Tweets Of Remembering 9/11

 Today is the anniversary of 7 years since 9/11 and there are signs all over that it is happening with a new memorial in DC being dedicated today and radio shows and TV programs all talking about the same thing here in the US. One of the most powerful commemorations is a meme that started up on Twitter and has been happening all day where people are taking 140 characters to share their simple stories of where they were 7 years ago when 9/11 happened. Type “#wwy911” or “#7yearsago” into a Twitter search engine and you’ll rapidly find yourself engaged with microstories from people around the world. Together they not only show how universally remembered this moment is, but also the power of social media to share these stories in a way that more significant than any book or any romanticized Hollywood recap movie.

For my post today, my wife suggested capturing some of the most powerful Tweets from today and bringing them together. So, to remember the seven year anniversary of 9/11 – here are 25 eye opening moments captured in less than 140 characters each:

1. morrisryanc: #wwy911: phone rang. girlfriend told me to turn on tv. hung up, called mom. “where’s dad?” “he’s on a plane from  europe to DC …” panicked.
2. melaniephung: #7yearsago I got on a bus at the Pentagon. 15 min. later I got off and saw giant black cloud of smoke coming from where I’d just been.
3. amythecopywrite: #wwy911 Was on the way to the airport for NYC flight. My entire family was in flight to NYC. All grounded. Cousin buried my aunt alone.
4. thegirlriot: #WWY911 i was in high school still. there were rumours first. no one wanted to tell us. fourth period we all knew. blue mascara stains.
5. dsaarinen: I could hear the explosions in Brooklyn, a terrible “snow” was falling here, people walking fast covering faces with their shirts. #wwy911
6. wisesumo: #wwy911 – I was working in Atlanta’s Twin Towers and like everyone in my government agency we looked at TV, worried we would be hit next
7. lewiswebb: working at the London Eye, we closed down for the day – some tourists actually complained! London’s sky became eireely empty #wwy911
8. leesabarnes: #7yearsago at this moment, i watched footage of people falling from the top floors of both towers. i couldn’t sleep the rest of the nite.
9. webgrrlie: #7yearsago Working at AOL in Dulles, and husband was working in DC. I drove 100 mph to go retrieve him & then we went home, and wept.
10. bigboned: #7yearsago heard NYC on radio, saw it on newroomTV, said We are in DC, it could happen here! Calm Down said boss – heard BOOM -windows shook
11. egvick: #7yearsago Ground Zero image taken from the Intl Space Stationhttp://tinyurl.com/4spz3j
12. melikbilge: #7yearsago I was 6 years old, watching my parents and grandfather look at burning buildings
13. funfelt: #7yearsago I was teaching 5th grade full time, single mom, shocked and horrified, how to explain to students? my own kids? so much confusion
14. egculbertson: #7yearsago In my apt about to walk out the door for work; went to Red Cross to give blood and watched CNN with hundreds of people.
15. beezy: #7yearsago Stuck at work, buildings around me evacuated, heard the hit at the pentagon, saw CNN, threw up, never watched crash video again.
16. kellishaver: #7yearsago Stood in my one of favorite professor’s office and watched the 2nd tower fall. Found out I was pregnant about 24hrs later.
17. ryanmer: #7yearsago I was in Mexico. Just gotten out of the shower & everyone was around the radio. Somebody said “your country is under attack.”
18. eriksr: Was helping neighbor who had locked herself out of her home break INTO her home. Other neighbor shouts “America is under attack!”
19. RedheadWriting: #7yearsago I lived in San Diego in apt @ the end of the runway and overslept because the morning planes weren’t flying. Surreal.
20. jeriley: #7yearsago I was in the server room at ncr.org wondering why our internet was stupid slow. I was pissed when I found out why.
21. dvsjr: #7yearsago I was at the Apple Store, working behind the Genius bar when we heard. We grabbed a TV from radio shack and watched the news.
22. pixelnated: #7yearsago We were considering having a child and that day made us decide against it. It took two years for us to change our minds.
23. budesigns: #7yearsago True confession: I never saw the footage of people falling/jumping from the towers (that they stopped showing). I wanted to.
24. jfug: #7YearsAgo At work, colleague said “you’re going to want to see this” Every time I see the tape I think “please, let it miss this time.”
25. CraigC: #7yearsago zombied my way to class @ UToledo cause i hadn’t heard the news. The Egyptian kid got death threats.

And of course, in case you’re curious, here’s my own Tweet:

rohitbhargava: #wwy911 waking up in Sydney 8 hours after 911, seeing the news coverage and trying to reach my parents in DC b/c the news only showed NY   Comments