Where were you on 911?

Where were you on 911?

By Pat Thomann, Editor

kpieditor@gmail.com

On the fifteenth anniversary of that horrific day on September 11, 2011 most people can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing at that precise moment in time.

As we watched in horror as the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City we were all wondering if it was a terrible accident or an attack. The answer became all too evident as a second plane struck the South Tower.

Everyone was in complete shock as the day unfolded. No one could take their eyes off the television as we watched each moment that followed, not sure what would come next.

While this was all unfolding, we also watched as a third plane, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC and another hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed over Shanksville Pennsylvania. No one knows how many lives were saved by the brave passengers of Flight 93 who overtook the hijackers before they could complete their mission. In all nearly 3,000 lives were lost on that day.

CPlant manager Paula Belt says, "I was in my office at the Salem Branch of Regions Bank when a teller called across the lobby and said something terrible had happened. We turned on the television immediately and could not believe what was being shown and reported. It was not "business as usual" for us anymore."

Livingston County Clerk, Sonya Williams says, "On that day, I was teaching second grade at Lyon County Elementary School."

Livingston County resident, David Boswell says, "I was driving back from a Murray court hearing when I got a call from the office telling me what happened I thought out loud, "What do these people think they can accomplish by this?," I still think that."

Amy Ramage, Livingston County Director of Pupil Personnel said, "On September 11, 2001 during the attacks on the World Trade Center, I was teaching reading to a group of kindergarten students at Calvert City Elementary. I will never forget that initial shock when a fellow teacher knocked on my door to quietly share the news of what was happening in our country. As we continued on with our reading lesson, I found myself thinking about the magnitude of what was occurring and the fact that in front of me sat a room full of innocent children who had no idea that the events that were happening at that very moment would forever impact the rest of their lives."

Director of Livingston County EMS, Rick Driskill said, "I was on duty at Mercy Regional as a paramedic. I, along with the rest of the country, watched in disbelief, which shortly turned to anger and we went into defensive mode, looking for ways to help in the search and rescue in the following weeks. With air traffic shutdown at first, it impacted how we were able to transport critical patients out of Paducah to specialized resource centers."

Livingston County Chief Deputy said, "I was working at KPS Post 2 at the time. I was sitting at my kitchen table preparing for a trial that was a few days away when I heard my Lieutenant tell the dispatch via radio to turn on CNN and that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center Towers. I spent the next few hours watching things unfold from my living room."

Grand Rivers Shooting Range owner, Ed White recalls, "I was working in Montreal Quebec. Our plane was grounded so I rented a car and started home. I have never wanted to be on American soil so bad in my life!"

Dominique Wood, CEA for 4-H Youth Development remembers, "I had just been out of military service about 6 months and Steve was still serving with the 326 Engineer Battalion. I was attending classes at Austin Peay. On that morning, I had an appointment with Autumn for her 1 year shots at the White Clinic at Fort Campbell. Steve and I met at the clinic for the appointment and then a late breakfast. As we waited, I was half watching the morning news and suddenly a news alert came on about the first plane striking the first tower. As we watched it unfold live on the news, it was crystal clear when the second plane hit the second tower. The waiting room was silent. Everyone in that room knew that this was not an accident."

Our history marks us forever for the future and the decisions we make each day will determine how that history is written. God bless America as we remember and mourn our losses.