On 11th September 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger airplanes.
Two of the planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, were crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Centre.
A third plane, American Airlines Flight 77, was crashed into the Pentagon - and a fourth, despite initially being steered towards Washington D.C, crashed into a field after passengers tried to overcome the terrorists.
The attacks claimed the lives of 2,996 people - including the 19 hijackers.
Over 1,000 phone calls were made within ten minutes of the first plane hitting the building - with thousands more being made throughout the day.
And, thanks to the radios of first responders, mobile phones, the office phones in the Twin Towers and even phones in the hijacked airliners, some of the people who lost their lives that day were able to send one last message to the outside world.
From flight attendants to World Trade Centre employees, firemen to the terrorists themselves, the following voicemails, texts and phone calls give us a chilling insight into that terrifying day.
Please be warned that some may find the following content distressing.
Mohamed Atta
Mohamed Atta was an Egyptian hijacker and one of the ringleaders of the September 11 attacks who served as the hijacker-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11.
It was Mohamed who crashed the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre as part of the coordinated attacks.
In a new documentary, he can be heard speaking with the passengers aboard the flight and promising them that, if they comply with his orders, they will be able to escape unharmed.
Please listen from 0:12.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
“Nobody move. Everything will be ok. If you try to make any moves, you will endanger yourselves and the plane. Just stay quiet.”
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
Please don't leave the building. One of the towers just collapsed! Please, please be careful.
Kevin Cosgrove
Kevin Cosgrove, a 45-year-old father-of-three, was still on the phone to emergency services when the South Tower collapsed.
His frightened phone call ends abruptly.
Screams and the sound of debris falling can be heard as the call cuts off.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
KC: There’s smoke really bad.*
911: Sit tight and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.*
KC: I know you’ve got a lot in the building but we’re up on the top. Smoke rises too. Come on, I can barely breathe now – can’t see. It’s really bad, it’s black, it’s arid. We’re young men, not ready to die.*
911: Hello?*
KC: Hello... there’s three of us, two broken windows... Oh God! Oh...*
(Rushing sound of collapsing building).
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
Honey, wanted to tell you how much I love you. I was a little worried. I don't want to lose you now that I got you back. You mean everything to me. You have my whole heart and life. I love you so much.
Melissa Doi
Melissa C. Doi was a graduate of Northwestern University, with dreams of becoming a ballerina.
Despite this, she worked as a manager at IQ Financial Systems.
The terrified young woman phoned 911 from the 83rd floor of Tower 2.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
MD: It’s very hot, I see...I don't see, I don't see any air anymore!*
911: Okay...*
MD: All I see is smoke.*
911: Okay dear, I'm so sorry, hold on for a sec, stay calm with me, stay calm, listen, listen, the call is in, I'm documenting, hold on one second please...*
MD: I’m going to die, aren't I?*
911: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, say your, ma'am, say your prayers.*
MD: I’m going to die.*
911: You gotta think positive, because you gotta help each other get off the floor.*
MD: I’m going to die.*
911: Now look, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.*
MD: Please God... *
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
YOUR SISTER JOE SAW THE NEWS AND WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE OKAY. PLEASE CALL ME AT WORK AND LEAVE A MESSAGE IF I AM NOT AT MY DESK.
Christopher Hanley
Christopher Hanley was attending a conference sponsored by Risk Waters Group at Windows on the World, located on the 106th floor of 1 World Trade Centre, the morning of September 11, 2001.
Minutes after American Airlines Flight 11 struck the 93rd-97th floors of 1 World Trade, Hanley managed to dial 911 to report the explosion.
He can be heard telling the dispatcher that smoke was already coming up from outside the windows.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING**__**
CH: I can see the smoke coming up from outside the windows down...*
911: All right, we're on the way.*
CH: Huh?*
911: We're on the way, sir.*
CH: Okay, please hurry.*
911: Alright, just keep some windows open if you can open up windows and just sit tight. It's going to be a while because there's a fire going on downstairs.*
CH: We can't open the windows unless we break them.*
911: Okay, just sit tight.*
CH: Okay.*
911: All right. Just sit tight. We're on the way.*
CH: Alright, please hurry.*
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
2 AIRPLANES HAVE JUST CRASHED INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. PLEASE BE CAREFUL. CALL ME WHEN YOU CAN– YOUR WIFE.
Melissa Harrington Hughes
Melissa was only in New York for one day on business.
Despite the fact she wasn't a local, and despite the fact she was in the city for less than 24 hours, she found herself caught up in the terrible tragedy of 9/11.
Melissa desperately tried to call her husband Sean Hughes in San Francisco but, due to the time difference, was unable to get through as he was still in bed.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
“I just wanted to let you know I love you and I’m stuck in this building in New York.
“There’s lots of smoke and I just wanted you to know that I love you always."
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
ARE YOU OK? PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL. WHAT FLOOR IS JOSH ON?
CeeCee Lyles
CeeCee Lyles, a mother-of-four, was one of the flight attendants working on board Flight United 93.
When the plane was hijacked on September 11th, she dialled home twice on a mobile phone to tell her husband what had happened.
Tragically, her husband - a police officer - was sleeping after a night shift, and never heard the phone ring.
CeeCee, the rest of the crew, and the passengers aboard the plane decided to try and overpower the hijackers, in a bid to stop them crashing the plane into another building.
During the attempt, the plane crashed into a reclaimed strip mine in Pennsylvania, about 65 miles southeast of Pittsburgh and 130 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
Of the four aircraft hijacked on September 11, United Airlines Flight 93 was the only one that did not reach its hijackers' intended target.
This is the message that CeeCee's husband found on his voicemail.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
“Hi baby. I’m, baby, you have to listen to me carefully. I’m on a plane that’s been hijacked. I’m on the plane, I’m calling from the plane.
“I want to tell you that I love you. Please tell my children that I love them very much. And I’m so sorry baby.
“I don’t know what to say. There’s three guys, they’ve hijacked the plane… we’re turned around and I heard that there’s planes that have been flown into the World Trade Centre.
“I hope to see your face again, baby. I love you.
“Bye.”
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN__
I am OK, I heard the plane and then I heard it hit. I called you at home; wait till you hear my message…thank you for calling me!
Brian David Sweeney
Brian David Sweeney was a passenger on Flight 175, one of the planes hijacked by terrorists on 9/11 and flown into the World Trade Centre’s South Tower.
He left a voicemail for his wife Julie that day.
In the message, he can be heard telling his wife that he loved her and to “go have good times.”
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
“Jules, this is Brian. Listen, I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked.
“If things don’t go well, and it’s not looking good, I just want you to know that I absolutely love you.
“I want you to do good, go have good times - same to my parents and everybody.
“I just totally love you… and I’ll see you when you get there.
“Bye babe. I hope I call you.”
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
Jack, It’s Naomi… please tell me you’re okay!!!!
Fire Chief Orio Palmer
Orio Palmer, 45, was one of the many heroic firefighters who lost his life trying to save people from the Twin Towers on 9/11.
On the morning of the tragedy, Orio worked hard to fix one of the building's broken lifts.
Once this had been done, he took it to the 40th floor, where he then began climbing up 38 flights of stairs - all whilst carrying heavy firefighting equipment.
In a radio conversation with his colleagues, he can be heard describing the chaos in front of him.
His widow, who was allowed to listen to the tapes before they were made public, said: “I didn’t hear fear, I didn’t hear panic.
“When the tape is made public to the world, people will hear that they all went about their jobs without fear, and selflessly.”
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
"I’m up to [Floor] 55. We’re going to have to hoof it. B stairway walls have been compromised on 73 and 74.
"The walls are breached so be careful.
"We’ve got two isolated pockets of fire. 78th floor, numerous 10-45 code ones (civilian fatalities)."
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN*
Call me if you can. I'm scared!!
Betty Ong
Flight attendant Betty Ong was working aboard American 11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Centre on 9/11.
She managed to evade the hijackers for long enough to place a call to authorities.
The crucial information she was able to provide gave them the information they needed to identify the hijackers.
In fact, as the scope of the attacks rapidly became clear, authorities began grounding flights based on the information that Betty had given them - saving countless lives.
Only the first four minutes and the final eight minutes of the 25-minute call were recorded.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDINGS
BO: Okay. Our number 1 got stabbed. Our purser is stabbed. Nobody knows who stabbed who, and we can't even get up to business class right now 'cause nobody can breathe. Our number 1 is stabbed right now. And who else is?
911: Okay, and do we—
BO: And our number 5—our first class passengers are—galley flight attendant and our purser has been stabbed. And we can't get into the cockpit, the door won't open. Hello?
*911: What's going on, Betty? Betty, talk to me. Betty, are you there? Betty? Okay, so we'll like — we'll stay open. *
We — I think we might have lost her.
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
The only thoughts i have of are of nicholas, ian and you. i am terrified. i needed to tell you that i truly love you
Jim Gartenberg
Jim had just accepted a promotion at another firm, which meant that 11th September 2001 should have been his last day working at the World Trade Centre.
In fact, he was clearing his desk for the move when the first plane hit.
Jim managed to call his pregnant wife Jill and their two-year-old daughter.
He told them: “There’s a fire. I love you, tell Nicole ‘I love you’. I don’t know if I’m going to be OK. I love you so much.”
He later rang ABC News, who aired his call live.
WARNING: SOME MAY FIND THEMSELVES DISTRESSED BY THE FOLLOWING RECORDING
JG: I’m stuck right now.
ABC: Now are you above, Jim, or below?
JG: I have no idea, I have no idea where the plane hit.
ABC: There were two planes. One went into one tower, one the other. What do you see around you? Are you in smoke? Are you in fire?
JG: Debris is falling around us and part of the core of the building has been blown out.
ABC: How many other people are with you Jim?
*JG: One other person... On the air I want to tell anybody who has a family member in the building that the situation is under control... Please all family members, take it easy. *
TEXT MESSAGE - UNKNOWN
I’m have been trying to call and cant get through. Call me if you can. I just want to make sure you are ok. I love you.
Sean Rooney
Beverly Eckert was overjoyed to receive a call from her husband Sean Rooney at about 09:30 on 11th September.
She assumed that meant he'd been able to escape from his office in the Twin Towers.
But she was left heartbroken when he told her that he was still in the building - and that there was no way out.
Speaking with New York magazine, she said: “He told me he was on the 105th floor, and I knew right away that Sean was never coming home".
“After long minutes of talking, he whispered ‘I love you' over and over. Then I suddenly heard this loud explosion.”
At this point, Beverly’s husband was still alive.
However they both knew that the sound they could was the tower starting to collapse - and that they didn't have long left.
"I called his name in the phone over and over," said Beverly.
"Then I just sat there huddled on the floor holding the phone to my heart."
READ: 10 beautiful stillbirth & miscarriage poems to help grieving mothers
Stillbirth and miscarriage poems - stacked
1 of 11stillbirth
2 of 111) Precious Little One
3 of 112) An Angel Never Dies
4 of 113) A Million Times
5 of 114) I'll Be There
6 of 115) Silent Child, by Kelly Lancor
7 of 116) Today Was The Day
8 of 117) These Are My Footprints, by Tamara Barker
9 of 118) Angel Of My Tears
10 of 119) Oh Precious, Tiny, Sweet Little One
11 of 1110) The Moment You Left Me
Closer magazine has spoken to Kristine McFerren Daly, a physical therapist, who lost her fiancé, Brad Vadas, 38 during 9/11.
Now 53, she lives in California with her husband Brendan, 58, a golf pro, and their son, Sean, 11.
She explained, "Tucked away in my garage is a 9/11 box filled with my memories of my fiancé who died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC).
In it is a tape recording of his last message to me, where he said, ‘Kris, there’s been an explosion. We’re trapped in a room. There’s smoke coming in. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I want you to know my life has been so much better and richer because you were in it.’ Then he said, ‘I love you’, and ‘goodbye’."
She added, "Over the years, I’ve listened to that final voicemail from my fiancé countless times and it still makes me weep."
You can read more about the survivors and those who lost loved one in the 9/11 tragedy here.