A memory of O'Hare on 9/11

Like most people, I have vivid memories of Sept. 11, 2001. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Bright blue cloudless sky abd temperatures in the 70s. I was at O'Hare in line at a gate to board a United Airlines flight to Houston where I was working on a consulting project.

Suddenly, the gate attendants closed the gate and left the desk unattended. All the monitors in the gate area were turned off and went silent. It was eerie. Everyone started looking around and asking what the heck was happening.

Then, people started getting phone calls telling them about the planes crashing into the towers. Shortly after that, the gate attendants returned and told us it would there would be a 20-30 minute delay. I knew that wasn't going to happen, so I called my limousine service to pick me up and take me home.

I knew getting my checked baggage was not going to happen, so I didn't even try to get it. After getting home, I watched the news broadcasts of the planes hitting the towers and knew immediately this was no accident.

Then we started hearing about the Pentagon getting hit and the Pennsylvania flight. I remember going out on my deck and looking at the clear blue sky with absolutely no airplanes to be seen or heard.

It was then that I knew the world as we knew it was about to change.

John Noll

Naperville