I had a premonition the day before 9/11 walking up the stairs in the house that I lived in at that time. I remember it like it was yesterday as it caught me completely off guard. I just knew something bad was going to happen with airplanes, but I didn't know and couldn't say what. I told my then wife, but she thought I was talking nonsense. The next morning 9/11 happened and the whole thing has been etched in my memory ever since. When the planes hit I was in the office when the first reports started coming through on the radio, and as the enormity of the events unfolded a strange atmosphere came over the day. A mix of shock, horror and complete disbelief, even watching it now, some 20 years later, it still feels really surreal.
The next day I flew out to Rhodes for a weeks holiday with my Mum, the airport was an eerie place to be, so much nervousness about and none of the usual 'holiday buzz' that you get in an airport. It somehow felt wrong laying on a beach when so many had had their lives turned upside down and needlessly ended. Although, it did give time to reflect and to muse on how fortunate we were.
Strangely, I have been morbidly fascinated with 9/11, trying to imagine what it must have been like for those poor victims in the towers, as well as those on the airplanes that hit and came down. More so though, for those poor souls that had no choice but to either endure the fate of either burning to death or jumping to their death. It is hard to imagine anything more terrifying.
The bravery of the firefighters was also remarkable, despite knowing that there was a very good chance of them not making it our alive, they did their jobs regardless. Truly, a most selfless and incredible act.
I have watched many, many documentaries over the years, including those that cover some of the conspiracies. I especially enjoyed the two most recent ones on the BBC. I am still undecided on what to make of George Bush, he seems a bit too twitchy to me, to be telling the 'whole' truth. That said, I can't imagine for one minute that any Government could intentionally plan such a chain of events, without it being leaked or uncovered years later. But, then I could never have imagined a terrorist group planning and carrying out such an event either. Yet, they somehow managed to pull off this horrific crime. One thing we do know, much like with Covid, the World changed forever following it.
ATB
GB