9/11: Where Were You? Here’s What Happened To Me

Everyone has a unique story, but I was close to the action, never in danger, but close enough to leave a mark on my life.

I lived in  Mardella Springs Maryland, population, maybe 20-25 people. A town that used to make bottled water and had an impact on the world. It is parallel to Washington D.C., this will be important later.

Let me just say, I was not near nor did I live in New York City, nor was I in Pennsylvania, and I wasn't in Washington D.C. I was on the Penninsula of Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) but was made aware something was wrong with the military jets were flying overhead.

I had been recently fired from my morning show job September 10th and was listening to one of my idols, Rick Dees. Then the radio station interrupted and immediately started playing the Associated Press covering the first crash. I didn't know what I was listening to, I thought it was a War Of The Worlds thing, some joke that someone was playing.

I turned on the TV only to see the World Trade Center smoking and hearing an airplane had crashed into it. Then without warning, another one crashed. I was shocked and still couldn't believe what I was watching. Over time we hear about a crash in Pennsylvania, and a crash into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Just after the crash in D.C., Jets are flying over our area like crazy. I run out in front of the house I was renting and stood in the middle of the street. That's when I got scared! I thought to myself, it's coming here! I thought it was the beginning of bombings and all kinds of crashed planes.

Our whole community and most of the town banded together. Some of my neighbors came over to watch with us. I didn't eat breakfast, I didn't eat lunch, I couldn't think, and we all sat and talked about what was next. I had radios on all over my house, I was on the computer to see if I could find the defining story about what happened. When the Towers fell and pictures and stories were coming in, I saw this country become what it should be, UNITED!

People are kinder and more thoughtful at Christmas time, we should be that way on 9/11. That day made people respect each other and come together, I think we have lost some of that.