“On 9/11, I was actually the Chief of Police in the Village of Haskins in Wood County, Ohio. At the time we had an elementary school in the village, and I sent myself and another officer to the school, because at that point in time we weren’t sure what was going on; what was going to happen next. I tried to stay engaged with the community and put everybody at rest at that moment. Personally, I was shocked. I was sadden, angered. I was embarrassed that we, as a country, had to go through that. The law enforcement part of me wanted to be there helping. We just can’t take our safety for granted. If that can happen there, it can happen anywhere. We need to remain diligent.”
SCOTT FRANK, 61
Director of Training and Compliance for the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Port Clinton, Ohio
“On 9/11, I was at work. I have my own construction business, so I was traveling back and forth on Rt. 2 for job sites. I felt terrible, mad, upset, scared; all the emotions. I hope we learned from it but, at the same time, I hope it never happens, again.”
DAVID KOEBEL, 50
Firefighter/EMT, Port Clinton, Ohio
“I was out of the country, I was in Canada fishing. The place I was staying had a TV in the main room, and they actually came and got me to watch it. I felt empty, concerned, unsafe that something like that could happen. It changed my life. You grow up feeling safe, nothing like that had ever happened, and now something like that happens – it just makes you feel vulnerable.”
DONALD RICHUIEI, 59
Engineer, Firefighter, Advanced EMT, Port Clinton, Ohio
“I was only 8 at the time, and on vacation in Mexico with my parents. What I remember is being scared. Not knowing what was going on, not knowing what was going to happen. It (9/11) is a big reason why I am in the military. I want to serve.”
TANNER WILLIAMS, 28
3rd Class Petty Officer United States Coast Guard, Marblehead, Ohio
“I was 17 years old, and in Memphis, Tennessee at my in-laws house, and I felt terrified, scared. I wasn’t prepared for it at all. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen afterwards. I was panicked. The only good outcome out of it was, the country, I felt like we all stood together even though we were under attack.”
LUPITA FLORES, 36
Banker, Port Clinton, Ohio
“When it happened, I was in school teaching. My nephew was teaching down the hall, and he came in and said ‘Turn on the TV set’. I was shocked at the devastation of the Twin Towers. I felt that it (The U.S. Response) was handled very well. They did a great job responding to it, finding out who did it. Still, it was devastating to have somebody else come into our country and start bombing it. I can see the same thing happening, possibly, in the future.”
DAN HORNBEEA, 77
Retired School Teacher, Elyria, Ohio
“I was working afternoons. I remember turning on the news that morning, and I watched it until 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I saw everything that happened. It was devastating. I saw people jumping out (of the buildings), and the policemen and firemen were trying to get there, but they couldn’t get there because of the smoke and the ash. I felt that we were under attack by a foreign nation. To pick New York and that spot, they knew that they were going to do a lot of devastation to our country. I felt sorrow. Tears came to my eyes because of the people running, the people wounded. They couldn’t breath.”
DAVE BODI, 72
Retired Machinist, Sandusky, Ohio
“I was here at the store. I felt disbelief. We ran over to the Television Station where we could see what was going on. I was scared. I wanted to run and get my son as soon as possible. I wanted to be with my family so we could figure out a plan on what to do. I felt, at the time, that it was an attack on everybody, the whole U.S.”
SYLVIA COX, 60
Customer Service Manager, Bassetts, Port Clinton, Ohio
“At the time, I was in Cincinnati, Ohio, working as a research nurse, and pregnant with my son. I felt devastated. My husband called me, I’ll never forget, he said turn on the TV. The first plane had already hit the tower when I turned on the TV, but I watched the second plane hit. I felt hurt, sad, devastated. I think that was the most horrible day of America.”
LISA GEISHEINER, 60
Cheese Haven, Port Clinton, Ohio
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