“Where were you when the world stopped turnin’ that September day?” —Alan Jackson
I don’t often talk about September 11, 2001. Even 24 years later, it still hurts.
At the time, I was a news producer for New York City’s top-rated all-news radio station, 1010 WINS — “You give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world” — charged with keeping the city informed in its darkest hour.
When the Twin Towers fell, so did most of New York’s local television signals, their transmitters perched atop the World Trade Center.
1010 WINS became a lifeline. Behind the scenes in our newsroom was chaos, fear, and heartbreak.
I still hear those moments in my head:
My then-husband, anchor Jim Faherty, now with iHeartMedia here in Alabama, breaking in with the words no one could believe: a plane had struck the Trade Center.
A sales rep-turned-reporter screaming live on air as the South Tower collapsed before her eyes.
Desperate callers begging for help finding loved ones.
My friend and Wall Street reporter Larry Kofsky walking nearly five miles back to the newsroom, his shirt marked with a footprint from being trampled as the towers came down.
But amid the devastation, there was hope. Our legendary reporter John Montone, who had gone missing for more than an hour, finally called in—hoarse but alive.
He described being trapped with strangers in a nearby building, fearing the worst until they worked together to find a way out. Outside, they encountered everyday people offering water, wet napkins, and compassion.
As John said on air:
“These were the most helpful people in the world… people of all races, nationalities, sexes stopped to help people who needed help. It was an unbelievable display of humanity.”
On that day, we were all Americans—not Republicans or Democrats, not Left or Right.
The flags waving from every porch, the voices in unison singing “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol—those moments reflected the best of us.
Nearly a quarter-century later, the pain is still raw, but my greater fear is that the meaning of 9/11 fades into just another date on the calendar. We must not let that happen.
So today, take a moment. Remember the lives lost. Honor the heroes who ran into danger. Reflect on the resilience and unity that defined us in the days that followed.
And above all: Never Forget.
Jeannie Burniston is the Director of Legislative Affairs and Communications for the Alabama Republican Party. She previously worked as a broadcast journalist for CBS Radio’s 1010 WINS in New York City, where her newsroom’s coverage of the September 11th attacks earned a National Edward R. Murrow Award. With more than 30 years of experience in political communications and media strategy, she continues to use her expertise to advance conservative causes and engage voters across Alabama.
