What Do You Remember About Sept. 11, 2001?

10 years ago, no one knew what was about to happen in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. No one knew what changes were about to come for the United States. 

Shortly before 8 a.m. central time on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, news went out that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. Within 15 minutes, a second plane crashed into the second tower. Many television news programs, already covering the first crash, showed the second crash live.

As the morning went on, a third hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in a field about 80 miles away from Pittsburgh. 

The country's air space was shut down, stranding President George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara in the Milwaukee area. 

The attacks were the impetus for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They heightened racial and religious tensions. But they also saw people pull together in extraordinary ways to help. 

A decade later, many remember where they were when they heard of the attacks, what that day was like, and the emotions that came after. For some, the impact didn't fade. 

Dennis Duran says he will always remember 9/11, but the date has multiple meanings for him.  That day, he was scheduled for a life-saving cancer surgery at the Mayo Clinic that day. He had twice been told the surgery was not available for him. He awoke in recovery to the image on television of "planes flying into buildings," and at first thought it was a movie. As a veteran of the Korean War, he also knew the course the country would have to take and was concerned about how we would fight such a different enemy. 

The faces, ranging from young to old-enough-to-remember, are all smiling at Tess Corners Fire Department, which employs about 100 people at four separate stations in Muskego, WI.  However, they become harder when you ask about September 11, 2001, and the answers brief. "Of course, you're angry," said Scott Salentine, a 26-year veteran of the department.  "I'd have to believe any firefighter felt worse that day than the average guy." Dave Maypark, only 11 when the towers were struck, said he remembers being in school, and as he's become a firefighter - now 3 years with Tess Corners - said simply, "I wished I was old enough at the time to help." 

Winlom Woods (foreground) and David Halula relax on the porch at  in Muskego, WI, a facility that assists brain injury patients in their rehabilitation. Woods was shot in the head in Iraq and has had 11 surgeries since his injury in 2006.  He recalls 9/11, saying "I couldn't believe what happened," as a tear rolls down his cheek. However, his answer to whether he would still have served is a quick but simple, "Yes, ma'am." Halula was a week away from deployment, having joined to "be a part of something," when he and his family were involved in a collision with a semi. Lisa Alberte, the RN who owns the facility, said every day is 9/11.  "These men, especially Winlom and Dave, are daily reminders of what that day brought.  While many mourned and moved on, every day they deal with a mourning of their own loss."

Larry and Toni Jansen look at photographs of their son, Peter, who is a lance corporal in the Marines who has recently redeployed to Iraq until March 2012. Although Larry said, "I'd be a conscientious objector—I just don't believe in violence," he also said he supports his son's decision to enter the Marines.  "You can see it from the smile on his face that he is proud of what he's doing." The effect of 9/11 on his son's future "never entered my mind, but he did mention the military right after graduation," Larry said.While Larry's plans probably won't change for 9/11 this year, he said he will continue to do what he's done every day: pray. 

Read more stories about how Sept. 11 affected people in the area in these stories from Patch.

Brookfield: 
Brookfield: 
Fox Point: 
Greenfield:Firefighter Recalls 9/11/02 Trip to Ground Zero and
Menomonee Falls: 
Muskego: 
Muskego: 
Muskego: 
Muskego: 
Oak Creek: 
Port Washington: 
Shorewood: 
Sussex: 
Whitefish Bay: 
Waukesha: 
Wauwatosa: 

What do you remember about Sept. 11, 2001? A decade later, how do you think the attacks are still being felt?