Five years ago the world changed for many of us - and a number of us shared the experience on this forum.

Here's a link to the thread that was started that day. It reflects the confusion of the day and captures a range of emotions but is a snapshot of an important moment in history.

Now looking back those 5 years the world is not became safer after all things happend.
Those a/b the 4 airliners, inside Pentagon, World trade Center and all those fireman/woman, Policeman/woman and first aid man/woman died a horrible and unnessesary dead by the hands of religius fanatics and right wing politicians (fore so far my political statement).

In al respect to those died that day, there relativs and friends, they are in my thoughts.......

Let hope how difficult to believe that soon agression and the pain it brings will stop.

Imagen by John Lennon.

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do?
Nothing to kill or die for,
And no religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you will join us,
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you will join us,
And the world will live as one

Another thing I remember was our president, and mayor Guliani made strong leaders during those times and after, and kept our nation together.

[ 09-11-2006: Message edited by: 6263866 ]

This is another one of those events that is hard wired into the memory files called: "Where were you when?"

I can tell you that Miami Beach (as it was) had ceased to operate for the locals and the visitors as well, it was just a surrreal experience for 14 days after the tragedy as we tried to figure out what we could do to help.

It was a nightmare.

I was living on 21st street and Washington Ave. at the time and I do remember that each night we were told to bring candles to the beachside and light them as the satellites would take photos from above. It was simple, but spoke volumes to those who needed the light and our prayers.

The days following the tragedy - I had a friend who owned an Internet Cafe on Washington, where I got hours of free time each day and so I got in touch with Oprah's Message Boards and ABC News, I worked on an information panel passing/sharing information and moving supplies to New York.

It was during this period that I was in contact with the late Peter Jennings nightly, that was incredible. I sat with Peter Jennings night after night emailing him at his desk, as we tried to keep him from falling apart on air. He was a genuine mentor and fellow.

We had daily access to the "Tickers" in Time Square that we used to get information, greetings and thoughts to the people of New York City from all over the world.

The bars stopped partying and liquor became almost non-existent, nobody was in the party mood and it was as if the visitors to Miami Beach then, knew that. It was a quiet painful 14 days.

We were all stunned and I remember going to work during that time, and none of the staff wanted to be there. There was no reason to play music or be festive. All we did for nights on end was watch tv, it was surreal. The island was stopped dead - business and tourist wise.

After the 14 day mourning period I guess the word was given that things needed to get back on track.

So the deal was, If you donated money at the bars, you could drink free that night AND the bars would match nightly customer donations and we would send them to New York.

Needless to say There was not a drop of liquor in Miami for the next two weeks. We raised a TON of money...

After two weeks of mourning, and no alcohol consumption, Miami Beach made up for that in spades.
Was that a good thing or a bad thing, I never figured out.

I got sober soon after 9-11.

[ 09-11-2006: Message edited by: jeremya ]

I sailed the Rembrandt past the WTC is August 2000

September 16, 2001 From my brother who lives 20 blocks from the Trade Center

quote:

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Hi,

The wind shifted today - it had been blowing to the south towards Staten Island, but now it's blowing northwards towards us, and the debris is turning the air acrid. We've closed the windows
allowing the air in only through the air conditioner filter. And we have two air cleaning units running fullblast.

The southern part of Manhattan, below 14th Street, is off-limits to all but residents and emergency crews. M*&*^'s recording session was at 18th Street, and when she tried to return home to
)(*& Street, she had to produce ID proving that she lives here.

As she has no drivers license and left her passport home, it's a damn good thing she had her checkbook on her - her address is
stamped on the checks. If her ID had not been accepted, she would have had to call me on the cell phone and I would have shown up
at the checkpoint with her passport.

Today people are wandering around from hospital to hospital with photos, looking for loved ones. A woman wound up on TV with a
photo of her and her new husband in a Venetian gondola - he was a chef at the Windows On The World restaurant, and I'm pretty sure he won't be found.

The local ice skating rink has been set aside as a morgue, but the number of identifiable whole bodies will not be great - given the mass of collapsing steel and concrete, body parts and
fragments thereof will be the rule rather than the exception.

Apparently some survivors have signaled from beneath the rubble with their cell phones, and at least one report has surfaced of
someone buried with a functioning laptop contacting the internet and getting retrieved as a result.

This business about the White House and Air Force One also being targets is dubious - I think they're trying to explain why the Secret Service sent Bush to Strategic Air Command Headquarters in
Omaha, Nebraska, while Karen Hughes stayed in Washington and looked more Presidential than he ever did.

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[ 09-11-2006: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

[ 09-11-2006: Message edited by: Pascal ]

I found these emails from the 11th and 12th -

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words can not express how horrific it was. No sooner had I arrived in my office than our building was rocked and paper and debris started to arain down. A few minutes later, another holacious explosion rocked out building raining more
debris down; this was the 2nd plane going into the south tower.

When the towers came down, it was like a nuclear explosion; a huge shock wave smoke, ash and debris.

When we finally made it out to the streets an hour or so later, it looks like a war zone.

I'm just glad to be alive and I've never been so scared in my life; the shock of it still hasnt set in.

My prayers go out to all those who have lost loved ones.....I just cant make sense of all this.

My love to all.

Tim

----------------------\
As I sit here looking out upon the quiet dawn of this
morning in NYC, it is still impossible to comprehend the death, destruction and sheer terror that has been wrought upon this city.

When I fianlly collapsed last night, I hoped and prayed that when I awoke, it would all be a terrible dream. Alas, as I woke with a start fom the roar of a plane overhead, I realized it was still all too real.

I cant help but wonder about the possibly tens of
thousands who lost their lives and those that are
agonizing over the whereabouts of loved ones.

The sounds of horrific explosions, the images of
destruction and the stench of burning debris are all too fresh in my mind and will be hard to erase. Yesterday, as I ran for safety, for some unknown reason, stopped in my trakcs and picked up a charred legal pad, across the top, someone had just started their "To Do" list for the day, Tuesday, 9/11/01. It stopped mid way through item number three.

Perhaps nothing struck closer to home, at least for me, having viewed the devestation that took place in the lobby of our headquarters with the Palm Trees still standing tall among the wreckage and ashes.

quote:

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Originally posted by Tim in 'Lauderdale:
This sights, sounds and smells of that day will always be with me, they're hard wired into my system and seemingly innescapable...

Tim

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Tim,

I also found a first hand account you shared on the second anniversary.

Very powerful stuff, thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

We received the shocking news via the Captain who made an announcement at sea, over the tannoy. At first many of us thought that there had been some sort of dual accident. We struggled in our cabins to get watchable reception of the live TV news.

I felt very sorry for the mainly America’s onboard. Many had family and friends in New York who they may have seen just a few days earlier. Now they were isolated in the Atlantic, with communications to New York being very difficult. Many felt very alone. NCL kindly gave all passengers free E-mail and phone calls.

It was all very surreal because the sea was reasonably calm, everything was very peaceful and the sun shone, yet NY was in turmoil.

The vacation atmosphere quickly turned to one of mourning. That evening the Comedy show was cancelled as no one would be laughing. A mass was held in the theatre, which was packed to capacity. Many tears flowed that night. At dinner and in the bars that evening the mood was very solemn and reflective. There was a beautiful sunset that evening.

However the next day saw a very different mood. Many passengers had by then managed to contact loved one and establish that they were safe. The mood onboard lifted and people began to smile and laugh once again. This was the resilience of the human spirit in action.

We had to turn to practical events. We had QE2 and Caronia about to arrive in NY. There was to be a large transfer of passengers from QE2 to Caronia for a Canadian cruise. We diverted the ships to Boston but then had to get up there to organise logistics. There were no flights, obviously so 8 of us jumped into 2 mini-vans and drove up there non-stop. Our route took us past the Pentagon, across Manhattan and on up to Boston. It was a surreal, experience which I'll never forget. Looking after security up there at the time, dealing with FBI, local law enforcement and coastguard.

My new home for the next 3 to 4 days was the Wyndham in downtown Salt Lake. I was lucky and ended up with a single room but most flight attendants had to share which is not common in this day and age. There were so many crew at the hotel that Delta management set up a crisis management center in one of the conference rooms. We had twice daily meetings and of course everyone was most anxious to get home, especially single mothers and those with kids at home. We were all relieved when Delta announced all company planes and crews had been accounted for, but none the less saddened for our flying partners at UA and AA and of course all the victims.

Those days at the Wyndham will always be remembered as a surreal experience. During the day we were glued to CNN and wondering when we would get home, but at night we met for dinner and drinks and tried to make the most of it. There were so many emotions at one time it was confusing to say the least. We all had one other unique concern that most people didn't. Would we still have jobs? Who was going to fly anymore and would Delta go out of business? Well, Delta is still here but thousands did lose their jobs as a result.

We were finally cleared on an all-nighter flight back to Atlanta and the plane was completely full. We were not working the flight but deadheading home. When we landed in the pre-dawn hours in Atlanta everyone clapped and cheered. This is something you never see anymore. Those next months flying were unusual in that the American public had been humbled. They were polite, obeyed requests, and there were no irate tantrums. Flights were empty and there was a mutual respect for one another. Unfortunately that didn't last as long as I would have hoped and by the fourth month following 9/11 the American public (at least on airplanes) began to show their uglier side again. The "me syndrome" as we call it.

Through it all I could have not been more proud to work for Delta. They handled the crisis with dignity and respect, and treated us employees with the utmost TLC. For all crews around the world, they paid for all expenses without question (food, hotels, phone calls, incidentals, even clothing), while providing us with full pay during our time laid up in hotels.

For the really interesting and horrific stories, you need to talk to the flight attendants who were working the flights inbound from Europe. They were diverted to Canada and Maine and some spent over 48 hours on full airplanes sitting on the ground (I can only imagine the lavatories). The stories are amazing and frightening at the same time. There are also the stories about the generous and caring residents of the these small towns that took the stranded airline crews and passengers into their homes. Quite remarkable.

I will always remember 9/11 as a horrific day of human tragedy that changed America and even the world .... but I will also remember it as a time in history when Americans came together and persevered. I saw a different side to America during those weeks and months beyond 9/11, a gentler more caring America and that part was inspiring. Unfortunately it did not last as long as I would have hoped.

A couple weeks after 9/11 my best friend (a flight attendant for Northwest) and I sailed on a long transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale on GOLDEN PRINCESS. It was a another surreal experience and we were debating if we should even go. Many canceled and the ship was empty. We were upgraded to an aft facing suite which was spectacular. We enjoyed ourselves mostly removed from the continuing news of 9/11 and I think it was a good thing. Too much news and speculation is never a good thing. The crossing was wonderful and we met many friends we remain in touch with to this day. Our arrival in Ft. Lauderdale was met by several coast guard boats and extensive screenings of passengers and crew. We were the first passenger ship to arrive in the port from Europe and it was an odd almost unwelcome feeling. The respite from 9/11 was over and it was back to reality and the uncertainty that lay ahead.

quote:

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Originally posted by Pascal:
Quite interesting and well written, Ernie. Thanks for sharing.

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Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. It was actually easy to write as the memories are still very vivid.