9/11: Patch Reader's Share Their Memories

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon, with another Washington-bound jet crashing into a field near Shanksville, Pa.

As part of Patch's coverage and commemoration, here are three brief memories from Patch reader's and how that tragic date affected them.

I was working in Midtown New York City that day. It was a beautiful morning--but on the way in to work, the subway train I was on sat for a very long time. I was frustrated thinking it was just another delay. When I finally got to work I was very late, and that's when everybody started asking if I had heard that a plane had struck one of the Twin Towers.

Shocked, a co-worker and I ran out to the street to see if we could see anything. The towers were visible from most parts of the city, and sure enough, we were able to see the burning building clearly from 14th Street.

Eventually we headed back to work where we learned that another plane struck. Then the phones all stopped working (because the substations were in the towers) and the computers stopped working. We were told that we could all go home--which turned into another ordeal because the subway system was shut down.

Many people had a long walk home that day. All the while, fighter jets were flying overhead, and people covered in white dust were roaming the streets.

I lost a friend in one of the towers that day. Thankfully, two other friends survived despite being in high floors in the buildings when they were struck. Everybody was shocked and frightened.

Surely, my view on life changed completely because of that day. I cannot believe that 10 years have passed.

God bless America.

- Carmen Diaz-Hardman

I came back from the pool and turned on CNBC. Shortly after 9 a.m. the first plane hit and my wife was carrying up the steps a load of finished laundry when the first plane hit. I told her a crazed broker must have flown his Cessna into the towers.

A short time later the second plane hit and I told her, this is not an accident it is purposeful. Sad. Just really sad.

Two people I knew were killed and one other that lived eight blocks from the towers and witnessed the collapse.

- Bill Evelyn

Every morning in my early 20's I would go to this little deli a block from the World Trade Center. They saw me knew what I wanted every day, I loved those guys. I would then go sit and write and pray and eat my sandwich on a bench looking at those towers.

I still wonder what happened to those guys. They were so--New York. Quick, full of heart, feisty, with contagious energy.

Another interesting memory (destined one might say) about that day is that I was supposed to be at a seminar, for my then job, on the morning of 9/11, it was to start at 8:30 a.m. but at the last minute I decided not to go. It was right across the street from Tower 1.

Crazy huh?

- Claudia Del Cid