastern people were business owners and were buying to give out candy in their shops. Northern NJ has a lot of Arabic neighborhoods (especially in Paterson, where a number of the 9/11 hijackers had lived for a while) and most of the residents were doubly horrified: horrified that an attack had occurred in their country & horrified that they were not being lumped in with a bunch of bad guys; didn’t even matter if they weren’t Muslim.</p>
<p>When we were moving to TN in 2003, DH moved down about 2 months before the girls & I did. One night he called and I remember saying to him “OMG! Did you see they raised the terror alert to (whatever color!) There’s a credible threat to the bridges and tunnels.” And DH told me no, he didn’t because the Nashville stations never really talked about the terror alert level.</p>
I don’t personally think this is true. The Oklahoma City bombing was a pretty significant attack by citizens of our own country. </p>
<p>As to why 9/11 is different, I think there are a lot of reasons. It was an attack on a huge scale, but more importantly, significant parts of it took place on live tv. And even if you did not see it live, video of the attack in progress and it’s aftermath played on endless loops afterwards for days. If you think about other such events - Oklahoma City, the Madrid and London subway bombings, Bali, etc. - they did not occur live and there was limited footage for us to be drilled with afterwards. </p>
<p>After 9/11 we were subjected, over and over, to images of planes smashing into towers and the tower collapses, and even now it’s a shock to the senses to see them. People on this thread have described having PTSD even after 10 years.</p>
<p>I think they might be just testing them, but I can see the Towers of Light from my window. With the clouds, it is an intensely beautiful – but also very sad – sight.</p>
<p>One of the unfortunate outcroppings of 9/11 is that a cottage industry of sorts has sprung up around conspiracy theories involving government involvement in the attacks. People are making money peddling the most vile stuff imaginable :(.</p>
<p>My husband, because of his company, went down to the restricted area for the next few days after the attack by fire truck. He brought food and water for those working down there and sorting through the rubble looking for whatever they could find. He said the most amazing thing was the large number of people lining the streets cheering them on as they went downtown. It was very moving.</p>
<p>We were renovating our house that year and decided to have Thanksgiving in the city. We booked hotel rooms for all our relatives and dinner at Tavern on the Green. The most interesting thing to me about that trip was the number of people from around the country and around the world, many more than I had experienced before or since, and all those I spoke to said they were doing it for solidarity to the city. It was really touching.</p>
<p>I plan to avoid everything about that day this weekend.</p>
<p>Homeland Security has given a chilling update in regard to information they have recently intercepted. I know we are on high alert every year around this time but this feels different. Now are others feeling right now? Are you feeling more anxious than in past years? I am not feeling like my normal self and I really wish my two sons’ and all of their friends were no where near the city. Ten years ago they were all little boys and today they are facing the real changes that they did not fully understand back than. To make matters worse I have another son who is living in the United Emirates. I know that we are supposed to go on and not live in fear but I wish we did’nt have to live like this. I really miss the way our country was before these maniacs came into our world. How could there be a world with so many sick minds that actually believe there is a purpose to this.</p>
<p>The police presence in Times Square today is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I was here on 9/11. The NYPD is stopping every vehicle entering midtown Manhattan from any direction. God bless them. Some of the police look so young to have so much responsibility, but at the same time they are so brave. My daughter’s boyfriend will be joining the academy in January. Please keep these fine men and women in your thoughts this weekend. Even if everything is calm, they will be working many stressful hours for the next few days. My daughter is going to Citi Field on Sunday and I have asked her not to use public transportation. So sue me. She is my life.</p>
<p>zoosermom - I know what you mean. My son is meeting a friend in Hoboken today and then using Public transit to go to NY to hop a bus to Boston for a friend’s 21st birthday, they will do the exact opposite on Sunday, 9/11 coming back. I’ve asked him not to hang around the city on Sunday, but to come right home. I hope he listens. I could barely sleep last night thinking about it. Yes, I’m nervous.</p>
<p>Just a week before 9/11 i was in JFK flying . Just 7 days before 9/11 I passed next to the world trade centre in my way to the airport to get out of the US without even thinking for just a moment that after a little while these 2 towers will be gone .</p>
<p>the horriable attacks happened . I was just 7 at the time but I remember watching the horriable thing on TV with my father and my Mother . We immediatly called my uncle who was living nearby D.C at the time . I remember the fear that we lived until he answered the phone and calmed us and told us that he and his family are fine .</p>
<p>As I said I am from Canada and I can feel the tension even here. Where I work we are on high alert. People are not acting normal and with the annoucement of a reliable but unverfied threat I hope everyone stays safe and that it is hoax. My D goes to college in Upper New York State and she is finding the tension really high and has decided to come home and be with her family for the weekend. I suspect she will have difficulty going back late on Sunday. On a few occasion she has had to pull over with a lot of other vehicles to have xray done on her car. We do not blame Homeland Security at all but it is scarry. I pray nothing happens but like she said, who knows and if something does she wants to be with us. I would rather her not be able to return for a few days then not be able to come home. I will not watch any of the events this weekend just because I remember watching it live 10 years ago and still have a hard time watching anything to do with it even though I was not personally affected. My prayers go out to those working as police, fire, EMT, Homeland Security. I will only be listenng to the news in case something does happen. Take care of yourselves everyone</p>
<p>Zoozermom…I am so grateful to those who choose to become firemen and police and those who do deserve our upmost respect…bless him during these next few days and all the days ahead.</p>
<p>I live about 30 minutes away from Camp David. Obama was there over the weekend. There is always plane activity when he is there, but this past weekend it was very, very different. Much louder planes and more frequency. Although the newspaper says that it was nothing unusual, all of us who live here know differently.</p>
<p>i live in the south far away from nyc and didnt know anyone that might have been in the towers, or in flight that day…i watched that day on the tv, shocked… but it wasnt until august of the following year that i cried…my oldest was accepted to college in nyc and was moving into his apartment… a 5th floor walk up that wasnt in the best shape and fairly close to ground zero… i walked in and said, look at the dirt on this window, no sun is getting in, i’ll try to clean it and then i realized what the thick layer of dust and dirt was and could not wash it away and just cried!</p>
<p>I’m feeling somewhat anxious because my oldest son planned a trip that involves him flying from LA to Boston tonight, visiting Boston and then taking a train to NYC and spending time there. I’m not sure what day he’ll arrive in NYC (after September 11, I know that for certain). I knew he was going in September (after he’d already planned it), but this news has set me on edge.</p>
<p>my youngest moved to nyc about a year ago. he takes the path at WTC to jersey city every day for work. when i actually visited and saw the WTC site, it really hit home how awful that day must have been. </p>
<p>i was hoping he might leave the city this weekend–just so much stuff happening that i thought it might be easier to be out of town–well, he is going to go visit friends–in DC!</p>
<p>it will be a solemn weekend–here’s hoping it’s a safe one as well.</p>
<p>My son works in WTC Building 7. He has today off and we’re all going to reunion in upstate NY. </p>
<p>He drove into NYC last night (where he lives and does not normally have a car) and will drive out with his friends this morning. I am worried. I don’t like this.</p>
<p>I remember he was a freshman in high school in 2001 – now he is a college graduate and working essentially at Ground Zero. He can see the memorial from his office conference room (not from his cube!) and the Freedom Tower is right next door.</p>