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September 11th, 2014
September 11, 2001 is a day that changed the world forever. More than 3,000 people died that day in the greatest terror attack in our nation's history. If you were old enough to remember when you learned the news, it would forever be etched into your soul. Today, members of the Bordas Law family reflect on where they were when they learned of the 9/11 attacks.
Jim Bordas: I was about to leave for work; I recall staying home just a bit later than normal because I had just settled a major case for a client the night before. I had the television on in the upstairs den watching the news when I saw the first plane hit the north tower. I watched in disbelief as the second plane hit the other tower. Stunned, I left for work, and we had a prayer service at the firm for the victims of this horrible terrorist attack.
Scott Blass: I was in Common Pleas Court in Belmont County, Ohio. I was waiting for my hearing to begin. Many other attorneys and court staff were also waiting when the news broke and a TV was turned on just before the second tower was hit. All hearings were cancelled. Time seemed to stand still.
Jamie Bordas: On 9/11, I was 26 years old and I had just stopped at a new house that I had bought to check on the decorating when I learned that the World Trade Center buildings had been struck. At the time, I was the head coach of the Bishop Donahue football team. I canceled practice that day as a result of the tragedy. It is still the only time I can ever remember football practice being cancelled for reasons other than weather.
Linda Bordas: I had an appointment to get some measurements for a house Jamie was buying. The door was unlocked and after I knocked, Buck Erdner, the seller, yelled for me to come upstairs. The plane had just hit the first tower. We sat together, unable to even talk, as we watched the plane hit the second tower. All thoughts of measuring were gone from both of our minds.
Geoff Brown: Looking back on 9/11, there are a few things that stick out in my mind. Like everyone else, I could not get over the shock and horror of what was happening. Although I saw the towers come down on live TV, part of me couldn't even trust my own eyes. I was working in Cleveland at the time and my wife and son happened to be out of town. I did not feel like going home to an empty house so I stuck around downtown far longer than I might otherwise have done. Walking across that empty parking lot on what otherwise would have been a busy workday was absolutely surreal. Not long thereafter, my thoughts turned to my friends who still served in the US Army. I had only been off of active duty for a few years myself back then and many of my friends were still in service around the world. It was clear that we had to respond to that cowardly attack as a country and I knew that would mean placing some of my best friends directly in harm's way. While I knew that they were more than up to the task, I also knew that many of them, like me, were just starting their own families and I worried about what the years ahead had in store for all of us. As the years have gone on, what sticks with me is the resiliency of the people of New York. New York City is one of my favorite places in the world. I was afraid that the attacks would fundamentally change the diverse, free, welcoming and even cocky New York that I loved. While it is certainly true that like the rest of us, New Yorkers will never forget what happened, I greatly admire how the people of NYC have bounced back. I have been lucky enough to get back to the "Big City" many times since then. It is still welcoming. It is still safe. It is still diverse. And it is still confident. Just like the great country it represents.
Chris Regan: After working in Manhattan in 1999, I found myself in Wheeling, West Virginia on 9-11 at Bordas & Bordas. Many of my friends and colleagues were in New York that day, and I remember calling them and being unable to get through, as no one could, all morning long. Through a long day of watching the news and waiting for reports, I remember thinking that such attacks were bound to be repeated over and over, but they never have been.
Jenna Heaston: At the sound of the bell, the last of my classmates spilled from the hallway into second period history class. I noticed the television in the corner - smoke, fire, lights, chaos. Planes. I recognized the burning structures and began to hear my own heartbeat. I turned around, in disbelief, to find the color draining from my friends' faces. The class quickly fell silent. Our substitute teacher entered and explained that America had been attacked. We prayed. In the doorway, he phoned his wife. We heard and watched him weep for our country. I wept. In those initial moments, I knew our America had been deeply wounded and changed forever.
Linda Scaggs: I was at work on the morning of 9/11. Howard Klatt, one of our attorneys at that time, was on his way to a deposition and called in and told me that he heard on the radio that an airplane had flown into one of the twin towers. I thought to myself that it was probably a small plane and an accident, but I ran downstairs to the basement office where there was a television. I got down there in time to see the second plane fly into the building. Even then I couldn't believe anyone would do something that horrible.
Zak Zatezalo: I remember that morning vividly. I was living and working in Dallas, Texas getting ready to leave for the office. I rarely, if ever had the television on in the morning, let alone the news, but for some unexplained reason, that morning I had turned on the news. The first plane had already hit and I was watching the footage of the smoking tower. I recall there still being some confusion at that time about exactly what had occurred, when I saw the second plane hit live. I remember feeling completely shocked and immediately thinking it was the work of terrorists. I was new to my firm so, I went on to work, but I was quickly sent home since I worked in a downtown high rise and everyone was concerned that no building was safe. I remember going home that day with the feeling that this would prove to be a permanent turning point for the country and things would never be quite the same again in my lifetime.
John Artimez: When the first plane hit, I was riding with my friend, Ed Johnson, on my way to Sistersville to meet with a client. At that point, we just thought it was a terrible accident. We were sitting in the client's kitchen watching the news when the second plane hit. I remember feeling sick to my stomach as we saw people leaping to their deaths to avoid being burned alive. I remember how quiet we all were as we watched the towers collapse. My feelings went back and forth from profound sadness to furious outrage. I knew that in those few moments, our world had been changed forever.
Tyler Smith: I was in my office on the 29th floor of the US Steel Tower in Pittsburgh when the first plane hit Tower I. I knew this event would change our lives forever. I learned that a third plane (Flight 93) was turning around and heading for Pittsburgh. Being that the US Steel Tower was the tallest structure in the city, the building was being evacuated; and, security systems were put in place shortly thereafter.
Carrie Scanlon: I was the Marketing Director for OVMC and East Ohio Regional Hospital at the time and I was in a meeting with Brian Felici over at EORH. His secretary came in and said a plane hit the World Trade Center. We wrongfully assumed it was a small passenger plane. On the way back to Wheeling, I listened as the Pentagon was hit. I recall feeling intense grief and sadness for my own children knowing that this was the world that they would grow up in. I remember feeling incredible pride in how our country came together in the days following the attack. I also recall on my way home that day, I noticed the flag for the city of Moundsville had not been lowered at the entrance to the city and I called and gave them a significant piece of my mind.
Jodi Cunningham: I was standing in the courthouse in Tucker County when I learned of the first plane hitting and thought it must be a terrible accident. I then ran across the street to my office to watch the coverage on TV. That's when the second plane hit and then I realized that this was not an accident, but an act of terror. I remember having a lot of mixed emotions. I felt scared, shocked, sad, confused, angry and devastated that something like this could happen.
Corey Pietranton: I was teaching kindergarten at St. Michael Parish School when someone knocked on my classroom door and whispered the news to me. Details were sketchy at first so I figured it could have been an accident. Once the additional attacks took place, parents of my students started coming to the classroom to pick up their children. At the time, my classroom had huge windows and a door that led to a courtyard where students were dismissed daily so I could see the panic on the faces of the parents as they rushed to the school that day. That panic and the visible rush of relief once the parents hugged their children is something I will never forget. Strangely, one of the things that I remember well about that day is how beautiful the weather was - sunny, blue skies and beautiful white clouds. I remember thinking that it was incredibly difficult to believe that something so horrific could happen on such a beautiful day. What stands out the most for me, though, is the sharp contrast between the innocence and joy of a kindergarten classroom and the evil and horror that our country experienced that day.
Michele Rejonis: On 9/11/01, I was working in the PR department at a local college. When my colleagues and I heard the news of the first plane hitting the first tower, I initially thought it was a terrible accident. We then turned on the television in the boss' office just in time to see the second plane hit. The feeling in my gut said this was no accident. It was at that point I knew that we, as a nation, were dealing with terrorism as we'd never seen before.
Maggie Tague: It is hard to believe that thirteen years have passed since that fateful day. At the time, I was a freshman in high school-just fourteen years old. But I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I was sitting in first period. The principal made an all school announcement that students should return to homeroom. No mention was made as to why. When I walked into homeroom, other students had already begun clamoring around the television. We watched as news reporters tried to piece together what had happened. A live feed of the World Trade Center played in the background. What will forever stay with me though is the hush that came over the room as the first of the towers fell. It was then that we began to realize the gravity of the situation. No one could undo that moment; no one could save the people that were still trapped in that building. I will never forget 9/11.
Shay Stein: I was 17 years old and was beginning my senior year at Wheeling Central. My class and I immediately knew something was wrong when we walked into our 3rd period religion class and the TV was on. I remember standing there staring at the TV in complete shock. During that class we all watched as the second tower was hit and later as they both fell. The entire day we went from class to class only watching the news and trying to grapple with the feelings of shock, sorrow and anger at how something like that could ever happen.
Jeanne Dedo: I can remember coming into the office and thinking the air traffic controls systems where down and all the air traffic was in deep trouble, until I found out what really happened. Everyone at Bordas & Bordas gathered in the conference room and prayed for those who lost their lives and their families. I then went to get my children from school, Phillip was a student at Wheeling Park and Nicholas was in REAP at Oglebay. With all the students being released, it was a mad house. I then received a call from my parents that one of my friend's brothers was on one of the flights. They told me that the plane that crashed in Shanksville, PA, flew over their house and that they were both trying to figure out why it was flying so low. What I remember most is being in New York that December, we headed to ground zero and saw the workers and all the rescue dogs still going though the ruble. But what will always stand out to me was the smell. To this day when I talk about it, I can still smell that awful death-jet fuel smell. I will never forget the images that I saw.
Jason Causey: After waking up from a typical law school student night of intense studying and maybe a few drinks, I headed to the WVU law school. Another student came out of the lounge raving about the attack -- "they hit the World Trade Center." I thought he was either crazy or simply overly excited about some movie he had seen and went on to class. There was some stirring in class and after hearing a bit more ---I left and went to the student lounge and discovered this was for real. Before the second plane hit, I, like most, assumed it was an accident. I went home and watched in awe for hours.
Olivia Morgan: I was in the third grade, passing out my birthday treat to the class. The principal came in and asked me to take a seat. He explained what was going on, but because most of us were only eight or nine years old, we didn't know what the Twin Towers were. School was dismissed early. When arriving home, I quickly understood. I will never forget watching the horrific scenes that replayed on the television.
Laura Pollard: I was a sophomore in high school on September 11, 2001. I first heard about the events in New York City from a friend in the hallway on the way to lunch. I specifically remember her approaching me and another friend and saying, "hey, have you guys heard that our country is, like, burning?" Having no context to what she meant, I felt confused, but also vaguely concerned and wanting to know more. I had Spanish after lunch, and our teacher had the news on the classroom TV, with the lights in the classroom off. We watched in silence for the entire class period. It seemed surreal, and it was difficult to really wrap my mind around what it was I was watching.
Bryan Pasciak: I was in my 7th grade science class when an announcement stating that two airplanes ran into the World Trade Centers was made throughout the school. When the announcement came, I was confused and angry, but I did not realize the magnitude of the attack until later in the day when pictures and videos were posted.
Susan Wilson: I was home watching CNN when they broke in about the first plane. My first thought was how in the world could this be an accident. It was such a beautiful morning. I then watched the second plane hit live on CNN. I called many family members to let them know what was happening as all the horrific events happened one after the other. When the plane went down in Shanksville, I immediately went to Triadelphia Middle and Steenrod Elementary and picked up my sons. My thought was if we are all going to die, we are dying together.
Alena McAllister: I was a senior in high school and I was a teacher's aide for a classroom of freshman students. They had a scheduled speaker that morning in the auditorium, so I stayed in the classroom to finish some homework and watch the news because I had heard about the first plane flying into one of the towers at that point. I remember being in that classroom alone when the first tower fell and mostly feeling stunned and scared.
Marilyn Bell: I was working that morning at Schrader, Byrd & Companion, and my friend Melissa had the Internet playing on her computer. She commented on the tragedy of a plane hitting one of the Twin Towers. We all huddled around her computer screen to see what was going on. We watched in horror as a second plane hit and then the other one in DC. My immediate thoughts ran to my kids, one in college at Fairmont and one in college at Bethany. We continued to be glued to the computer screen at the office and listened to the news broadcast about another plane that went down in Pennsylvania, not far from us! I wanted nothing more than to gather my children under my wing.
Brandi Richards: I was in Mrs. Macintyre's fifth grade class when I learned of the 9/11 attacks. I want to say I was in math class when everything happened, though I'm not positive. One of the other teachers whose name I can't remember came to the door and asked Mrs. Mac to step outside for a second. My teacher's reaction from the hallway told us something was very, very wrong. She entered back into the classroom very flustered and beside herself and briefly explained the situation as best and as calmly as she could. She described it as an accident rather than an attack. Shortly thereafter the entire school (approximately 100 kids on a good day) gathered in the auditorium and watched that fateful day's happenings unfold right before our very eyes. It was terrifying. I remember being more scared than I'd ever been in my life and wanting nothing more than to go home to my family, however school felt much safer than what was going on in the world around us.
Becky Murphy: I was at work at a Title Company and listening to talk radio and they interrupted and stated that a small plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in New York City. Not long after that news, the radio announcer stated that they think it was a passenger plane that hit one of the Twin Towers. We then turned on the small Black & White TV we had at work and watched in horror what had transpired. Then the other plane hit the other tower and then another passenger plane hit the Pentagon in Washington, DC. We all knew then that we were being attacked by terrorists. Most of the employees who did not have children stayed at work for the rest of the day. When the passenger plane went down in Pennsylvania, the other employees decided to go and picked up their children at school or day care. That was getting too close, in fact, DC was too close for me.
Jeremy McGraw: On the morning of September 11, 2001 I was busy getting ready for my day of classes at Concord College. My fraternity brother, Jason, came in to tell my roommate, Steven, and I to turn on the TV. We watched in anger and horror as the buildings fell unsure of what the future would hold. Steven and I had a Geology test scheduled for that day. As the aftermath unfolded Steven and I went to our exam. Our Professor walked in the class and explained that he was in school and had an exam scheduled on November 22, 1963 when they learned of the JFK assassination. The examination was still held and to my recollection that was the last class of any kind that I attended for several days. Large groups of students gathered around the TVs in the student center watching in disbelief as the investigation continued. The horror of those days was followed by one of the few times in my adult life when our Country seemed truly to be United. Hopefully, it does not take any more tragic events to help us find unity as Americans.
Jay Stoneking: I was in court. Someone mentioned that a plane had hit one of the towers and we all assumed it was a terrible accident. It wasn't until I got back to the office that I learned it was part of a terror attack. After returning to the office, Jim gathered all of the lawyers & staff in the conference room & we had prayer together.
Ellie Wallace: Sitting at my desk on the second floor and Linda Scaggs came up to my counter and said she just heard that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. At that point in time nobody knew for sure what had happened and I took the news as just another terrible accident. I turned on some Internet news to watch. Although the rest of that morning is a blur of pieces of memory of how the news unfolded I do remember that some of us decided to go downstairs and watch it on Chris Regan's TV. While we were watching we witnessed the second jet hitting the second tower. It was at that point in time that everyone realized that we were under attack. The fear that grips you is on such a deep level that it takes over your whole being and I could feel that fear reverberate throughout the office as everyone watched their computers as each horrific scene unfolded. Finally, at some point in the morning Jim asked the attorneys and staff to meet in the conference room and requested Jay to say a prayer. I'm not sure if he told us to or if we instinctively did it out of fear but we all linked each other's hands as he prayed so very eloquently for our nation, our leaders, for all of us. Afterwards, Jim made an announcement that we were free to go home and be with our families if we wanted or stay at work. After connecting with my family via telephone I stayed at work.
Ryan McQuaid: I was in my first semester at the University of Pittsburgh. I was in my dorm room, probably downloading music from Napster when I learned of the attacks. Two months later I joined the army and eighteen months later I found myself in Baghdad as a satellite communications operator for the US Army.
Crystal Shaver: I was working at Steptoe & Johnson at the time. I remember watching the events unfold on a tiny television set in one of the attorney's offices. What horrible sights. I was in shock. This couldn't be happening to us! My daughter, Sara, was only two years old. My mother was watching her that day. All the phone lines were down, and I was not able to call my mom to see if they were okay. I was so scared that the whole country may be under attack, and I wasn't able to be with Sara. I think that was the longest day of my life. A day I hope we'll never see again.
Sherry Sharpsky: I'll never forget that day. Like most, I started my day off at work, just a regular day, until my boss came out with a look of shear confusion and disbelief. He said he had just heard that a plane had gone through one of the Twin Towers. We were all in shock and disbelief at how such an "accident" could have occurred. When news came that that another plane had crashed, that's when the confusion turned to horror and fear. I'll never forget the moment when one of the planes was actually flying right over our area and headed for PA - for the first time in my life, I actually did not feel safe in my own country and all I wanted to do was rush to get my children from school and gather as a family and that's just what I did. As we watched the events of the day unfold before our eyes on TV, the magnitude of what had occurred was surreal and my sense of security diminished; it changed me somewhat. God Bless all those who perished and for those who heroes who did all they could to protect their country and their loved ones.
Sally Blon: I was at work on September 11, 2001. One of my employers came in and said a plane had crashed into one of the towers and they thought it was an act of terrorism. The rest of us just looked at each other with disbelief. When I got home that night and saw the news footage, I cannot express the chilling horror I felt as I watched people leaping from the building, preferring a quick end rather than burning to death.
Erin Dodd: At the time, I was a stay-at-home Mom and my son was watching Blues Clues. The channel on the television was interrupted by this horrific event and as I was in the kitchen cleaning up breakfast dishes, my son who was just a toddler yelled, "Mamma the plane went into the building"! I ran in to witness this event stunned at what I had seen.
Michelle Marinacci: I was in my office working on a supreme court brief that was due filed the following day. When it became obvious we were under attack, we gathered in another attorney's office to watch the news coverage on TV. Was confused, scared about what would happen next and worried about friends and extended family who were in the danger zones and wondering if they were ok.
Amy Wilson: I was working for a law firm in North Carolina when a co-worker came over to my desk and informed me that an airplane hit one of the Twin Towers. The entire office met in the conference room and watched as the events unfolded. It all seemed so surreal.
Darcy Springer: I was at the office when I found out about the attacks. We went down to the basement to watch it on the only television in the building. It was just a feeling of disbelief and horror. It was difficult to wrap your mind around the extent of the lives lost and the destruction.
Missy McAbee: I was at my previous job at the time of the 9/11 attacks. I had just dropped my son off at daycare and heard something on the radio about it. When I got to work we my boss grabbed the radio and we all listened in disbelief.
Shannon Spigarelli: On that day I was getting my daughter, who was about 18 months old, ready to go to the doctor. I remember as I was dressing her, my husband called and told me to turn on the TV. The first tower had just been hit. When I was waiting in the waiting room of the doctor's office, I recall watching the first tower collapse.
