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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

A MAINETODAY MEDIA NEWSPAPER | Copyright 2011 | Waterville, Maine

we remember
I was at Brunswick Naval Air Station going through a Navy fire inspector course. The instructor came back in, turned the TV on, and I thought it was a movie he put in ... We cant take things for granted any more. Thats long gone.
STEVE IRELAND, 53, NORRIDGEWOCK, TRAFFIC SAFETY INSTRUCTOR

2001~2011

I was baby-sitting my grandbabies on Mayflower Hill and my son called and said to get those grandbabies in my arms and hold them and kiss them. In the U.S., we are so strong and you saw the camaraderie. We should still be that way. Were only here on loan; we should be nice to each other.
CHERYL WALKER, 58, FAIRFIELD, BUSINESS OWNER

I was actually getting ready for work and I turned on the TV and saw the second plane hit the trade center. I was in disbelief that it was actually happening. I figured who ever was behind this, it was going to change the world. I knew we were going to be at war for a while. Jeremy Buzzell, 32, Oakland, firefighter

I was driving to work in Toronto, Canada, where I worked for a courier company at the airport. I heard it on the radio as I was driving. I went to the top of the parking garage at the airport and there were planes parked everywhere. Planes we had never seen before from other countries. No one was moving. Everyone was just parked. I knew we would be going to war shortly. Something like that wouldnt go unanswered. David Boag, 40, Oakland, police officer

I was at school, in the seventh grade. I was in Spanish class and we got the announcement on the intercom. At first it was kind of disbelief. How could something this terrible happen? Finally, they wheeled in TVs so we could watch the news and thats when the kind of full-scale kicked in. Nick Colby, 23, Waterville, cook
AP file photo

TEN YEARS AGO TODAY, terrorists attacked the United States, crashing two planes into the World Trade Center in New York City at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., then crashing another plane into the Pentagon at 9:40 a.m. Another hijacked plane crashed in a Pennslyvania field about 10:07 a.m when its passengers tried to regain control of it. Nearly 3,000 people died from the attacks.

I was working as a counselor at the Mental Health Crisis Center in Waterville when I watched the planes hit the trade center on the TV in the living room. I saw the planes hit and I thought it was a movie. My coworkers and I were sitting there silent and crying in disbelief. We sometimes forget and become numb. We really cant ever forget. Linda LaVerdiere, 62, receptionist I was installing an irrigation system in Gardiner. The owner came out and said some crazy guy flew a plane into the twin towers. He came out a few minutes later and said another guy flew another plane into the other tower. And thats when we thought the world was ending. Don Reny, 74, South China, retired

I was just thinking, Error, misjudgment. When the second plane hit people saying it was a terrorist attack that was pretty scary. I was in awe that people could overtake a plane and hold these people hostage. Did we really make a lot of people this angry? Who would be that mad at us to take away other peoples family members and try to hurt our pride?
DEREK TARDIFF, 31, WATERVILLE, BOOKSTORE MANAGER

I was at work in Clinton, Mass., in a beer and wine store. My boss actually went out and bought a television that day so that we could watch everything that was going on. It was horrifying because it was like four hours away from where we were. Very, very scary that that amount of destruction could have happened that close. You learn to appreciate life in your everyday existence a lot more.
ERIN VEOLLA, 37, BINGHAM, TATTOO ARTIST

I was at my mother Lisa Dores bakery in Clinton and we had a little TV set up; we had it on every morning. I was nine months pregnant. All of a sudden we look up at the TV screen and they were showing the first tower with the smoke just rolling out. My first though was Oh my gosh, were at war. All I could think is that my daughter is going be born into a war.
THERESA GOOCHE, 32, SKOWHEGAN, HOME HEALTH CARE WORKER

I was on a bus to Foxwoods Casino. The bus driver got a phone call and stopped the bus and got off because he didnt want to tell anyone on the bus what happened. He returned to the bus and prepared everyone for the news that we were attacked. I was devastated. I just couldnt believe it. Everyone quieted down. I believe the attacks are the cause of the problems we are experiencing now, economically and socially. Helen Cole, 74, Waterville, retired school principal

I was in Rumford Point driving and heard it on the radio. There was so much disbelief is this really real? (I thought) well take care of them. I think it put people on notice. People take things for granted and weve become too dependent on the military and government.

It was heartbreaking, because I watched them build the World Trade Center many years ago I was living in Staten Island and my brother and I used to meet for lunch down there every once and a while. Everyone time I saw another floor added I thought that was it, but he said, No sis, its going to go even higher and even higher. As my kids grew up, after we moved to Maine, I brought them down there several times. It was home away from home. Carol Homer, 64, Cornville, housing support counselor I was milking cows in Norridgewock, working at that time as a dairy farmer. I was heartbroken. I found out later by radio. I was tear-eyed. I roller-skated when I was younger in New York and skated around all the sites that were ... It was just terrible, shouldnt happen. Brad Chipman, 60, Madison, former dairy farmer

Weve got to be responsible for ourselves.

JACK ADAMS, 60, FAIRFIELD, FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN

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