HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
Eleven years later, September 11, 2001 is still fresh in the memories of us all. Hundreds of people lost their lives when four passenger planes were hijacked by terrorists. For many, the world seemed to stop as footage of attacks broadcast live on television.
These are the memories from WAFF 48 News employees in their own words.
"I was a senior in high school and my brother and I were on our way to our early morning class. We turned on the car radio but there was no music. Rick Dees was talking about an apparent attack at the World Trade Center. We switched to news radio and couldn't believe what we were hearing. By the time we got to class, the TV was already on and I got a first glimpse of what happened at the twin towers. Every student was aghast, every teacher's face ashen. Of all seven periods, the only class that actually went into session was math. Every other period was spent watching the news and feeling overwhelmed by the unimaginable." - Christine Pae, News Reporter
"I was sitting in Science class at Burnsville High School in Minnesota. It was second block and our principal came onto the intercom and said, 'America is under attack. This morning two planes hit the WTC and the media is reporting a third hit the Pentagon.' A lot of people were freaked out walking to the third class of the day. When I got to my room – our teacher turned on CNN and we watched coverage and the WTC come crashing down. It still gives me chills and makes me feel sick to my stomach." - Nick Lough, News Reporter
"I remember that morning very well. I had just dropped Ross, my first born, off for daycare and was on the way back home. I heard it on the radio. I then got a call from his daycare saying they were letting the kids out because they were close to the Arsenal and there was a safety concern. Ross was seven months old and was in his swing as I watched television in disbelief the rest of the morning and early afternoon.
Having been in the Army for eighth years, and serving in Desert Storm in 1990-91, my first reaction was of anger and wanting to pick up a weapon and run to the battlefield. I took another look at my son and realized my mission was to raise him the best I could, be a great father and support our troops any way possible." - Brad Travis, Chief Meteorologist
"I was a sophomore in high school. My first period Spanish class had just dismissed and I was walking down the hall when a teacher shoved passed me and I heard her mumble something about the Pentagon. I got to my next class and that's when I found out about the attacks. We spent most of the rest of the day of school watching the news." - Kansas Marsh, WAFF 48 News Now Producer
"I was working nightside for a television station, so I was still in bed when the first plane hit. My roommate, Meredith, woke me up and said, 'You've got to see this, we're under attack.' I walked into our den and saw what was happening. At that point, I got in my Jeep and drove to work. Hours later, I remember asking coworkers if they thought our lives would ever be the same again. 11 years later, I can say with complete certainty, our lives will never be the same." - Amanda Jarrett, 5 p.m. Producer
"Back in 2001, I was fresh out of college and getting my feet wet at WAFF as an Editor/AP. I was living in Arab at the time and running late for work. I jumped in the shower, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and ran out the door, not stopping to turn on a TV or listen to the radio. When I got in the car, I had a CD already in the player and listened to AC/DC the whole way to work, clueless about the horror I'd witness in about 25 minutes. When I got in the newsroom, it was eerily quiet. Back then, we had a tower against the wall in the middle of the newsroom with five big monitors on top tuned into all stations, plus cable news. The entire newsroom was gathered around the monitors watching. I was immediately drawn in and terrified, along with the rest of my co-workers… we worked odd shifts all week. Because NBC had wall to wall coverage, we didn't know when we'd go on the air. We had to be ready at a moment's notice. It was an around the clock effort and we worked tirelessly to keep our viewers informed, all the while watching the live feed from New York as rescuers continuously pulled bodies from the World Trade ruins. I believe it was Thursday when an emotional wave of tears swept through the newsroom. We see a lot of horrible things working in this business, and you get used to it, but everyone has a breaking point, and we reached ours. A heartbreaking and painful experience I pray none of us have to relive." - Brad King, Topical Producer
"I was at the Jacksonville, Florida airport getting ready to head to St. Louis for my wife's grandfather's funeral. After the first plane hit, all the monitors in the airport that had been on CNN were turned off. My wife and I listened to coverage on the radio as we headed back to Gainesville so I could go to work." - Adam Henning, News Director
"I was on my way home from my station in Dallas after the morning show. I began hearing news on the radio on the way home about how a small airplane had just hit the World Trade Center building. At that point it just sounded like an accident until I heard there were clear blue skies and not poor visibility contributing. By the time I made it home, it was clear that we were under attack. I heard there was smoke being seen over D.C. And another plane had hit the WTC.
I quickly returned to work. It was a very surreal day. No honking or road rage on the Dallas highways. Everyone was just kind of moving along in shock over what just happened." - Brian Fowler, Meteorologist
"On 9/11 my photog and I were headed to a minor school bus wreck in Madison. On the way to the scene we heard on the radio that a plane had hit the first tower. Within a few short minutes we got the call from our News Director at that time, Tracey Rodgers, to head to Huntsville Airport. The second tower had been hit, our country was under attack and all flights were grounded. We parked our live truck in front of the airport and worked the next 48 hours straight. We sat in the airport restaurant with other passengers on break mesmerized by the coverage. I will never forget that day. I was relieved my family was safe, but heartbroken for the ones who lost loved ones." - Elizabeth Gentle, 48 News Now Anchor and News Reporter
"I was in psychology class in 10th grade. After switching classes I remember seeing my teacher upset & couldn't figure out why. She finally composed herself & turned on the TV as we watched just moments after the second plane hit. Every TV in the school was on and we spent most of the day watching, not understanding what was happening and what this meant for our future. I also remember where I was when President Bush declared we were at war. I was waiting tables at a neighborhood pizza shop & I remember being glued to the TV and his address and hearing/seeing him say we were at war sent chills down my spine. It felt like it wasn't real, like it was part of a movie." Marie Waxel, Shoals Reporter
"I was in my first semester of college at Callhoun. I was walking with a friend to the bookstore and another friend ran up and said, 'Did you hear? The World Trade Center just got bombed!' My friend, Stacy, didn't believe him, thinking it was a hoax or something. My first thought was 'Where's the World Trade Center again?' In the moment, my brain didn't connect the WTC with the Twin Towers (which is what I've heard them called for most of my life). Later, we went back to our classes and found that they were going to be canceled. Then we knew it was serious. Stacy and I went back to her house and watched the news just as the second plane hit. That's when it really hit me what was going on. I don't really remember much of what happened after that." - Jessica Koch, Graphics Operator
"Sometimes it's difficult to recall exactly what happened that day because I was so young. I was in the fourth grade at the time. I went to Holy Spirit Catholic School in Huntsville and religion class was about to begin. Per usual routine, the teachers in that hall were gathered outside the room talking before class started. I remember one of them taking a call from someone and then our teacher rushing back into our room to turn the TV on. It was only about 10 minutes later that parents began calling in to check their children out of school. I remember us all being confused. We could see what was happening on TV but had no idea what it meant. I remember asking my teacher but she told us to just wait until our parents picked us up. The fourth grade seems like a lifetime ago, but that day feels like it happened just yesterday." - Adam Henry, Nightly Assignment Editor
"Eleven years ago I was living in Davie, Florida. I was an 8th grader at Indian Ridge Middle School. When I first heard about the attacks, I had just walked into my 2nd period American History class. My teacher turned on the TV and it was then I saw those horrible images in New York City and Pennsylvania, that I will never forget." - Diana Crawford, News Reporter
"8th grade Literature class at Meridianville Middle school. I remember another teacher, Social Studies I believe, walking in to tell my teacher to turn on CNN because the U.S. had been attacked. I sat there glued to the television for an hour before we had to change classes, science was next. I sat and watched it in science class until the principle told us to turn off the news and continue our day as normal. If there was anything else to happen, we would be notified by intercom. I was in a bit of a daze for the rest of that day." - Michael Crouch, Production Assistant
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