Issue date: 9/11/06 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Gregory Ruff

One of sophomore Sarah Stirdivant's close family friends was supposed to go into work at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, but fate was on his side.

"For some odd reason, he didn't set his alarm or he forgot to, and he ended up going into work 20 or 30 minutes late, and that's what ended up saving him," Stirdivant said. "It killed all his other coworkers."

The world watched in horror that day as thousands perished. Now, five years later, the event is just as vivid.

Many UW-Eau Claire students remember where they were when the news broke of the towers, Pentagon and Flight 93.

Junior Susan Barka was getting ready to go to work in Tampa when her fiancé called and said he had heard about the Center's north tower on the radio. When she turned on the television, she saw the second plane crash into the south tower.

While Barka said she knew someone doing finance in the Trade Center, it turned out that person was safe. The following summer however, she said she met a woman who wasn't so lucky.

The woman was supposed to be at work in one of the towers at 9 a.m., but instead went to the basement of the building to deal with a computer problem. Because of the building's security system, she had to wait until 9:30 a.m. to punch in, Barka said.

After fixing the problem, the woman waited in front of the elevators and was there when the plane hit.

"The planes caused such a rush of air down the elevator shaft that it blew the doors right out so she was hit by the elevator door and was slammed into the wall," Barka said.

The woman survived but is now on disability, she said. "Most of the people that she worked for are dead."

Sophomore Sarah Barlow was sitting in her high school freshman English class, feeling "shock (and) disbelief that it had really happened."
When she saw the footage on television she said she felt complete "hopelessness."

"I felt like my heart was breaking for all the people that were there," she said.

At that same time, Stirdivant was living just outside of Philadelphia, so she was right in the middle of everything.

"The fact it hit New York City, (and) it hit the Pentagon, Philadelphia is right in between New York City and The Pentagon," she said. "It's this little triangle and we're right in the middle. It's kind of freaky."

Because of this, Stirdivant said she thinks Sept. 11 affected her a little differently than other Eau Claire students.

"A lot of my friends' dads and moms worked in New York City and the Trade Centers," she said. "I remember the counselors being open for students whose family members were working … I remember a lot of people doing that."

Freshman Briana Jandrt said she remembers being in her eighth grade multimedia class when she heard about the events.

"I was just really confused at first," Jandrt said. "Once I found out all the details, I was in complete shock, and I was scared too."

Junior Bryan Edwards remembers sitting in his high school computer programming class when the news broke.

"When I was first told about it, the deepest feeling I had about it was surprise," he said. "It was very surreal, unbelievable - just very surprising."

Both Jandrt and Edwards said they spent the rest of the day watching news coverage in the majority of their classes. Experiencing history first-hand gave them not only a better understanding of the day's events, they said, but also a better appreciation for current events.

"I wouldn't have known how much terrorism happens," Jandrt said. "I pay attention to the news a lot more now."

Edwards agreed, adding that the events caused him to realize how much he used to take for granted.

"It kind of made me more aware of my surroundings, a little more wary of unexpected things in my life," he said.

"Unfortunately, it takes events like that to show your country's vulnerability, even your own vulnerability."


September 11, 2001 timeline

8:45 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

9:03 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center.

9:43 a.m.
American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.

10:10 a.m.
United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in Somerset County, Penn., southeast of Pittsburgh.

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