Remembering 9/11

To those who remember, 9/11/2001 left an indelible mark. The moon landing (1969), the death of John F. Kennedy (1963), the end of the USSR (1989); these are some of the events that sent shivers down our collective spines. Every point in the spectrum of the past is history, but some events are so noteworthy that we know they are “history in the making.” 9/11 fits that category.

The 9/11 Monument at First Responders Park is a fitting monument for this 25th anniversary. A two ton twisted metal beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Center, it was one of the first fragments collected.

“C-40” was collected in 2008 by Westerville dignitaries, including Mayor, and now WHS board member, Kathy Cocuzzi. Fireman Tom Ullom, another WHS member, arranged for the fragment to be brought to Westerville and installed where it stands today.

Westerville is lucky to have this fragment of the tragedy, but since 9/11 is such a touchstone of our collective memory, I thought I’d ask some fellow Westervillians what they were doing that dreadful morning:

I was at work in our local office expecting a "normal" day when the first plane hit the World Trade Center. Word spread throughout the office rapidly and the IT team set up a TV in the conference room for employees to watch throughout the day. Many of the employees saw the second plane hit the WTC on the live broadcast. Several members of our sales force were at a trade conference in Arizona at that time. Fortunately, one of them immediately booked a rental car, anticipating that the airlines would be grounded for some time. The sales force members were able to drive back to Westerville, arriving several days later.

My wife was teaching a preschool class that morning, unaware of the events of that morning until the end of class when she opened the classroom door and found several of the preschool parents crying in the hallway. After hearing the news she returned home and watched the devastating news on TV with her parents the remainder of the day. Throughout the afternoon she tried to reach by phone several friends and relatives who lived in NYC, or worked for the airline industry. That was worrisome as the telecommunication systems were completely overwhelmed. by millions of people trying to determine the status of their loved ones. . . .

I was working at Westerville Parks and Recreation, and we were located at the 64 E. Walnut building. We heard the news of the first airplane hitting a building. Once the second plane hit and we realized this was much more than a small plane crash, the TV was hooked up so everyone in the office could watch. I remember that we were all very confused, stunned, and nervous.. . .

I was pregnant with my first child, who was due in December. I remember driving home to Hilliard and thinking about how incredibly blue the sky was that day. There wasn't a cloud in sight. It was a gorgeous 70 degree day in September. As I was getting off at the 270 and 70 West interchange, I looked up and saw a large plane, with a smaller one nearby in the sky. I immediately became scared because I knew all the airplanes had been grounded. I remember thinking, “Where did that airplane come from?" I was a little freaked out until I found out later it was the President's airplane flying over Columbus. . .I remember sitting on the back porch steps that afternoon, thinking, "What am I bringing a child into this world for?" It was such a scary thought. We didn't want to watch TV anymore. Everything was about death and the planes hitting the buildings, and no one knew what was going on. I remember that our neighborhood was unusually noisy that night. Families with children were outside, and kids were playing. Everyone seemed to be outside. I think many parents, like us, didn't want their children watching television anymore. We didn't have the answers but being outside somehow felt better than sitting inside watching the news. I will always remember the anniversary of 9/11 because I can connect it to the age of my first child. Every year, when that date comes around, I think about where I was, what I was doing, and how different the world suddenly felt.

I remember that day very clearly. I was on duty at the Fire Department; we were doing our morning duties when someone got on the fire department PA and said, “turn on the tv, a plane hit a building in New York” We all stopped what we were doing and watched. We continued to watch most of the morning. When the first tower collapsed the room went quiet. We all knew that the building was full of people as well as the responding firefighters. It was a quiet I’ll never forget.

These are only a few memories of 9/11. You may not remember the weather five days ago, but I think you may remember that day of national tragedy.

What do I remember? Nothing. I was in a coma on 9/11, having been badly hurt in an accident. I won’t tell the story here, but the events of 9/11 were not enough to rouse me from the dark nothingness of a coma. I bring it up now only to warn that even the most vivid memories eventually fade. Keep a diary. Write a memoir. Your descendants will thank you.

- Alan Borer