11 September 2023 , 17:41
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Lady Gaga said she was in "disbelief" as she witnessed the devastation caused by the horrific 9/11 terror attacks.
Twenty two years ago today, terrorists hijacked two planes and flew them into New York's Twin Towers. They killed 2,977 people in the tragic attacks, which was witnessed by the whole world as they watched on in horror. Singer Lady Gaga was just 15 years old at the time and witnessed the events unfolding from the rooftop of her high school.
The Bad Romance hitmaker, now 37, remembered being shown the attacks on TV and said students couldn't believe what was happening. "I just remember that the history teachers had us all piled into one room and had a television on and none of us believed it was happening."
Lady Gaga was a teenager during the 9/11 terror attacks (AFP via Getty Images)Speaking to MTV as part of Viacom's I Will campaign, she added: "We didn't believe it, so we ran up to the roof and I just remember we got up to the roof, and one tower had already fallen and we all watched the second tower fall all together." Lady Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, said she was filled with anxiety following the attacks as she was unable to get in touch with her mother.
The singer-songwriter explained how her mother had worked "right across the street" from New York's World Trade Center. Lady Gaga was unable to contact her for hours after the terror attacks.
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She explained: "My dad picked us up; we couldn't reach my mom for a long time because she worked right across the street. We were really nervous."
The horrific attacks killed almost 3,000 people (Getty Images)
Lady Gaga struggled to contact her mother after the attacks (Getty Images for WarnerMedia)She went on to admit that she still struggles to accept what happened during the 9/11 attacks. Lady Gaga makes sure to honour those who lost their lives every year. "I don't know; you really can't describe something like that. It's too horrific," she said.
The singer continued: "We were in disbelief. I still think sometimes I'm in disbelief. I remember so many friends that lost family and so many people [whose] lives were changed forever. It's a moment to honour New York. It's a moment to come together and realise that New York really is forever changed and will always now be a family."
Among the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks were 343 firefighters and paramedics. A further 341 firefighters, paramedics and civilian support staff have died in the years since from 9/11 related illnesses. In 2007, the New York City medical examiner's office added people who died of illnesses caused by exposure to dust from the site to the official death toll. The first was a civil rights lawyer who had died from a chronic lung condition in February 2002.