SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
We will turn soon to New York, where services are about to begin to mark the first strike on Sept. 11, 2001. It was, of course, 8:46 a.m. Eastern Time when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center between the 93rd and 99th floors. At 9:59, the South Tower of the World Trade Center fell in an agonizing collapse of smoke and steel and sobs. And at 10:28, the North Tower collapsed. Two of the tallest buildings in the world simply vanished from the skyline. We witnessed unimaginable images of mangled buildings, chaos and a rush of first responders who tried to save as many souls as possible in a city where, just 90 minutes before, life was vivacious and peaceful.
We will go to those services later in our program and hope you'll be along with us on a very solemn morning. You're listening to Special Coverage from Weekend Edition and NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.