Workplace Memories of 9/11

Six years ago this morning, I was driving to work, listening to my favorite morning show on the radio, when the traffic reporter broke in. “A plane has hit the World Trade Center in New York,” she said, her voice trying not to shake. “There are some really scary pictures here.” The DJ told her to keep us all updated, and I pulled into the parking lot, not realizing one of the most memorable days of my life was about to start.

When I got to my desk, my cube neighbor, who had a radio, told me a second plane had hit the World Trade Center. It was then I realized the first hit was no accident. I called my now-husband to tell him the news, and he was concerned and confused. At that point, I had to go, since I had a meeting with a visiting German colleague.

My workmates and I were trying to stay business as usual to avoid upsetting our visitor, but that soon became impossible as a flurry of news reports continued to come in and everyone gathered around the TVs and radios we had on hand. We soon learned another plane had hit the Pentagon, and another had gone down in Pennsylvania. Work ground to a halt. We all burned up the phone lines making sure our families were OK. I emailed my college roommate, whose offices were in downtown Manhattan, to check on her. It turned out she was all right -- her office was across the street from Ground Zero, but she didn’t see anything except on the news.

Meanwhile, our German visitor received word all flights were grounded indefinitely, and since he was due to go home on September 12, he held an anguished conversation in rapid-fire German with his worried wife to let her know he would be delayed. His quick trip to the US wound up turning into more than a week in the States.

September 11, 2001, was one of the most bizarre, upsetting and difficult days of my life. As we tried to piece together what had happened, everyone felt under attack, vulnerable and scared as hell. I was also furious that someone would do this to us and murder so many innocent people. What helped that dark day, and the hard days that came after, was banding together with my colleagues, sharing information and supporting each other when we could. As horrible as that time was, it made us forget differences of workplace hierarchy and social status and really help one another out. For that, I am eternally grateful. And six September 11ths later, on a similar late-summer Tuesday, I still am.

What are your memories of September 11? How did you and your workplace cope? Post your comments below.

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