“I was shocked to start with and then just sad for everyone,” said local resident Chantel Callister. “I actually saw the planes hit the towers and it was very emotional. It made me cry a lot,” said local resident Tangy Smiraldo. People had a variety of reactions to the 9-11 terrorist attacks in New York City that happened in 2001.
One man in Reno says the tragic attack on the Twin Towers and the corresponding loss of life hit especially close to home for him. “I was a construction technology student at the time the world trade center was being constructed. I went on field trips on the base and foundation of that structure while it was being constructed,” said local resident George Pizarro.
He says he was living in Reno when the attacks happened but it still affected him emotionally. “The way I felt about it? I felt violated. Horrible. When the first the first plane hit, it may have been an accident. But when the second plane hit, it was all over,” said Pizarro.
He says he was quick to react. “Alright, Game on. 30 days later I was deployed,” said Pizarro.
18 years later, he still has strong feelings about it. “It's just pure evil what they've done. And what they continue to do to their own people much less other countries.  The way I feel about it today is the same way I felt about it then,” said Pizarro.
Others still feel the impact years after the tragedy happened. “It's still sad to me,” said local resident Chantel Callister. “It never should have got this far,” said local resident Mike Cooprider.
