My City September 2021

WEREMEMBER attacked next?”Then, Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. I immediately panicked, worried my brother-in-law, who fre quently flew out of Washington D.C. might be on that plane. Then, the towers collapsed. Already crying, as the enormity of what was happening truly hit me, I began sobbing. I watched as people jumped out of the buildings. I never felt more ter rified. I never felt more bonded to my fellow Americans. I called my family members one by one to tell them I loved them, realizing for the first time how truly fragile life is. That day changed me forever. I think it changed everyone who witnessed it forever. Leslie Toldo Meteorologist, NBC25 It was a typical morning, watching the news while getting ready to leave for the office. I could hear the news re port that the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center.Then, the unthink able happened as I watched in horror when the second plane hit the south tower. Our world changed forever, and terrorism changed from a news story to becoming a real part of every American’s life. I will never forget the overwhelming fear and sadness I felt about the thousands of lives lost on that awful day. Laura Nestor Director of Marketing Dort Financial Credit Union

I was due into the office late that particular day; so before going into the office I decided to water my plants on my front porch. When I re-entered my house to lock up and turn off the TV, I saw the smoke and the chaos. I stared at the screen in disbelief and suddenly, I caught a view of an airplane traveling into frame headed toward the second tower. In utter shock, I witnessed the bombing of tower 2. Stunned for a moment ... I continued to close up my home and upon arriving at work, found my colleagues huddled around the office TV in complete silence.My next concern was to get to my children at the end of the school day to gather them and explain as best I could what happened, so they would not panic. Lennetta Coney President The Foundation for MCC We were in North Bay, Ontario, Canada with the OHL hock ey team. Our first daughter had just been born. I remem ber being glued to CNN trying to figure out what had just happened. Costa Papista President Flint City Bucks FC. I was in Canada on a high school field trip.They shut down the borders while we were there and we watched the attacks on a TV in a storefront in Stratford, Ontario. All of us kids had to stay at a hotel and it took us about 16 hours

to finally get across the border. The news crew was waiting for us when we got back to the U.S. We had food brought out to us by helicopter while sitting waiting on our Greyhound bus which, at this point, had a broken A/C unit and the bathroom inside was no longer working. Crazy day and I will never forget it! Nadeem Gebrael President Nadeem Gebrael Group I had just got to class at UM Flint and it was surprisingly empty.There were only about six of us waiting for the profes sor when there were usually about 12-14 students. I hadn’t peeked at the news before I left home that day.The professor came in with tears in his eyes and said that in light of today’s events, all classes were canceled. He told us that we should all head home. Bewildered, I found the nearest TV – a large group of students were huddled around it, sobbing. I was abso lutely shocked. I never would have imagined that something so terrible could ever happen.” I was at my home in Fenton with the TV on gather ing my culinary equipment in preparation for a culinary competition at the Novi expo center.The competition was part of the Michigan restau rant association food show and it was a two-man mystery Peter Hinterman Assistant Editor My City Magazine

basket competition as I recall. I remember being shocked and saddened and a feeling of help lessness as I watched what was going on. Watching that day and display of all the loss of life and that someone would attack our country’s innocent citizens was truly heartbreaking. Matt Cooper MCC Culinary Institute I remember the exact step I was taking when I heard the news. I was at the old Fenton location on Adelaide St. when a friend called to tell me something bad was happening. I ran upstairs to the office to grab a portable TV that had only two working channels – which didn’t matter because all the stations were the same that day. I sat at my bench, watched in disbelief and to be honest, I cried. Chip Beltinck Owner Sawyer Jewelers I was on my way to work in Flint, listening to the radio (WWCK) when I heard that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the WTC – there were no details, it was sounding like an unfortunate accident. I got to work just in time to learn that it was a commercial plane and that the South Tower had just been hit by another plane. Everyone in the office was in shock; it was completely unreal.We tried to watch footage on our comput ers.What would happen next? Were we all in danger? I called my significant other, who was in Florida (as was President Bush) – of course, I wanted him t

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