Posted by
Craig Freeborn on Monday, September 11, 2006 12:52:09 AM
In just a few short hours, dawn will break on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I remember the unfolding of those atrocities half a decade ago with the same clarity I recall the awful events of November 22, 1963 – as do all Americans from that era.
We had about half an hour left on the graveyard shift when we noticed the images on the monitor showed smoke pouring from what we later learned was the World Trade Center North tower. Someone quickly turned up the sound, and we all gathered around – trying to absorb the extent of the destruction. My mind was eased a bit when a commentator guessed that this might be comparable with the 1993 bombing and we might be looking at six dead. But as I saw the gaping hole, and the billowing smoke, I had an ominous feeling that prediction wasn’t entirely correct.
We were still working under the assumption that it was an accident when flight 175 slammed into the South Tower… and we immediately knew America had been hit. I was able to blurt out the name “bin Laden”, but “Osama” was beyond my memory capabilities.
On my way home, I hear the report that there was smoke coming from the Pentagon, but there are no reports yet of flight 77.
Unknown to me or anyone else at the time, Tom Burnett on flight 93 had called his wife Deena and told her to call the FBI. She did, and they were listening in when he called back to say the passengers weren’t about to go down without a fight. “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it… It’s up to us… I think we can do it.” He took a moment to say “I love you” then hung up to do what he had to do.
As I rushed into the house, my family already had the TV on and was gathered around watching, in real time, as America was attacked. My 22 year old daughter started to tell me what was happening, but I hushed her up, trying to take in what was happening. I sat down on the floor next to my 23 year old son.
Suddenly one of the towers didn’t look right – was it tilting? I grabbed for my son’s arm but missed – at the same time he blurted out that it was falling. My daughter jumped up from the couch, staring at the TV. I didn’t believe it… but my eyes told me it was true.
As the dust was still rising from the collapse of the South Tower, another passenger on flight 93 was talking to a Verizon phone operator. Todd Beamer lay the phone down, but left it turned on. The operator heard the commotion begin… “Oh my God!”… “God help us!”
Then Todd’s voice is heard again “You ready? Okay… Let’s roll!”
Two other passengers were also using cell phones.
Sandy Bradshaw tells her husband, “Everyone’s running to first class! I’ve got to go! Bye!”
CeeCee Lyles’ husband hears her say, “They’re getting ready to force their way into the cockpit… they’re doing it! They’re doing it! They’re doing it!” There’s screaming in the background… a “whooshing sound, a sound like wind,”… … …