Never Forget
- Thread starter B52G8rAC
- Start date
- Jun 12, 2014
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- Jun 8, 2016
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There are my thoughts I posted back in 2014.
I will never forget the horror of that morning, watching a live TV feed as the second plane hit the second tower. Suddenly, all at once, I felt an complex emotion of great grief and sorrow with an intense sense of anger and the clear mission to protect my family from an uncertain and unseen enemy.
I will never forget the admiration I felt for the firefighters, who were running into what everyone else was running from. A sense of appreciation came over me with a tremendous burden to pray for them.
I will never forget the utter shock seen in the faces of the people in the streets of NYC, realizing that what they were witnessing was even worse than it appears on my TV screen.
I will never forget looking into the face of my dad, the eyes that I looked to my whole life for protection and confidence, and seeing initial uncertainty in this unprecedented moment. I remember thinking that this is probably what my kids are seeing in my eyes too. I will never forget talking with him through this moment, saying so much to each other in a very few but well chosen words that gave me confidence and resolve to stay strong.
I will never forget the feeling of hopelessness as I watched that first tower collapse, realizing that hundreds of people who were clinging to hope of a rescue, were now gone, in addition to the heroes who had responded to their aid.
I will never forget the realization as that day developed that our lives, and the lives of future generations would never be the same, changed forever by this infamous attack on our homeland.
I will never forget gathering around the TV that afternoon, holding my wife's hand and with little arms around my neck - both a little tighter than normal - as we watched the news develop before our eyes, realizing that I have so much to be thankful for and most of it was in the room with me at that moment.
I will never forget my 5 year old, looking curiously in my face at something he'd rarely seen, as tears of sadness flowed freely down my checks as I reflected on the thousands of lives and families forever altered in that instant of terrorist insanity.
I will never forget seeing the President a few days later, standing in the Oval Office fighting back tears, chin quivering with emotion as he spoke briefly to reporters, realizing how much of a burden he must feel at this moment. Seeing his emotion reminded my that he was a father before he was a president, and he had some of the same emotions I had about my family, and many more. I will never forget praying for him for strength and wisdom to guide our country, no matter my disagreements with his politics.
I will never forget tucking my sons into bed that night, lingering a little longer than normal, reflecting that hundreds of kids would never get have that experience ever again.
I will never forget September 11, 2001.
I will never forget the horror of that morning, watching a live TV feed as the second plane hit the second tower. Suddenly, all at once, I felt an complex emotion of great grief and sorrow with an intense sense of anger and the clear mission to protect my family from an uncertain and unseen enemy.
I will never forget the admiration I felt for the firefighters, who were running into what everyone else was running from. A sense of appreciation came over me with a tremendous burden to pray for them.
I will never forget the utter shock seen in the faces of the people in the streets of NYC, realizing that what they were witnessing was even worse than it appears on my TV screen.
I will never forget looking into the face of my dad, the eyes that I looked to my whole life for protection and confidence, and seeing initial uncertainty in this unprecedented moment. I remember thinking that this is probably what my kids are seeing in my eyes too. I will never forget talking with him through this moment, saying so much to each other in a very few but well chosen words that gave me confidence and resolve to stay strong.
I will never forget the feeling of hopelessness as I watched that first tower collapse, realizing that hundreds of people who were clinging to hope of a rescue, were now gone, in addition to the heroes who had responded to their aid.
I will never forget the realization as that day developed that our lives, and the lives of future generations would never be the same, changed forever by this infamous attack on our homeland.
I will never forget gathering around the TV that afternoon, holding my wife's hand and with little arms around my neck - both a little tighter than normal - as we watched the news develop before our eyes, realizing that I have so much to be thankful for and most of it was in the room with me at that moment.
I will never forget my 5 year old, looking curiously in my face at something he'd rarely seen, as tears of sadness flowed freely down my checks as I reflected on the thousands of lives and families forever altered in that instant of terrorist insanity.
I will never forget seeing the President a few days later, standing in the Oval Office fighting back tears, chin quivering with emotion as he spoke briefly to reporters, realizing how much of a burden he must feel at this moment. Seeing his emotion reminded my that he was a father before he was a president, and he had some of the same emotions I had about my family, and many more. I will never forget praying for him for strength and wisdom to guide our country, no matter my disagreements with his politics.
I will never forget tucking my sons into bed that night, lingering a little longer than normal, reflecting that hundreds of kids would never get have that experience ever again.
I will never forget September 11, 2001.
- Jun 24, 2014
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Founding Member
I wrestled with myself on whether to share my particular thoughts about 9/11 and what I will never forget.
I remember watching the news and seeing those folks jumping off the towers. I remember thinking it was debris falling until the news told us what was really happening. The screams of horror from onlookers. I can't even begin to imagine the thought of having to choose between being burned alive or jumping to my death. I am tearing up just typing this. Never forget.
I pray for them and everyone affected by this horrible tragedy.
Never forget.
I remember watching the news and seeing those folks jumping off the towers. I remember thinking it was debris falling until the news told us what was really happening. The screams of horror from onlookers. I can't even begin to imagine the thought of having to choose between being burned alive or jumping to my death. I am tearing up just typing this. Never forget.
I pray for them and everyone affected by this horrible tragedy.
Never forget.
- Jun 11, 2014
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In talking with some people, it is amazing what kids today, born after 9/11, AREN'T being taught about it.
We should never forget what happened that day, nor should future generations.
We should never forget what happened that day, nor should future generations.
- Sep 4, 2014
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That's what always got me as well. These were bright people too, so they'd obviously exhausted all possible escape options and were faced with that choice. I can only imagine the horror they witnessed or were already feeling that made jumping the better option, not to mention their families in the back of their head. Still extremely tough to see those images, nearly 2 decades later.
I was actually supposed to be at Windows in the north tower the following week for a contest my firm had won. So this has always helped me to keep in perspective the randomness of things.
- Jun 11, 2014
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I was and am still angry enough to authorize the use of deadly force.
Isn't it strange how history is being manipulated?
I am Proud to be an American and a Gator!
Never Forget!
Isn't it strange how history is being manipulated?
I am Proud to be an American and a Gator!
Never Forget!
- Sep 8, 2014
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It's always interesting to me to read others thoughts/comments on this subject.
For those that don't know, I'm a retired firefighter and was in the reserves at the time. I got off work that morning, went home to take a nap and woke up to a friend calling telling me to turn the tv on. In 2005 I got another phone call telling me to pack my sh*t and I ended up in the Middle East for almost a year doing port security mission (mostly in Kuwait, thankfully). I can honestly say, in my 'line of work', 9/11 had a huge impact on my life; 343 FDNY brothers & sisters died that day, and I got deployed as a reservist. I have 9 months left on active duty military until I retire. It will be a bittersweet day, but I know I did my part. This is a great country and I hope all of us would rise up again if it's ever attacked like it was that day in 2001.
For those that don't know, I'm a retired firefighter and was in the reserves at the time. I got off work that morning, went home to take a nap and woke up to a friend calling telling me to turn the tv on. In 2005 I got another phone call telling me to pack my sh*t and I ended up in the Middle East for almost a year doing port security mission (mostly in Kuwait, thankfully). I can honestly say, in my 'line of work', 9/11 had a huge impact on my life; 343 FDNY brothers & sisters died that day, and I got deployed as a reservist. I have 9 months left on active duty military until I retire. It will be a bittersweet day, but I know I did my part. This is a great country and I hope all of us would rise up again if it's ever attacked like it was that day in 2001.
- Jun 20, 2014
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- Jun 12, 2014
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I was working right outside of Philly in NJ at some nuclear power plants. It was mass evacuated almost immediately and we really had no clue as to why. 3000 employees racing down a one way, 12 mile long, road. I am surprised nobody wrecked. We heard it all unfolding over the radio. That area has a constant presence of aircraft in the air. It was really weird not seeing any planes in the sky for several days. Security at the power plant went from “eh” to a military style checkpoint 10 miles away. Thinking about all of it still makes me choke up.
- Sep 8, 2014
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UF offers a BS in Fire Science now. It's mostly an online program.
Online Fire & Emergency Services Bachelor's Degree | University of Florida Online
They also offer a Masters:
https://dcp.ufl.edu/rinker/academics/online/master-of-fire-and-emergency-sciences/
- Jun 20, 2014
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- Sep 4, 2014
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Wow.
I hadn't seen it from the air until about a year later, flying into LGA. Having come to know that skyline from when I was a kid, it seemed so strange. All these lights and construction, and no towers--just a giant pit. Couldn't wrap my head around it.
