Whether you were 8 or 31 when it happened, Sept. 11 will always be a day that every American remembers. On the 18th anniversary of one of the most horrific events in American history, we remember this day and continue to share people’s stories.

As everyone says, Sept. 11, 2001 just started out as a normal day. Many people were heading into work and even school when news of the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower in New York City.

History teacher Mr. Walterbach remembers the day and how he found out. 

“I never got up early for college classes but that day I had to work at a grade school. I remember me and two other people were driving in my car to this grade school, and were just listening to the radio and all of a sudden it said ‘Breaking News’ and said that an airplane hit this building in New York City.”

Many people remember hearing the news through the radio in their cars on their way to work. History teacher Mr. Raziq, who was 31 at the time, remembers watching the breaking news unfold at the high school he taught at. 

“My class was in the library when it took place and we were doing a project…and they had TVs in the guidance office and everyone was gathered around watching it and I was like ‘what’s going on?’ and we started watching the news.”

Building Principal Edgar Nelson who was also 31 at the time, still recalls the attack and its impact.

“I was getting gas, and the clerk said, ‘Hey did you hear that a plane just crashed into one of the World Trade Centers?’ and I was like ‘no’ so I got my car and started driving and called my dad. As I was talking to my dad, and he turned on the T.V. it said that a second plane hit.”

Special education teacher Mr. Luedecke was only 8 years old and in 4th grade. He says he doesn’t remember much from that morning but does remember that evening.

“When I got home the big change was that on every channel they were showing the footage and I remember there was nothing on Nickelodeon. That was the one thing I remembered, Nickelodeon showed Spongebob still but everything else was all covered in the news.”

Mr. Raziq remembers during his soccer practice that day how quiet it was. 

“The school I was teaching at was in St. Louis County and airplanes would fly over all the time, and I just remember no planes and usually planes would be really low and a lot of noise.” 

Mr. Nelson still gets emotional when remembering that day.

“The country just came together. It was nothing like I’ve ever felt, ever…driving the highways, people had American flags…everywhere you went there were American flags. It was an interesting time to be alive, to say the least.”

Though many of us students weren’t alive during this event, we remember the event through other’s experiences. On this day we all remember the 2,977 victims who died that day  and we remember those who were at the scene.