9/11 – A True Story from the Plane
Where were you when the world stopped turning? We all remember the events of 9/11, and while it is not a feel good topic, for some reason it does seem to be therapeutic to talk about it. We all seem to want to know each other’s stories.
Jeff and Shannon are out today, but Donnie and Andie talked about where they were when the first planes hit the towers. Everyone has a story. All of them are worth hearing.
I was on the air at XTU. I was in my 20s and torn in half between reporting the events and worrying about my parents. It means the world to me when I hear from people who remember my chaos that morning. People who were figuring it out with me. We’re bonded forever.
Good Morning America was on mute on the television in the studio. I’ll never forget looking up at our little TV to see the first tower get hit. It’s interesting to me to think about what your brain does to make it make sense. Because it did not make sense. Planes don’t just fly into buildings. Was it a real plane? Was it an optical illusion? How could this possibly have happened?
As all of these thoughts are going through my head, the second plane hit. My knees buckled. It was then that I realized my parents were – at that very moment – flying from Philadelphia to Seattle to celebrate their anniversary on an Alaskan cruise. I was completely torn between trying to be professional on the air and losing my mind and heart as a daughter. Like so many of us, I was an emotional wreck. But this is where it gets interesting …
My Parents’ Story:
My mom and dad woke up early that morning in order to pack the car and travel to the airport for an early flight. A couple hours into the flight the captain’s voice came over the intercom and announced there were hijackers overtaking planes and flying them into buildings. He said the airspace must be cleared, so they would be landing immediately.
You thought you had questions watching from the ground. Imagine hearing that in the air. No word on whether their flight was suspect. Just imagine …
My dad told me as soon as the captain turned off his microphone the plane immediately cork-screwed down to the ground. They landed in Champaign, Illinois. My mom said there was nothing there but a hotel and peacocks. I don’t know why there were peacocks, but that’s what my mom saw.
Everyone on that flight stayed at the same hotel. A small hotel that wasn’t prepared for hundreds of guests. I mean, who the heck vacations in Champaign, Illinois?! A couple days later their flight was back up in the air headed home to Philly. They were the first airplane in the sky after the terror attacks and they were escorted by fighter jets.
I remember going to the airport to pick them up. Do you remember the airport before 9/11? You could walk anywhere! There was practically no security. But that day, I was terrified. But no one was going to stop me from seeing my parents. I parked my truck and ran inside. I mean RAN. I was stopped by a police officer who was loaded with guns and ammo. I remember thinking, “how does this guy even stand with all this equipment?” I explained why I was there and he helped me find my parents. They were the only civilians I saw in the airport. This group of older folks who had a bond they would never break.
My father has since passed, as have many others. But to this day my mom visits some of the passengers she met at the hotel in Champaign on that fateful day.
