By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
On this fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks millions in the United States and the world reflect back on those terrible events, where we were, and how it affected each of us in our own unique ways–but sharing of course a familiar story. My own family certainly was not an exception.
If our experience can be summed into one word, I cannot find one more telling of how we avoided tragedy:
Luck
For me news of the events came forth in a telephone call from my mother asking me to turn on the television. She told me that one of the twin towers was hit by an aircraft and it was certainly a terrorist attack. I turned on the set and within five or so minutes of watching the live recording I saw one of the towers fall. I’ve seen horrific events in my life but this sight was one of the most unsettling I experienced–thinking in my mind that I probably witnessed the murder of perhaps a thousand people at that moment.
We all are familiar with the particulars of the events affecting each of us in some way. I to this day will turn the channel if the towers’ collapse is shown.
As the events went by we later learned of the Pentagon attack. I thought of my Brother-in-Law who works there. My wife tried over the hours to contact him and her family to find out if he was still with us and uninjured. But so was everyone else as the phone lines were relentlessly unavailable.
Greatly fortunate to us about twelve hours later he finally was able to call us.
For my brother-in-law he completed his work in a particular node of the Pentagon and walked to another assignment elsewhere. The section he originally worked at was struck by the hijacked aircraft, minutes after he left that area. He reflected how he heard a thunderous noise, blackness, dust and chaos. People shouting and trying to recover. He understandably did not share too many details, but I admire him for enduring such events and continuing on rather undaunted. Part of the reason we waited so long to hear from him was that since the Metro was closed down, he needed to walk several miles home.
Luck and a few minutes saved my brother-in-law.
Simultaneously that day, the husband of my wife’s cousin shared a 9/11 fate.
He is an executive with a re-insurance company, headquartered at the top of Tower Two at the World Trade Center. His eldest son worked as an intern that summer at their office and returned to college that fall. While he would be normally working in the office that day, he instead travelled out of town on company business and missed the attack. In another fortune, a senior executive for the company was late for work on 9/11 and arrived late. His chauffer let him off in front of the tower and awaited him to enter. The executive grabbed the door handle and felt the violent shaking of the building. He returned to his chauffer who drove him out of harm’s way. All of the other employees in the office that day perished.
On our home front, the resulting economic turmoil over the later months required my wife to change professions.
A few weeks after the attacks, as previously scheduled, we travelled to the D.C. area to visit our family. My wife’s parents are interred at Arlington Cemetery, overlooking the Pentagon. We visited their gravesite from which we could see the blackened destruction of the section of the Pentagon of which her brother worked. Some photos from that day:
Some of the recently deceased
There were many concurrent funerals and memorial services of 9/11 victims throughout the cemetery. For one of the fallen, we were told a colonel in the USAF (Robert Hymel I would later Learn), a B-52 flew overhead to commemorate his passing. Those Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and all others are a credit to those who serve us, having made such a painful sacrifice.
Let us never forget.
By Darren Smith
Photo Credits
Own Work © 2001, Darren Smith
33: flag raising
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
3 NYC SKYSCRAPERS WERE DESTROYED BY CONTROLLED DEMOLITION ON 9/11
“SCIENTISTS, ARCHITECTS, & ENGINEERS now affirm that the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center buildings was an inside job. The leading scientist of Scholars For 9/11 Truth, Dr Steven Jones, has proven that controlled demolition devices were placed within the WTC Twin Towers – and this is what brought the buildings down not the airplanes. According to Fox News journalist Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, Larry Silverstein tried on the afternoon of 9/11 to get approval to demolish WTC 7. Shortly before the building collapsed, several NYPD officers and Con-Edison workers told me that Larry Silverstein, the property developer of One World Financial Center was on the phone with his insurance carrier to see if they would authorize the controlled demolition of the building ? since its foundation was already unstable and expected to fall.”
(editor: this was a lie WTC 7 was not unstable and not expected to fall)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology lied. WTC 7 did not come down due to office fires
9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB!
2500 Architects and Engineers are telling us the U.S. Government is Lying about 9/11
The U.S. Government is complicit in the murders of 9/11
3 NYC SKYSCRAPERS WERE DESTROYED BY CONTROLLED DEMOLITION ON 9/11
Our enemy does not want you to know about the 3rd building, WTC 7. It was not hit by a plane
This issue exposes the wide and deep corruption of the governments, courts and media
https://youtu.be/kQ2iVymP7hA
Israel did 9/11
Former Director of Studies, Professor at U.S. Army War College Dr. Alan Sabrosky;
“Israel did 9/11. It is 100% certain that 9/11 was a Mossad operation period.”
The 9/11 Commission Report is a 571-Page Zionist Lie
The U.S. military knows Israel did 9/11
https://youtu.be/H0v7_O53J0k
Dr. Alan Sabrosky is quoted by a lot of conspiracy people, but his role at the War College was to collect the papers, not write them or oversee them. Basically, he was an over-paid file clerk.
Alt right wing folks and far leftists are often conspiracy theorists and deny 911. Does not work for me as it disrespects those that were killed and their families. The evidence is too clear to engage in the truther insanity whether it is coming from the far left or far right.
Simon –
You consider the exposure of the truth as insanity? Why is that, Simon?
Doubting the official story is different than denying 9/11 happened. Many doubters do not deny that planes hit the towers, nor do they deny that terrorists were involved. They simply doubt the official story.
Why is that unreasonable? The government is not trustworthy, William Binney, Edward Snowden, Hillary Clinton and President Obama (riots from anti-Muslim video caused Benghazi attack), and others have shown that the government cannot be trusted.
This article describes people who suffered from the 9/11 attack.
But there is another side. “This is a Golden Opportunity”
I realize that this is not in the line of the mood of this article or of most of the comments, but this article posted last year on the anniversary of 9/11 is a reminder of how war mongers benefited from the opportunity
AN “ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY”: A SHORT, AWFUL 9/11 QUIZ
My sympathy/empathy goes to all those who suffered in this attack which was so much less destructive than the reckless irresponsible reaction to it. While human miscreants are bound to commit heinous crimes from time to time, decent people abhor, even more, the reckless irresponsible counterproductive 15-year long trillion dollar war crimes that followed. A decent response would have been to increase protection without terrorizing and killing millions of people who had nothing to do with 9/11.
re: ” A decent response would have been to increase protection without terrorizing and killing millions of people who had nothing to do with 9/11.”
But a decent response wouldn’t have transferred trillions of dollars from taxpayers to the military industrial complex. Those heinous folks could care less about all the deaths and injuries – to our troops and the people in the Middle East who still suffer greatly. Look at how the VA is underfunded!
Millions marched worldwide against invading Iraq. It’s all about money.
The MSM will never tell you the truth about these two pivotal events: 11/22/63 coup d’etat & 9/11
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury In the REAGAN administration) and Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal, has held numerous university appointments
http://www.globalresearch.ca/jfk-and-911-the-tide-is-turning-the-official-story-is-now-the-conspiracy-theory/5544558
In this great country even ignorant, America hating kooks can spout their lies on this sad day. God bless America and the US Constitution.
It was 8:50am EST in New Jersey. I was told by security to go back to office. The company declared an emergency & goes into lockdown. All the bosses & VP’s were watching CNN live coverage. My boss told me to take his team to a hill & see it from 17 miles in north New Jersey. We could see the smoke from 1st strike, then the 2nd plane hit.
Found an interesting article regarding Lt. Col. Robert J. Hymel’s wife who was working as a school principal on 9/11. She took care of her elementary school children first before allowing herself to fear the worst about her own family:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rjhymel.htm
bettykath – an extensive article in Popular Mechanics showed exactly how the Twin Towers was taken down by two jet planes crashing into it. A good friend of mine had an apt in DC facing the Pentagon and watched the jet plow into the Pentagon and explode.
Thanks Darren for the nice non-political thoughts. Its clear fake patriots have another agenda.
As for the towers, the locals called them the North and South Towers. Suspect the “re-insurance” company was actually Aon insurance brokers who had maybe 10 of the upper floors in the south tower. My friend, Al (Albert Conde) was marketing Aon that morning – together we brought breakfast most every Tuesday morning. We were both laid off from that company, but he moved to another insurance company and continued the practice. Both I and the world misses such a great guy. Al was also my golf partner – only managed to play 6 holes after that before quitting for life.
That morning, another friend (Mike Iken) in the south tower stayed in the office to advise other family members that their loved ones were getting out safely after the north tower had been hit. Mike was an amazing guy and his immediate response to stay whilst others got out was exactly who he was. My friend/business partner Jeff and I were on a 3 way call with Mike when the South tower was hit at 9:03AM and the call disconnected immediately……………..and……well
I could relay at least another dozen personal stories of 9/11 deaths…………… and yes survivors who didn’t die because they were hung over from the Giant/Denver Monday night football game the night before and were late for work…..or police/EMT’s working the US Open tennis tourney and due to traffic couldn’t get to the towers before they fell……and possibly saved their lives.
For us, me and two friends that afternoon went and bought gloves, medical equipment, water, etc…… and went that day to the Hoboken docks hoping to catch a New York waterway boat across the river to help sift through the rubble. We made it as far as the parking lot but were not allowed further. We left all of our supplies, including the construction boots and socks on our feet and returned home barefoot and despondent we couldn’t do more.
I am watching the reading of the names, as I have done every year since. Have already shed tears and will continue to do so as I remember friends and maybe 100+ co-workers lost in this horrible terrorist attack.
“a B-52 flew overhead to commemorate his passing”
A warplane providing a patriotic gesture to Americans, a symbol of unimaginable cruelty to others.
Interesting story, Darren. Fortunately for my family we don’t live in DC or NYC. I, too, got a phone call that a plane had hit a tower. No suggestion of terrorists, though. I drove a few miles to my uncle’s where we watched the unfolding events, including the collapse of the towers. We agreed that it was controlled demolition. Subsequent events and investigation by architects and engineers and have confirmed that view. I agree with Scarecrow. We now have a government of war criminals, one administration after another. The new Pearl Harbor as needed by PNAC has given cover to our invasion of country after country in the Middle East, none of which has been a threat to us. btw, I consider dropping bombs from drones on funerals and wedding parties as declarations of war and war crimes.
Great post. So much of life is serendipitous. I’m sure your brother-in-law suffered from survivor’s guilt. Hopefully he has worked through that.
Growing up in the northeast, I know a lot of people who live in NYC. This attack was very personal for NYers. It remains so today.
Reblogged this on Matthews' Blog.
9/11 TRUTH University of Florida Students Agree Controlled Demolition
Israel, Zionist Jews & American Traitors did 9/11
2016 Election Cover-up
https://youtu.be/2-WackdiTvo
I recently read that over half of those polled believe 9/11 truthers more than they believe the official conspiracy theory.
Saudi King Salman blamed 9/11 attacks on Israel: US official
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/81029-150805-saudi-king-salman-blamed-9-11-attacks-on-israel-us-official
I can sum it up too…false flag fascist power grab.
a clear possibility
Wow. 9/11 – happens to be my husbands birthday btw. On 9/11 I was working not all that far from the Pentagon – a temp job as I was moving to Vegas. Happened to be at AFCEA – an amazing organization that provides scholarships to promising students who are studying technology. When the first plane hit we were all called upstairs and watched, stunned, in silence, in shock as the other events took place. I was surrounded by civilian office staff as well as admirals and other military personnel. AFCEA closed down shortly thereafter and my boss and I left and drove home except our brains were so overloaded we took the wrong road and wound up at Arlington Cemetary. We got out of the car and wandered around – ironically it was such a beautiful pristine day and not a plane or cloud in the sky. We walked for an hour or so and encountered other people –they did not acknowledge us and vice versa. It was as if we all were walking zombies – in complete shock. No one was talking. Then we went back to the car and then home. I spent the next two days watching the MSM show us again and again the awful footage. My move to Vegas was delayed by two weeks as my stuff was in DC and no trucks were allowed into the District. Finally, the move took place and I wound up in Hollywood at a Day of the Dead event at an iconic cemetary. SO many shrines set up focused around 9/11 as Hispanics lost so many of their relatives who had worked at the Twin Towers in housekeeping, janitorial services, etc.
It still seems surreal. So many questions. I just hope that victims are able to overcome Obama’s objections and are allowed to sue Saudi Arabia. Won’t bring back their loved ones of course, but will send a strong message.
I just hope that victims are able to overcome Obama’s objections and are allowed to sue Saudi Arabia.
I agree with you. It would send a strong message. It would send an equally strong message if Bush and the members of his administration who invaded the country that DID NOT attack us on the basis of evil, deliberate, calculated lies were held accountable for war crimes.
The synergy of doing both of these things would be profound and might send a message to the world that the US is actually committed to truth and justice for everyone in matters pertaining to the MIddle East. Because that clearly isn’t the case now.