Live-tweeting history: 9/11 through the eyes of @AriFleischer

On the 12th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, former White House Press Secretary @AriFleischer shared his memories on Twitter.

Fleischer took the Twitter community on a journey by recounting that day’s behind-the-scenes moments with the President. He sent the first Tweet at 8:45 a.m. ET to mirror the exact time the first tower was hit.

He quoted President Bush:

And shared the President’s original schedule for that day:

His handwritten notes detailed how the day actually went:

Fleischer hadn’t planned to live-tweet his 9/11 memories.

When he arrived in his office Wednesday morning and saw his 9/11 photos on the wall, he decided to explain what he was feeling publicly, on Twitter. “I got started and I just couldn’t stop,” he says. As a firsthand witness within feet of the President on one of the most tragic days in American history, for Fleischer, “You have a responsibility to share it. It is valuable to understand the history.”

Fleischer’s was not a one-way conversation, either. As the day went on, @AriFleischer replied to others, fostering a conversation around his memories.

Over the day, he tweeted 45 times to document what September 11, 2001 was like for him and for the President, closing with this:

On a day when many will #neverforget where they were, sharing personal stories and looking through the eyes of others, like @AriFleischer, was an important exercise in remembrance.

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