9-11 and the Sarasota Family History Center

[Navidad]

I remember where I was that 9-11 morning when the towers came down! You might have guessed it. I was in the family history center at the Chapel on Beneva Rd. in Sarasota, FL. I was researching something about the Mexican colonies on the computers. Sarasota made the news that day because that is where President Bush was, reading to children in one of our schools. Most of northern Sarasota was shut down that morning. I was in the place I enjoyed being, learning and studying LDS colony history - 22 years ago! My wife was teaching in her school - not the one where President Bush was. That was quite a day!

Edited September 12, 2023 by Navidad

[rpn]

My memories of 9-11 were that my 9th grader with trauma history and PTSD melted down in 6th period and got suspended for three days, and we celebrated his making it to sixth period with constant coverage and no breaks at home with ice cream and cake.

I think it interesting that we do not remember the most important lesson of 911.   Aviation interests (I was an airport director) had been lobbying for a very long time to have cockpit doors hardened.  Airlines resisted it because of cost.  Government chose not to make them.   Well, within a year after 911 every cockpit was hardened.   A 911 cannot be repeated, but also need never have happened in the first place (not to suggest they might not have found some other dastardly thing to do).

Edited September 12, 2023 by rpn

[Tacenda]

I am remiss on why there is conspiracy theories on it being an inside job, embarrassed that I know people personally that say it. 

I remember sending the kids off to school and watching the morning news when the first plane hit the tower and then watched in horror the second plane. My brother in law was either in or near it and remembers being covered with ash. 

My husband and I went to the site but it wasn't fully finished, the memorial. We only saw the museum. One day I want to return and see the completion which is coming up, the full completion if I'm remembering right what the news said. 

I remember our country being one big family! Where has the country gone??

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by Tacenda

[Stargazer]

On 9/12/2023 at 9:34 PM, Tacenda said:

I remember our country being one big family! Where has the country gone??

The dividers have been hard at work.

[Stargazer]

Living on the west coast, I was still asleep when the first tower fell, and was awakened by one of my sons, who woke me to tell me that one of the Twin Towers had fallen. I got up hastily, and went downstairs to the television. I was watching the second tower burning when it, too, fell. It was a very ethereal event, and I felt both disconnected from reality and deeply connected with it. A very odd feeling.

I went to work that morning only to find that one of my favorite coworkers had a brother who normally lived in San Diego, but who had been visiting NYC for business that day, and in fact was in a work meeting in one of the two towers. She was kind of beside herself worrying about him. As you can imagine, everyone in the office was highly distracted, and televisions had been pulled out from the media closet. Many were watching to see what was going on.

Later, my coworker received word that her brother had survived. His work meeting had been in an office above the floor that was impacted by one of the airplanes (I don't remember which tower). But he had volunteered to go downstairs to get donuts and drinks for their meeting, and was below where the airplane struck when it hit. 

It was a very surreal day.

[rodheadlee]

I was working 300 miles from home. I watched it on the news as I got ready for work in my hotel room. I went ahead and went to work and I messed up everything I did. Finally I packed my stuff and went home. 101 South bound was jam-packed because nobody could fly. I ended up quitting my job and getting one closer to home. It hurt financially that was the first time in my life I was getting paid 10K a month.

Earlier in the year we had bought airplane tickets to go to New York City for the first time in my life. We we went ahead and went and flew in about a month after 911. It was so sad there was still smoke from the Twin Towers in the background of the Statue of Liberty as we flew into New York City.

Edited November 2, 2023 by rodheadlee