Mother, Firefighter Recall Reactions to Day’s Events

By Delaney Reaves/Eagle View Staff

Sept. 11, 2001, started off just as every other day, until the unexpected occurred in our nation. Two northwest Arkansas residents still remember that day clearly, even though it’s 21 years later.

At the time, Donna Meyer recalled that her family was building onto their house and a man was there laying the wood floors in one of the rooms. Meanwhile, her daughter watched a children’s show on the TV located in another room. The man working on the floor installation came into the room and announced that something was going on in New York. Meyer saw the news ticker on the bottom of the TV screen with information of a plane flying into a tower. Quickly, she flipped to one of the news stations to see more about this story.

As they stood there, focused on the television, the second plane hit the tower and they went silent in disbelief. After watching this she called her husband to see if he had heard the news, but he had not. They realized that it was in fact not a random accident, but a targeted strike on our country.

Devin Reaves was a firefighter at the time and was in between shift changes on this day. He had walked into living room of the station to see fire and smoke on the television, broadcasting live from New York City. Then, he saw the second plane hit the Twin Towers. After seeing this, he woke up his colleague to tell him New York was being attacked. They both watched the broadcast in horror of what they were seeing and the question of what would happen next.

Reaves ended his shift and headed back home, where he informed his wife of the news. Later that day they both went to the University of Arkansas and on the commute there, all gas stations had lines of cars. It seemed that everyone had the idea and panic reaction to fill up on gas, which caused many businesses to run out of fuel. That day caused much distress, questions, and mental images that would stay in the minds of humanity for years to come.

Both recalled the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, and how they perceived it to have impacted life. Meyer and Reaves separately empathized on the patriotic nature that Americans started to portray in the months later.

Meyer said that having to watch something like that happen in our nation caused much anger. People wondered why someone would do something like this on purpose. She continued to say that the backing of the president from the people was high. She said that it seemed to be that “whether he’s a Republican or a Democrat, we’re all in this together.”

Reaves explained how the outcome of this also caused the first responders, and practically every government organization to make severe changes. Following 9/11, many first responders were required to take ICS classes. The Incident Command System, pertaining to mass casualty incidents that occur, helps the communication between organizations. Due to an abundance of different organizations operating on the scene, it was difficult keeping communication clear, Reaves recalled. Following the tragedy, he remembers having to take these classes to prepare for possible circumstances like this in the future.

He also recalled that a kind of reality set in around what the firefighters went through at this scene. Hundreds of firefighters walked up flights of stairs, with pounds of gear, oxygen tanks, tools, and axes, in hopes of saving the people trapped. Many went in to save others knowing that they would most likely not come out of the building alive.

 “Most people turn around and run,” Reaves said. “Our job was to turn around and run in.” That statement was moving, that the lives of others has to always be what they focus on, their motivation and their purpose on the job. Speaking from a place of experience, he went on to say that the number of civilians the firefighters and responders got out of the building was amazing. Though he was not personally sent out to help in this situation, applying his own experiences made the hardship of the men and women incredibly inspiring for their fellow comrades in service.

These interviews gave a personal perspective on the reality of this circumstance and how exactly, even with distance, this affected the world. Everyone has completely different stories, some simple and others layered in deeper situations they were put in. Altogether, this can show that our nation once came together despite several differences, to show respect, honor, and care for those around them.

Delaney Reaves is a reporter for the NWACC Eagle View and a student in the fall 2022 Fundamentals of Journalism class.