Historical Episodes

The 9/11 Attacks: Preserving Firsthand Narratives

On the morning of September 11, 2001, a clear blue sky over New York City gave no hint of what was to come. By 10:30 a.m., both towers of the World Trade Center had collapsed. Nearly 3,000 people were dead, thousands more injured, and the world had changed forever.

The 9/11 attacks, carried out by 19 hijackers affiliated with al-Qaeda, targeted the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a fourth site—prevented by the courage of passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93. But beyond the facts and footage are the voices: people who survived, witnessed, lost loved ones, or raced into danger to help others.

Context – A World Before 9/11

In 2001, America was at peace and riding a wave of economic prosperity. The Cold War had ended, and the threat of global terrorism, while not unknown, was underestimated by many.

Yet warning signs existed:

• The 1993 World Trade Center bombing had revealed the towers as a target.
• Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, had issued public threats.
• In 2000, the USS Cole was attacked in Yemen by al-Qaeda operatives.

But no one imagined an attack on the scale of 9/11.

Timeline of the Attacks on September 11, 2001

8:46 a.m. – First Impact

American Airlines Flight 11, hijacked after takeoff from Boston, crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center between floors 93 and 99.

“The whole building shook. Papers flew everywhere. I saw fire and then people screaming. It was chaos,” said Genelle Guzman-McMillan, a Port Authority employee who would become the last person rescued alive from the rubble.

At first, many assumed a tragic accident.

9:03 a.m. – Second Impact

United Airlines Flight 175, also from Boston, crashes into the South Tower, hitting floors 77 to 85. This strike is broadcast live, erasing all doubt: this is a coordinated attack.

“I was watching the news when the second plane hit. My knees buckled. I knew this was war,” remembered John Murphy, a New York firefighter on duty that day.

9:37 a.m. – Pentagon Hit

American Airlines Flight 77, hijacked from Washington Dulles, crashes into the Pentagon, killing 125 people in the building and all 59 aboard.

“We heard the roar, felt the ground tremble. Then the alarms. Smoke everywhere,” said Lt. Col. Victoria Clarke, a Pentagon official.

9:59 a.m. – South Tower Collapses

Just 56 minutes after being struck, the South Tower collapses in a massive cloud of dust, ash, and debris. Thousands are still inside or nearby.

“It felt like the Earth cracked open,” said Marcy Borders, known as “the Dust Lady” from a famous photo. “I thought I was buried alive.”

10:03 a.m. – Flight 93 Crashes in Pennsylvania

United Airlines Flight 93, hijacked en route to San Francisco, crashes into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Passengers fought the hijackers after learning of the earlier attacks via phone.

“We’re going to do something,” passenger Todd Beamer famously said. “Let’s roll.”

Their actions likely prevented another major target—possibly the Capitol or White House—from being hit.

10:28 a.m. – North Tower Collapses

The North Tower, the first hit, collapses after burning for 102 minutes. The final death toll includes 2,977 victims from more than 90 countries.

Among the dead:

• 343 firefighters
• 60 police officers
• 8 EMTs
• Hundreds of office workers, restaurant staff, and airline passengers

Eyewitness Narratives – Voices from the Day

First Responders

FDNY Lt. Joe Torrillo, who was buried twice under rubble and survived:

“I was sure I was going to die. But I kept thinking of my kids. That’s what got me out.”

Firefighters raced into the towers while civilians ran out. Many never returned.

Survivors in the Towers

Stanley Praimnath, who escaped the South Tower:

“I saw the plane coming. It looked like it was coming right for me. I dove under my desk. The wing sliced through my floor.”

He and Brian Clark, another survivor, met in a stairwell and helped each other down.

Family Members

Phyllis Rodriguez, who lost her son Greg in the North Tower:

“For months I walked the streets numb. But I knew he wouldn’t want me to carry hate.”

She later became active in reconciliation efforts, including meeting with the mother of one of the 9/11 hijackers.

Witnesses Across the Nation

Aliya S., a 12-year-old in Dearborn, Michigan:

“I was afraid to go to school. People looked at us differently overnight.”

The aftermath saw a rise in Islamophobia and hate crimes, which many Muslim Americans still remember vividly.

Consequences and Global Impact

The 9/11 attacks changed not just America, but the world:

• U.S. foreign policy shifted dramatically. On October 7, 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban.
• The Patriot Act expanded surveillance powers.
• Airport security transformed permanently under the creation of the TSA.
• The attacks led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, despite disputed connections to 9/11.

By 2021, the War on Terror had cost over $8 trillion and claimed over 900,000 lives globally, according to Brown University’s Costs of War Project.

How 9/11 Is Remembered Today

Every year, Americans observe Patriot Day on September 11 with moments of silence, memorials, and the reading of victims’ names at Ground Zero.

Memorials:

• The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York preserves artifacts and testimonies.
• The Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania marks the crash site and honors the bravery of passengers.
• The Pentagon Memorial consists of 184 benches, one for each victim.

Oral history projects like StoryCorps 9/11, the Voices of 9/11 digital archive, and museum initiatives ensure these memories are preserved for future generations.

Conclusion

The story of 9/11 is etched not just in timelines and steel ruins, but in voices—of survivors, responders, witnesses, and the bereaved. In remembering their words, we preserve the human truth behind the tragedy.

“We tell our stories because it’s the only way they don’t disappear,” said Mary Fetchet, who lost her son Brad and co-founded Voices Center for Resilience.

As generations grow up with no memory of that day, the urgency to listen, record, and reflect becomes even more important—not just to understand history, but to shape what we do with its lessons.