Where were you on 9/11? Richmond County remembers

We asked our Facebook followers to share where they were and what they were doing on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, and share the impact that the attacks had on their lives. The respondents are identified by their Facebook usernames, which may not be their real names, with their responses underneath.

Here is what they said:

Delia Knight Arreguin

We were stationed at Ft. Bragg the entire post was on lockdown for about 3 days I was supposed to take a soldier to the bus stop because he was getting out of the military and going home but they wouldn’t let us leave thinking we were going to get attacked next. Such a heartbreaking day and one I will never ever forget.

John Ashworth

I was in the 10th grade at RSHS when I heard about it, so I decided I wanted to go fight when I finished school and so I went and did 2 ops, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lynn Hicks Blake

I was preparing for my first group of students at the O’Neal School in Southern Pines when a colleague frantically ran into my classroom to tell me to get to a TV. I could not have imagined what would ultimately unfold in just a matter of a few minutes. My disbelief was followed by horror and fear: the sight of planes crashing into the towers, people running in panic and jumping from the umpteenth floor of the buildings, the towers imploding from the force of the crash, the cloud of dust and ash billowing through the streets of lower Manhattan, chaos in every direction. I, like nearly every American, watched the events of that day unfold, followed by feelings of anger and hurt that united us all for the days and weeks that followed. It was a sad day in the history of the US — one I will never forget.

Melva Bowman

I was working at my office that I had just recently opened when someone called us with the news. We all stood still and turned on the radio and prayed for all those victims and their families and for all the first responders trying to help them.

Joni Chavis

I was home with my son that morning and pregnant with my daughter now 19.

Robin Lynn Coble

I was in Cosmetology school at Sandhills Community College. Someone came in and told our class, we were dismissed. I immediately went to gather all of my children and went home. I will never forget the panic I felt of what was to come. God Bless the USA. I have always been a patriotic person, this however made me pray harder than ever for our great country.

Lorin Crewell

In my living room with my first born child, that was 1 at the time. We were watching the morning news. We lived 2 hours outside of NYC. Panicked! Really got worried when the plane went down outside of Pittsburgh as my Brother was attending college there. I specifically remember how everyone came together and flew flags all over. Never forget.

Matilda Davis

I was at Richmond Community College teaching accounting. I went to the copier to make copies for my students someone said that one of the towers was hit. I returned to my classroom, turned on the TV. My students and I saw the second tower go down. I will never forget that day.

Crystal Dawkins

I was driving on the way to Southern Pines to get my car oil change when the first plane hit, I heard on the radio. I looked over to my mom and said, “Did you hear that?” So when we got to the place the 2nd tower was getting hit and we were like “oh my God what is this world coming to.” Never will forget that day and exactly where I was at that moment.

Gail Taylor Dorey – Rockingham

I was on my way to work in Fayetteville at the mall. I heard about the 2nd tower when they told us they were closing the mall because we were close to Ft. Bragg. I was in total shock that this could happen in this country.

Toni Driggers

I was at work and working my little heart out and I looked up, because my co-workers were all walking around and some crying, so I took my head phones off to see what was going on and a worker told me. The rest of the day, we couldn’t hardly focus on doing our job, production that day was very low. The saddest day in America, God bless us all and prayers for the heroes that lost their life and their families.

Christine Savoy Greer

I was at work, Richmond County Schools cafeteria worker, at L.J. Bell. Mr. Green, the music teacher, yelled across the cafeteria to us workers in the kitchen that a plane just flew into the tower … We’re like, “What?” Tower what? Plane what?” then we all stopped what we were doing, walked to his classroom where he had the TV on and then bam another plane flew into the 2nd tower. Phone was ringing, an announcement came over the speakers in the school, plus parents were checking kids out to go home, shock and awe was happening, but we stayed at work, fed the kids … Then when I got home I was glued to the TV … Very sad day indeed.

Alice Seagraves Hall

I was coming from my kitchen into the living room when Diane Sawyer broke in on the end of Good Morning America and said a plane crashed into one of the towers. I was taking care of my mother and homeschooling 2 of my sons! It was the most somber day! We all watched the 2nd plane and the buildings fall as well as the pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. Needless to say they learned more that day about the world we live in than I could ever teach them myself!

Michael Hall

I was at home recovering from open heart bypass I was waiting for Dr. Steve Collins to pay me a visit . The day was surreal I could not believe what I was watching on Fox News that morning. I forgot about the soreness and pain, I wanted to run out and rejoin the army I felt my country needed me again.

Dan Hicks – Hamlet native, now living in Clayton

I was in my office at the RCS Central Office when the news alert came across my computer. I immediately started watching the live feed. The impact was that as Americans, we pull together when an attack is made against our nation. However, when Americans attacked Americans on January 6th, 2021, I realized how we have regressed in 20 years.

Mary Kate Lambeth

I was senior at RSHS, in the first group of high school students to be able to dual enroll at RCC. I was coming to school (RSHS) after my RCC class and heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into one of the towers. At the time they thought it might have been an accident. I went inside for 2nd block — Radio and TV — and watched the 2nd plane crash. We also watched the towers collapse. I checked out after that — very scary, chaotic, sad day.

Brandy Leigh

I was in class at Rockingham Middle Mrs. Norton’s class. She turned the TV on and we watched the second plane hit. She started crying, everyone was frantic! It was horrible and I couldn’t understand why someone would do that!!

Mary Little

I was in my den at home had just got there form working a third shift that night and turn the TV on, watching a program — don’t know what — then a news break came on. Oh my word I couldn’t believe what I were seeing, will never forget. What a sad day to remember.

Belynda Littleton

I was in 10th grade Horticulture class at RSHS, someone came in and turned on the TV. Everyone frozen in shock watching the world change right in front of us.

Brett Lukov

My heart sunk. I thought what else could happen? It was sad. I remember the rest of the day just shocked. The towers collapsing really hit us hard. All I could think and do was pray. ⁠

Elaine Mabe

I was cleaning an elderly man’s house, he went to the garden and I turned his TV on — and I was confused and called my husband who was home recovering from knee surgery. He was praying and told me it was a terrorist act.

Diana Martinez – Hamlet

I was at Head Start in Mineral Springs. At 4 years old, I couldn’t understand what made my teachers utterly inconsolable. I understood the emotions of tragedy at a early age but remained hopeful in memory of the people we lost.

Matt W. McLendon

I was in 2nd grade at Wallace elementary middle school in Wallace, SC. I think I was in math class when the teachers stopped class and were told to turn on the news. Next thing you know, parents were checking out their kids left and right. My mom left me in school the rest of the day. As a kid, I didn’t really understand but I understood that something bad happened and that action needed to be taken swiftly. I also remember watching the bombings happen in Iraq on the news with my dad. I knew they were being bombed because of the attack on America. It didn’t affect me personally but I noticed how life changed quickly around me.

Keli Renee McNeill – Rockingham

Many of my friends joined the military after we graduated high school in 1999. I heard it on the radio while driving to work and when we realized what had happened, I knew they would be going there. I was scared for them. Sad for the lives lost. I spent the following years sending care packages to my friends in Afghanistan.

Diana Miller

I was a hotel manager and was at work. I was in the breakfast room folding towels when it hit the TV. Saw the second plane hit and all the after. Called my husband who worked as mechanic and told him. I remember the shock of it and not believing what I saw. I just sit down and was waiting for more to happen somewhere.

Barbara Mozingo

I was in a small lounge in Charlotte, glued to the TV with pilots that had been grounded when the 2nd plane crashed into the 2nd tower.

Holland Phillips – Rockingham

I had just moved to Boston, MA, and was supposed to have my first day of grad school classes that day. We were notified that classes were canceled & that no one should try to come to campus. None of us in my apartment could get cell service (probably because of our proximity to Logan) to reach our families, but I was grateful to be together with my roommates.

Kasey Lewis Phipps

I was in 3rd grade at west Rockingham elementary in Mrs. Stanback’s class. I remember me and my classmates sitting in the middle of the floor watching the news and all the teachers going back and forth didn’t really understand what was going on but I knew it wasn’t good. Very sad day.

Sara McDougald Poston

I had boarded a plane at Oklahoma City the afternoon of September 10 and landed in Greensboro after 12:00 AM in Greensboro. I would have been stranded in Oklahoma if I had planned to leave on the 11th. There was one thing I remember to this day: When we boarded in Dallas, the male flight attendant who spoke broken English was welcoming us aboard to the flight to Miami and I made a comment to the female attendant and she said he was just not used to that flight. Well, after 9/11 and there were all kinds of reports about uniforms being stolen by the terrorist, I called the FBI. Never heard anything. Blessed to have arrived home safely. But, that is a day and time all Americans should never forget!

Evelyn Potter – Concord

I was a volunteer in Chaplains office Cabarrus Hospital (now Atrium). The Chaplain came to our desk and we followed him to the Chapel. He prayed and then turned TV so we could see what was going on. Sad day for America.

Meke Reese-Ritchey

At work at St. Andrews University. Our office took turns running to the library to watch the news. A lot of phone calls to family. It was such a scary and uncertain time.

Lori Altimus Reynolds

I was working at a local doctor’s office. I was 8½ months pregnant and went into labor. My son was born the next morning.

Vivian Davis Robinson

I was at work at the Post Office in Candor. A carrier came in with her portable TV and told us what had happened, we watched on her TV. I remember praying and crying, then wanting to rush and pick up my children from school.

Stacia Sawyer

I was a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill living in Durham getting ready to go to school for the day when the 1st plane hit. I called my parents in Rockingham, they turned on the news and we saw the 2nd plane hit while we were on the phone together. At school, there was a somber mood. We kept a radio on all day, and heard the 3rd plane. My friends, a lot of whom were foreign students, were scared for this country and themselves as they had already started getting looks that day.

Brandy Gribbins Smith – Rockingham

I was at work, Kiddie Korner Day Care, and we were on the playground with the kids. My cousin Marc Harding called to tell us to turn on the TV because a plane flew into the 1st tower. Me and my coworker took turns going into the school building to see what was happening and then we took the kids inside and turned on the news. It was a terrible day that I will never forget.

Leslie Smith

I was at Sandhills Community College taking my final Practice exams for Cosmetology and my instructor, Mrs. Harris, came in the salon and we all gathered hands and began praying. Then I left to pick up my kids from school.

Marie Soto

Took 8 hours to get home all public transportation and bridges were closed saw Flight 587 as well.

Greg Taylor

Just about a month prior to the events I had separated from active duty military service with the U.S. Air Force and was now back into a career in law enforcement as an officer with the Gulfport Police Department, Gulfport Florida. I was on patrol and had just left roll-call to start the day. The news interruptions came on and our department immediately recalled members and begin increased threat operations throughout the city. I worked as an officer and waited daily to be recalled to active duty. Thankfully this did not happen. Though, my time in public safety was forever changed.

Pamela Starling Thorpe

I was working 9-1-1/Emergency Management. Was standing in Director’s office and got a call from dispatch telling us a plane had hit the twin towers. Hit the bottom of the stairs in dispatch as the 2nd plane hit.

Sandy Troutman

I was in the operating room doing anesthesia for a colon resection. RN came in from break and told us what happened. I saw the first tower fall on my break shortly after. My dad died 3 days later of cancer.

Scott Waters

I was working at Hamlet Junior High as a School Resource Officer taking care of a sick student. Mrs. McSween come in and told me she had the TV on in the office and we saw the second plane hit the other tower.

Sam Webster

I was in science class at RSHS, and I remember someone running into the room and we all just started running over to the graphics classroom across the hall where they already had the news on. I don’t recall what I was thinking but I think I was just kind of numb or in shock. I just remember the atmosphere was just incredibly heavy and somber. I’ve never seen so many teenagers hanging onto every word of a news broadcast that way.

Gina Williams

In 9th grade going to Mr. Hudson’s class. He said “sit down and shut your mouths.” We sat down in time to watch the second plane hit. I remember calling my mom who was at home and asking her we if we’re going to be ok.