GREAT FALLS – On this day, 17 years ago, everyone can recall where they were and what they were doing the morning the planes hit the Twin Towers.
“I heard the news reports that morning before I went to work. I knew that it was probably going to be a pretty hectic day,” administrative assistant Donna Thunstrom said.
Donna Thunstrom worked as an administrative assistant at Loy Elementary School, with 90-95% of the students being children of Air Force personnel from Malmstrom Air Force Base, which is just several hundred yards away.
“I knew that Malmstrom would be hit hard by this, with our high percentage of military children. I knew that it would be the type of day it was. Until I really got there and I really lived that day, I didn’t even realize what it would be like,” Donna said.
Hectic to say the least, Donna was swamped with phone calls from the start. She did her best to stay calm while taking those calls from concerned parents.
“As the day went on, we didn’t know for sure if we’d be able to dismiss students at their dismissal time. We started talking, thinking, and planning. Cots, food and other necessities that they may need if we had to keep them into the evening,” Donna said.
Buses ran that evening but were thoroughly searched before students boarded, and searched a second time when they reached Malmstrom’s main gate.
“Security was very high. Helicopters, all we heard, all day long, were just helicopters flying.”
Donna recalls a feeling of safe even when the entire country was scared.
“One thing that I remember is Malmstrom, how secure that I did feel with Malmstrom,” Donna said.
As she remembers this day, a day that she will never forget, she hopes others do, too.
“I think it’s something that they all need to learn and need to know. If any future things happen then they will kind of know what happened 17 years ago,” Donna said.
Donna currently works for Meadowlark Elementary School as an administrative assistant.
