Renton is to the South of Seattle--about a thirty minute drive.
I had just pulled out of the parking garage of my apartment complex in Renton, Washington. I was listening to the radio on my short drive to work. I heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City. I thought to myself "hmmmm that is weird".
The radio did not say what kind of plane was involved. I was thinking it had to be some kind of small, private plane. I thought some inexperienced or confused pilot must have made the fatal mistake. I knew the pilot and the one or two other occupants of the plane were likely dead, that perhaps a few people in the tower had been killed and, that some damage to the tower surely had taken place. I really didn't think much more about it---to me it wasn't huge news---just an unfortunate and tragic accident.
I soon arrived at work. I had a radio on my desk and always listened to it on low volume. When I heard the plane that had hit was a commercial airliner I knew it was a much worse accident than I had originally thought. Before too long the 2nd plane hit and I then realized these were not tragic accidents but that we were under attack.
Before long, we had a TV turned on at work. It was usually used for training but we turned it on and watched as events unfolded. A plane then hit the Pentagon. How many more hijacked planes were there? We did not know. The FAA grounded all planes within the country and those approaching from abroad. It was so unbelievable! Then, the plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
I was witnessing the Pearl Harbor of my generation.
As the towers burned I saw people jumping from them to a certain death. They had chose death by jumping instead of by smoke inhalation or burning. I think there were a few couples who held hands as they jumped. I think there were a few people who were on fire as they jumped. It was such a nightmare. The most shocking and traumatizing thing to me was when the towers collapsed. To see such huge structures and national icons collapse knowing many had not made it out was more than my brain could handle at the time.
I knew right away the attacks were an act of war.
Americans Cannot Comprehend That Level of Hatred. I know my country well. I was born in 1968 in rural Oho and have always loved my country. As Americans, we cannot understand the level of hatred that we witnessed on 9/11. The Islamic terrorists who attacked us that day committed evil beyond imagination. To make it even more sickening, the Al Qaeda members involved did it in the name of God.
On the planes, no doubt, were children, perhaps some newlyweds, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, people from all walks of life-creed-color, etc. and all of them totally innocent.
The people in the towers that day were just minding their own business. They were going to work to earn their paycheck so they could pay their bills and live their lives. The people lost were people just like you and me.
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