Interview Assignment

Nadine Snyder

1. Where were you on September 11th? (open ended)

"I was in 3rd grade in a private school. They came into the class room and pulled me out of the classroom to tell me ... only me, because my dad worked in the city at that point. I didn't understand what was going on, all I could picture was a plane in his office it did not register that it was an actual crash."

2. How old were you at the time? (probe)

"3rd grade, so 8"

3. Do you know anyone who was severely affected by the events that day? (probe)

"One of my grandma's friends was in the World Trade Center, but she did not die in the attack. She really liked shoes, so she kept them in her cubical in her office. So I just remember she lost a lot of shoes after the building collapsed."

4. Do you remember the emotions you felt? (personal)

 "I was scared, and I just remember seeing my mom-- not necessarily trying  to keep her cool, but trying to remain calm for me and my sister."

5. What was the moment your realized the severity of the situation? (personal)

"When we watched the news footage, but even before that. My friends mom picked us up from school because our dads both worked in the city. The car ride was silent and she seemed very stressed."

6. What were the days follow September 11th like for you and your family? (personal)

"Umm-- I don't really remember. The TV was on a lot. I remember hearing about the blackout, and my dad didn't get back from the city until the next day. All the power was out in New York City, and it took him an extra day to come home."

7. What do you picture the chaos being in the moment when the towers collapsed? (open eneded)

 "I just picture sirens and smoke, and screams. I just think about how there was probably families visiting and kids being in the area. Really just loud screams and tears"

8. What does remembering 9/11 mean to you? (open ended)

"I think it means, hmm, it is important to remember our history and to remember how fragile life is, and to think about how just an ordinary day could turn into a catastrophe. And also to remember the people who gave their lives for so many that day"

9. How do you think life would be different now if 9/11 never happened? (hypothetical)

"I don't think there would be an ongoing war and TSA would not be as strict. Flying has become a much more scary thing. Homeland security is so much more prevalent now that it happened. I think we wouldn't understand terrorism at all either."

10. How will you describe the event to your children someday? (hypothetical)

"I'll explain the story of where I was, and why I was scared, and the unity in America that followed the events."