Where Were You on 9/11?

After hearing about Osama Bin Laden's death, it's triggered a lot of memories for those living or working near the Pentagon.

I was working for a national association newsletter in 2001 in Ballston and I remember vividly the events of Sept. 11th. The day started at the office, hearing about the first plane that struck the World Trade Center tower in New York. It sounded at first like a mishap. A small crowd had gathered around a tiny television just before we went into a morning meeting.

During the meeting though, someone came in and whispered that another plane had hit the second tower. The meeting was cut short. Not long after, standing near my desk, I heard the news of American Airlines Flight 77 slamming into the Pentagon.

"What is going on?" From a balcony at our building, we could see thick black smoke in the air from the flight's crash into the Pentagon. It seemed unreal.

I quickly called my daughter's school, where classes had just been cancelled for the day. Parents were asked to please come pick up their children. I grabbed my purse and headed for my car in the parking garage.

After picking up my daughter, who was 5 at the time, we went home and I kept the TV off, not wanting her to see the gruesome scenes playing out on the news. I was on and off the phone all day with family, friends and relatives. My husband was at work reporting on the events for the newspaper he worked for. It was a nerve-wracking day that I'll never forget.

Where were you on 9/11? What's your reaction to the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden? Please leave your comments.