25 Years Later - Remembering 9/11 - Part 3
The following stories were collected via an event survey following ARCAN’s 9/11 Lessons Learned webinar. It is an anonymous survey, so unless the participant included their name in the story, we weren’t able to capture who submitted these beautiful stories.
PLEASE NOTE: If your story is listed as anonymous and you would like us to use your name, please email us at info@redcrossalumni.org. Include your name, where you responded on 9/11 or where you were then if you didn’t respond with Red Cross.
Anonymous
Mass Care lead in NJ
I entered ground zero on the morning of 9/13 with the governor of NJ, state troopers and his security detail. I was provided immediate entry. The governor and staff were immediately held for additional i.d. verification. It occurred to me how easily it would be for foreign operatives to gain access by just stealing vests. On the one hand it scared me and on the other hand it made me incredibly proud that the Red Cross logo was so immediately trusted. I worked as the Mass Care lead in NJ. It seemed that people didn't realize how many families lived in NJ that were impacted. Our workers in NJ felt unrecognized. I spent many hours after work in my hotel room braiding red, white, and blue yarn bracelets with one black thread woven in. At a staff meeting in HQ, I gave out dozens of the bracelets for staff to share with their volunteers in the field. These simple bracelets became coveted. I still have mine and wear it every Sept. 11th. It showed that we cared about each person working.
Anonymous
Sophomore Year of High School
I was in sophomore year of high school. We watched it live on tv in our class. I stepped out of classroom to use the restroom and saw an upperclassman senior screaming and crying in the hallway in front her classroom. She said her dad was on the flight from Dulles to CA. The teachers tried to comfort her and told her that we did not have confirmation yet, but she knew her dad’s flight number and was confident he did not miss his business trip flight. Unfortunately, she was right. In my early 20s I started to think about her and the victims more and began to feel anxiety and depression. Yesterday I found I out she became a Dr. so now I feel a bit better knowing she is doing ok.
Anonymous
NHQ for three weeks supporting the airport operations; then managed the Pier 94 Family Assistance Center
It was the best of times in the worst of times. Working both at NHQ for three weeks supporting the airport operations and then responding to manage the Pier 94 Family Assistance Center for first responders' families in NYC, I had a chance to support what was happening on the ground and then to work in the structure and partnerships which had been built. I have never been prouder of individuals, teams of individuals and of the ARC volunteers and paid staff who worked tirelessly in cooperation with other agencies and organizations to help the families who had lost loved ones in NYC. I don't talk about my 9/11 ARC experience very often but being a part of the greatest organization in the world and to see us in and to be part of the action was a privilege and an honor.
Anonymous
Inspired by Red Cross
I was working in telecom at the time, and 9/11 prompted me apply to work at the Red Cross. I was (and continue to be) so inspired by the work of the Red Cross in this and other disasters.
Anonymous
Elementary School Teacher
Was an elementary school teacher, at the time. In the middle of my reading groups, all my grade level team was pulled outside our classroom doors and given the news. We all returned to our classes and continued, as normal. Kinda reminds me of how President Bush was w/ 2nd graders & had to compartmentalize the info received and finish the current task, at hand, to limit what the young children were going to be facing later. I remember, sitting back down, w/ my students, but my mind briefly went to my brother-in-law that had meetings in the Trade Towers, another brother-in-law serving in the Army would attend Pentagon meetings and wanting to get my own kids home from school. At lunchtime, parents were picking up their kids in droves. After lunch...we had to keep things, as calm as possible, for the remaining students. It was eerie returning home, to bright sunshine & quiet outside, but allowed kids-to-be-kids playing outside and not glued to the tv.
Anonymous
Northeastern PA Blood Services
Was communications manager for Northeastern PA Blood Services during 9/11 when massive lines of people wanted to give blood. Because this was happening all over the country, it became apparent that as a system we would collect too many donations and units would have to be destroyed. We decided to cap our daily collections at a certain number and took control of the situation and our blood inventory. We took small blood drives off the books and boosted staff at facilities which could handle larger collections. Our chapters sent volunteers to help with the crowds of people, and it was all hands on deck for each member of the NEPA staff. Particularly poignant was a blood drive held in the Poconos, which had become a bedroom community for New York City. Buses left every morning for the city and for some, it was their final ride. For young kids, mommy or daddy didn't come home. It was gut wrenching. On a positive note, our plan worked and we didn't destroy a single donation.
Anonymous
Eerily Quiet
I already shared using the other link but was struck by Linda (Mathes's) memory of how eerily quiet it was in DC and Northern Virginia during those first few days. No planes, so many people staying home from work. It really did feel like we'd crossed into a new world, and there was no turning back.
Anonymous
NYC as a nurse practitioner with USPHS Commissioned Corps
I responded to 9/11 in NYC as a nurse practitioner with USPHS Commissioned Corps. I was a scared/excited junior officer and will never forget the kindness of the Red Cross volunteers providing food, hot coffee late at night and always offering encouragement and hope to us. I decided then that once I retired from active-duty uniformed service, I would volunteer with ARC.
Anonymous
Managed the Red Cross Family Assistance Center in Crystal City
My wife and I were in New York City with friends the weekend before 9/11 and we have a beautiful picture of the twin towers from the New Jersey shore; never realizing that within two days they would be rubble. We returned to Northern Virginia on Monday 9/10. I had a meeting scheduled at our downtown office for around 10 AM that dreadful Tuesday. As I was preparing to leave home, my wife broke the news to me that a plane had flown into the World Trade center building. Since I had scheduled the meeting, I knew that I could delay it for a few minutes and watched in horror as the second plane struck. At that point I forgot the meeting and continued to be glued to the TV. To this day, I can't remember who I was meeting with or the subject. All I know is had I left on time, that I would have been near the Pentagon when the plane hit. I was assigned as the Manager of the Red Cross Family Assistance Center in Crystal City where we processed grieving family members arriving in Washington.
Anonymous
Joined the Red Cross a couple of months after 9/11
I was in nursing school at the time having just departed a full-time EMT position and a volunteer firefighter role the month before and I was devastated by the loss of life of my fellow brothers and sisters responding to the call as well as the innocent victims and survivors from that day. I joined the Red Cross a couple of months later and this is my 25th year having served as both a volunteer and paid staff. I am grateful every day for the Red Cross mission and it is my greatest honor to continue as an ambassador for the Red Cross mission and brand! Thank you to all my colleagues who have served the long nights/days, traveled near and far and sacrificed so much for the greater good! We are all in all the time and forever Red Crossers! Be kind and volunteer passionately!
Anonymous
Emotional Scene
It was a beautiful fall day, and I was working for J&J at the time and my colleague in Florida called me from Florida to tell me about the plane flying into the World Trade Center. I immediately called my son who was working for Dewberry Engineering firm in NYC. It was one of the only calls that went through. He said they could hear all the sirens, etc. Then the next plane hit and we were talking via computer, and he told me when the South tower came down, etc. His college (University of Miami) were emailing around the country to see if everyone was safe. One of his friends was in the bldg adjacent and ended up over the Brooklyn Bridge as they all ran with the crowd. Days later she flew back home to Miami, and her big 7 finance company let her work from their office down there. My son took a train from NYC to Hamilton Station because he had just moved up to NYC and was in the process of moving into his apt. The next day many abandoned cars at the train station. Emotional scene!
Anonymous
Manhattan
I was living in Manhattan and getting ready for work. I was watching NY1 and saw the first plane go into the WTC without the news respondent even knowing it happened. It was crazy. Then all the questions about what it was, cause, etc. came up but that is when the 2nd plane hit. That was when it was clear it was an act of terrorism. Many people from my hometown, Manhasset, Long Island, died. Many people I grew up with and went to church with died that day. It is too much to even type without getting upset.
Anonymous
American Red Cross Retiree Association administrator
As the American Red Cross Retiree Association administrator at that time, I did not have hands-on experience with victims, but I noticed the focus and professionalism of Red Cross staff both as events unfolded and afterwards, as responses were communicated.
Anonymous
18th Street location in NHQ International Services in Tracing
I was working in the 18th Street location in NHQ International Services in Tracing. I remember Dr. Healy appearing at my cubicle. She was making the rounds asking if we were OK. I was very struck by her reassuring actions that day. By the time she came by we had watched out our windows as DC emptied out soon after the second plane hit. Cars were driving on the sidewalks in an effort to leave the city. It was a clear illustration as we left about 7 pm that night that the American Red Cross doesn't run when there is a disaster because people look to the organization for support. We were receiving phone calls from other national societies asking us for information in general and specifically about people from other countries who were known to have been working in the twin towers. Like other parts of the organization this was not business as usual for us but we developed a system to respond to the situation over the next few days.
See More Stories added on 9/14/2026 - Part 4
