A look at the 9/11 memorial in New York City by 60 minutes brought back a lot of memories – even to local folks.
During the broadcast, they said that the museum would be a learning station for today’s youth, as so many have no real memory of the event. Realistically, someone needs to be at least 16 to 17 years old – at the youngest – to even be able to have first hand remembrances of the tragic event.
But for those of us on staff, those who cover the news and had family or friends on New York, Washington D.C. and other proposed targeted sites, the memories are still vivid.
What does the Hays Free Press staff remember?
Cyndy Slovak-Barton, Publisher:
I remember working out and someone running into the room, telling all of us that a plane had crashed in New York. As we watched, suddenly a second plane crashed into the Twin Towers. It was an attack. No doubt.
My thoughts immediately jumped to my husband, who had just flown into Houston. Would Houston be next, since it was the oil center for the U.S? We both immediately made or tried to make phone calls back and forth as he scrambled to get a bus, rent a car, jump into cabs with others, all trying madly to find a way to get home. I picked up the kids from school early that day. They were already in shock, as the televisions in the schools had all been tuned to the news.
We came to the newspaper office, trying to figure out what to do and what our community might need. It was a terrible time.
David White, Production Chief:
On the morning of 9-11, I was getting ready for another day at the Free Press when I saw that a plane hit the Twin Towers on the news. While I watched the report unfold, I saw the second plane hit in real time. It was hard to imagine that this was happening live. There was a lot of confusion and the reporters had no real answers yet, but then there were reports rolling in about explosions and smoke seen coming from the Pentagon. I wondered if there was some kind of War of the Worlds prank, so I grabbed my TV and trekked to the office about 200 yards away. Chris Valentine and I spent the morning glued to the TV while slowly putting the paper together. My concern started to grow, remembering that my dad was on a regularly-scheduled plane trip to Virginia, or “was it Washington this week?” I wondered.
It was Virginia, whew.
Sandra Grizzle, Buda office manager:
I was getting ready for work and had the TV on when I first heard the news and saw the pictures. I ran to my husband in the living room to tell him about what had happened and to turn on the TV. We could not take our eyes off the pictures and to see what was taking place minute by minute and to witness more horrifying terror. How could something like this happen in America?
It was hard to watch and the tears came freely as I thought of all the pain and hurt that the people were going through. The first person that I called was my Mom who lived alone and I knew she was glued to the TV, as was the whole world.
I soon left the house and went to the Hays Free Press office (which was in old Mountain City) and again began checking the news. Everyone there was in a state of disbelief, too.
Thinking back on that day, I have wondered how can we prevent another 9/11 or can we? I hope and pray we never have to experience such an event in our country.
Connie Brewer, Business manager:
I was at home, and had a hair cut appointment that morning. I heard something on the radio, turned on the TV and was staggered by the horror and destruction. I couldn’t leave the house, just sat and stared at the coverage, and wondered how this could happen, why would anyone do this and what was next. It was so depressing thinking of the families of those that had died, it made me want to gather my family and make sure they were safe.
To this day I can not watch replays, movies or documentaries about 9/11, the pain of that day is just to awful. Even seeing movies with the old New York skyline makes me sad, it was a day everything I felt about the safely and security of my home and country changed.
Whenever I’m at the airport, I remember how it used to be, family and friends meeting at the gate, waves and hugs goodbye as the planes were boarding, all those little vignettes playing out as we come and go. I miss that; meeting at the luggage carousel or saying goodbye at the security gate just doesn’t have the same emotional flavor.
I’m still angry at what we lost, and the sometimes ridiculous “security measures” that have been forced to endure for our own safety. Not just at the airport, but at banks, federal and state buildings, national monuments, and even our phone and email conversations. Everything changed that day.
Kim Hilsenbeck, Editor:
On my way to a meeting in Austin, a radio announcer said a plane hit one of the Twin Towers – those towers made up such an integral piece of the New York City skyline. I grew up not far from the city and saw those towers dozens of times over the years I lived in the northeast. My initial thought was, “Oh my gosh, what a terrible accident.” I figured it was maybe some small plane flown by a novice pilot. The very first reports coming out of New York were unclear and lacking details.
Heading back to the office, I heard about the second plane in the south tower, as well as the Pentagon in D.C. The tone of the media commentary was quite different. In the pit of my stomach, that unrelenting feeling of dread took up residence.
By the time I got to the office, I knew about the first three planes and now, and a fourth in a field in western Pennsylvania. I wasn’t sure of the implications but I knew our world would never be the same.
At work, no one knew anyone on the planes or in any of the buildings, but that didn’t make it any less heartbreaking. Then a friend said, “Does anyone know anyone traveling today?” My heart skipped and my pulse raced. My mom was heading to a conference in Orlando that week, but I couldn’t remember which day. I panicked, then practically ran to my office to call my mom and sister. I finally reached my sister in Pennsylvania.
Mom left that morning, but we didn’t know if she was still in the air. It was hours before we heard from her and the absence of contact was unsettling.
That feeling of dread lasted throughout the day. I didn’t see any of the images of the towers until later that afternoon when I got home. My husband was in a fire fighter academy at the time. I cried as they replayed the images on the TV news – I kept telling him he couldn’t be a firefighter because I didn’t want to lose him.
I cried for all the lost men, women and children in the planes and the buildings, I cried for the first responders and their families, I cried for New Yorkers and I cried for Americans.
But that didn’t last long once I heard and saw what was happening around the country – people standing in line to donate blood, holding impromptu candlelight vigils and creating makeshift memorials. I felt a surge of pride, of knowing so many Americans felt the impact of what those men did, but never once giving in or giving up to the fear.
Months later, at Ground Zero, I walked along those same streets where the ashes fell and recalled the day the world stopped turning, as Alan Jackson sang. But it hadn’t stopped – it never does. Tragedy is not an excuse to give up. It’s a reason to press on.
One lesson I learned from that day lives on – never allow the bad guys to win.
Moses Leos, III, Reporter:
I was a freshman at Hays High when the attacks occurred. That morning, I was in marching band practice, and had no idea what had transpired. It was only until I got to my first period class that I understood what had happened. However, I did not realize the gravity of the situation until I reached my band class. My director, Chris Gordon, allowed students to discuss what happened. I got an idea of the scene, but had not witnessed it all. That changed mid-day, as just about every class had the television tuned to network coverage. They showed every graphic image, over and over. The rest of the day was a blur. Football practice was cancelled. Radio and television coverage was tied up. Everything seemed to stop. For a young, naïve freshman, it was traumatic. But I still remember the faces of the upperclassmen during the school day. They understood what was going on – they held a much firmer grasp of the situation. They knew the world had changed forever.
