I remember this day all too well. I'll never forget where I was. I was a sophomore in high school at the time, and in the beginning when the events were going on, I didn't notice, only because there weren't any TVs on at first and we were just doing our school work. The first time I saw what was happening was during my math class. We were working on something, and my teacher was watching something on her computer. I suppose it was a live stream of what was going on. Suddenly at 9:59 AM she screams out, "Oh my God! It collapsed!" So all of the students rushed up to see what she was watching. At the time, I had no idea what it was. All I saw was a cloud of dust and debris and a crumbling building (I guess they were showing what just had happened). I thought it was weird how she was freaking out over a controlled demolition (that's what I thought she was watching, until later on I knew...).
Then after that in some classrooms the TVs were on showing the events, but the students weren't really paying attention, including myself, as I still didn't know what was really going on, until I got home that afternoon. My parents were watching the news and they were repeatedly showing the collapses of the twin towers and the plane hitting the south tower. What's even stranger is, and I have no idea how I never knew this at the time-- it just never came up-- I knew my sister lived in New York, but I never knew where she worked. It was then I learned she worked at the World Trade Center, in the north tower. Fortunately for her, though, she was running a little late that day because she decided to vote for the mayoral primary that was going on the same day, and in doing so, just missed the subway that would've gotten her there on time. Otherwise, it is possible she wouldn't be here today.
Another thing is, back in July of 2001, I was going to visit my sister, which also included spending some time with her where she worked. Unfortunately, something came up so I couldn't go. If I had, I would've been able to go inside both towers at least once. I did see them in person before once in the distance. It was back in the mid 90s when I visited my sister in Manhattan. She pointed toward the passenger window as we crossed a bridge (don't remember which one) and said, "Look, it's the twin towers."
I will never forget the anger and terror I felt that day. I watched the news all day after school. After the collapse of World Trade Center 7, I couldn't take it anymore and broke down and cried and shut off the TV. I didn't sleep really at all that night and didn't go to school the next day. I was too much in shock. Not only from what happened, but the fact I could've lost my sister. I definitely have been thinking about her all day today.