9/11 2001

[Hiede]

I'm in New Jersey now and will be headed to NYC Monday.

I was living in NJ at the time of the attack of WTC and saw 1 plane hit it from the roof where we were living.We also saw as the Towers collapsed.
Both husband and his bother went to help and after days of being there they became sick not long afterwards.Both were members here,my husband was known as Desperado and his brother was Talon.

We moved to Hawaii hoping the cleaner air would help both.It worked for awhile.
My husband passed away Dec.31,2003 from his illness,I was 3 months pregnant.Thankfully I had my brother in law,his wife and my sisters to support me.

On March 25,2015 Talon also passed away in his sleep.

Close to 3000 people died during the attack and over the years since another 4000 to 5000 died.

Let's never forget all the innocent people who passed or their loved ones who have suffer because of it.

Hiede

[Jorge]

I'd just finished my active duty hitch the previous week. Was on my first week of civilian work as a contractor in DC on 9-11.

I was at Andrews AFB at the security checkpoint when all hell broke loose. They escorted us to the supervisor since both the guy I was with and me were in the Reserves still -- he was Navy and I was Army. We ended up going to the Pentagon area within an hour after the plane hit since crossing the Woodrow Wilson was a nightmare. Saw Rumsfeld pulling people out. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything we could do since they already had too many people trying to help out.

I ended up going to the office of the company I was with at the time, which was just down the road, but they ended up sending us home by 3PM.

Didn't get called onto active duty until we went into Iraq. Served there from 2004-2005, then I finally got out after 10 years when I got home and ended up using my VA benefits to train as an airline pilot. Flew from 2006-2020. Medically can't fly now.

I'm wearing my old ALPA pin for 9-11 today to the office when I go to work.

It doesn't feel like 22 years, that's for sure.

Jorge
Miami,FL

[UncleTgt]

Hiede

Have a safe journey.

Events such as this should always be commemorated, no matter the inconvenience.

It's good to reflect on those no longer with us, and remember the good they did.

I was travelling home from a business trip to the north of Holland that day - I guess everyone remembers where they where when they heard the news. I had just got into Schipol from the train ...

As Jorge said, it seems like only yesterday.

[Captain Kurt]

Indeed, so many people suffered, including those loved ones and family left behind. It won't ever be forgotten.

[highpockets]

I was too young to remember Pearl Harbor (7), but like everyone else, I remember exactly where I was when President Kennedy was assasinated and when 9/11 happened. Like most Americans that day of 9/11, we stood stunned in front of the televison at work most of the day. This event needs to be shown and the aftermath taught every year in our schools instead of gender identiy!!

[Jorge]

My mother came from Cuba in 1960. She was a teacher before Castro came to power, and was one of the lucky ones not to get put in front of a wall.

I was lucky to be a natural born citizen here, and feel lucky to have grown up in NY during the Reagan years.

Eventurally we came "home" to Miami, like many have done over the decades, and like many will continue to do so.

If there's one thing we learned as a cultural group from the Holocaust survivors here in the US over the last six decades is that we -- like them -- must never forget what we went through as a people. We must also never again allow what happened to us happen to anyone else, especially to those who took us in when the majority of the world said "no" in one voice.

That's why we're so passionate about anything done against America, regardless of whether it's physical or political. We will always keep those words taught to us close to our chest:

Never forget; Never again.

As citizens we will always honor the first in order to accomplish the second.

Always.

Jorge
Miami, FL