On Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, nineteen terrorists from the Islamic extremist group, al-Qaeda, hijacked four American commercial airplanes with the intention to crash them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the U.S. Capitol.

At 8:46 am, the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. At 9:03 am, the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175, crashed into the south tower. At 9:37 am, the third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon. At 10:02 am, the fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 

In total, the attacks killed 2,977 people from 93 nations and caused lasting health concerns for many more.

On this day, September 11th, 2022, we remember them.

DISCLAIMER: The following interview contains personal stories as well as matters of opinion. The interviewer(myself) and the people interviewed are by no means the authority on politics or warfare. I do not endorse nor disparage anything said during this interview. This is what was said with a small amount of editing for coherence. I do not own any of the photos utilized.

[Father] “Nothing that big has ever happened in your lifetime.”

I sat at the dining room table. Across from me sat my father, Dwight Blackwood. At his side stood my ever diligent mother, Angelia Blackwood, who even as I conducted the interview moved about the kitchen making preparations for the trip they were to take in the coming days.

It was on short notice, but as soon as I asked my father to sit down and speak with me, the tv was immediately turned off and they gave me their attention. I asked them my first question:

Where did you live on September 11, 2001?

[Father] Paterson, NJ. We had lived here for many years after immigrating to this country and still do today.

Prior to 9/11, had you ever visited the Twin Towers or the World Trade Center?

[Father] Yes, more than once.

[Mother] Once, before we were married.

What were you doing when the first plane hit the Twin Towers?

[Father] I had just dropped your older sister off at school. You were still a baby and I was at home with you. I was sitting on the bed when the news broke. It was a beautiful, blue Tuesday.

[Mother] Usually, I would have been the one to drop off your sister, but I had gone to work that day. I was at my desk and a television in the area had on the news.

What did you think was going on?

[Father] They were saying it was an accident, but I thought planes don’t fly that low in Manhattan.

[Mother] I was shocked.

What did you think when the second plane hit?

[Father] I was watching the news at home when the second plane hit. I cried. I was dismayed and horrified.

[Mother] We were still watching the news in the office when it happened. We were shocked. Many of the other staff had came over to see what was going on after the first crash and saw the second plane hit the tower. Everyone started calling people.

What was the rest of the day like? What was the reaction to the collapse?

[Father] Everything shut down. There were no planes. Everyone at home and in cars stopped because everyone was afraid. Everyone was glued to the television. From morning, all news channels were focused on the event.

[Mother] Hardly any work was done that day. Even the president was in shock and couldn’t say anything.

Did you know anyone impacted by the plane crashes?

[Father] My friend was an electrician who was working in Battery Park near the area. Luckily he wasn’t hurt.

[Mother] Uncle Donovan worked in lower Manhattan near Chambers Street. He had to walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn because everything was shut down. 

(I was, unfortunately, unable to contact my uncle for a timely interview.)

What were the days following the attack like?

[Father] Very somber. Everyone told stories of people they knew who had been in New York City at the time. We had a lot of family calling us from other countries. The day of the attack we lost contact with anyone in New York because the buildings were on fire. In New Jersey, we returned to work the next day.

[Mother] Uncle Donovan couldn’t go to work because his building was shut down. The company had to move locations. Lower Manhattan was covered in dust from the collapse.

[Father] ……..A lot of people had jumped from the Towers to their deaths.

How did the world change after the attacks? Did your personal life change?

[Father] Issues of security changed. Security became the number one priority. Immigration changed too. Laws that were on the books but previously unenforced were taken more seriously. We didn’t fly for a while.

[Mother] Airport security got tighter and you couldn’t park in certain places.

[Father] I didn’t go to downtown Manhattan for a long time. Our personal lives didn’t really change though.

[Mother] We became more aware of our surroundings and more fearful.

How did you feel when the Bush Administration declared the War on Terror?

[Father] The whole country was united against terrorism(Aside: Strange how we who were so united became so divided). That was how Bush was able to start the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We were so afraid, that we as a nation would believe anything we were told. Years later we realized that they used our unity to start a war that wasn’t legitimate. We didn’t go after the people that actually harmed us.

[Mother] There’s always a concern that another attack may happen.

How would you respond if an incident like it happened again?

[Father] I don’t know how I would respond.

[Mother] Another attack like 9/11 might happen again. Especially since America went abroad and killed the Iraqi president (Sadam Hussein) and threw the country into chaos. If it happens again, one might be so shocked that they die!

Have you ever gone to Freedom Tower?

[Father] It took years for that area of Manhattan to be cleaned up. We’ve never been to Freedom Tower or the 9/11 Memorial, but I’ve driven by it while it was being built. I’ve also seen it in the distance while taking you to and from college.

Any final comments?

[Mother] It’s still devastating.

[Father] Now we feel for the families affected by it so many years later. Many volunteers and workers have gotten sick because of all the toxins that were released.

I thanked my parents and concluded the interview.

A final word…

While I was a student in New York City, I frequently used Freedom Tower as a guidepost to know whether I was going north or south. I’ve walked by the World Trade Center as I walked to and from my classes. After seeing photos of the damage from the 9/11 attacks, the efforts that have been made to rebuild the area astound me. It is lively and people from all walks of life travel through the area. It fills me with hope to see that despite the devastation, both physical and emotional, the city was able to rebuild. However, the thought of those lost and their still hurting families brings tears to my eyes. I hope they have found some comfort in these years since the attack.

Sources

History.com Editors. “September 11 Attacks.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 17 Feb. 2010, https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/9-11-attacks. 

National September 11 Memorial & Museum Editors. “9/11 Faqs.” 9/11 FAQs | National September 11 Memorial & Museum, National September 11 Memorial & Museum, https://www.911memorial.org/911-faqs. 

Huiskes, Katherine. “The September 11 Terrorist Attacks.” Miller Center, Miller Center, 5 Oct. 2021, https://millercenter.org/remembering-september-11/september-11-terrorist-attacks. 

 “Flight Path Study – American Airlines Flight 11” (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. February 19, 2002.

 “Flight Path Study – United Airlines Flight 175” (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. February 19, 2002.

 “Flight Path Study – American Airlines Flight 77” (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. February 19, 2002.