Snellville Remembers 9/11: Dave Emanuel

Certain things remain etched in our memories forever – where we were when Martin Luther King, Jr., was shot, what we were doing when John F. Kennedy was killed, and more, recently, what we felt when the Twin Towers were attacked and ultimately leveled. 

As we approach the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we give Patch readers the opportunity to share their stories of where they were on that day.  

We caught up with Dave Emanuel, a city council contender, to share his thoughts on the tragic events, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

“I was at work when we heard a radio announcement that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. I thought that it must have been a small private plane, and never dreamed that the towers themselves were seriously damaged.

"When I went into the office that has a television, I saw a scene that was beyond imagination. By that time, the second tower had been hit. Having been to the Towers several times, I knew that they each had a huge footprint, and the thought that they could sustain "life-threatening" damage seemed to be unimaginable.

"As I watched them crumble, it was all I could do to accept that the unimaginable had become reality. My immediate response was tremendous sadness -- followed by rage. I still feel those emotions today, especially each time I fly to New York and see that the Towers are gone.

"The empty space is a reminder that nothing is truly safe, and that hatred doesn't do much besides killing innocent people. It is also a reminder of the courage and resourcefulness of Americans, particularly in the face of adversity."

Follow us over the next few days as we capture the memories and experiences of your friends and neighbors. If you would like to be interviewed regarding your experiences and thoughts, contact Crystal Huskey at patchreportercrystal@gmail.com.