Iowan Sara Haines Shares Emotional 9/11 Memory on 'The View'

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, cohosts of The View shared personal, emotional memories of that tragic day, including Sara Haines, who grew up in Iowa and recalled the surreal unity that followed the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.

Though the show's broadcast was preempted Friday, the cohosts filmed a special episode and shared clips on social media. Each cohost recounted where they were and how they learned of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans.

What Sara Haines remembered about 9/11 in New York

Haines, a Newton, Iowa native, was working as a page at 30 Rock, the NBC building in New York City, when the attacks unfolded. She was preparing to bring in a live audience when chaos erupted.

“At first, they told us, because we were an iconic building and they didn't know yet what was happening, they first said, 'Stay in the building, don't go anywhere.' Then, they said, 'Get out of the building! You have to leave,'” Haines recalled.

With subways and taxis shut down, she described the “mass migration” of people walking through the streets of Manhattan, desperate to reach loved ones.

Haines, who had a landline in her apartment, invited coworkers over to call their families. She also reflected on the profound sense of connection that lingered for years after the attacks.

“I also remember for months and maybe years afterwards feeling like I could have walked up to anyone in New York City and hugged them. It was like that. Being from Iowa, that's kind of seen as strange to talk and touch people, but it was this connection that you'll forever feel.”

She stressed the importance of passing on the memories of that day to younger generations.

“We need to pass on the pain, to pass on the history and the explanation and the heroism of the people that ran toward a place we all ran out, the sacrifice, the continued sacrifice of these families,” Haines said.

Alyssa Farah Griffin feared for her mother's life

Alyssa Farah Griffin, visibly emotional, remembered being a junior high student in California while her mother was in New Jersey for an annual trip. Her mother was scheduled to attend the opening of the New York Stock Exchange that morning but was running late.

“My mom, however, is habitually late, so she was actually still in Hoboken when the Twin Towers were hit. But, as you guys will remember, cell phones were not going through. You couldn't get in touch with loved ones, and I didn't know for hours if my mom was alive,” Griffin said.

Her older sister came to her middle school to deliver the news in person. “When I saw her, I thought, 'She's going to tell me Mom's dead.' Thank God she was fine,” Griffin recalled.

Griffin also criticized younger generations for what she called the “memefication” of 9/11, urging Americans to remember the unity that followed the attacks.

“We literally watched nearly 3,000 Americans die on live television. But I also want to remind people, there was a true moment of unity in this country that I don't recognize today.”

She cited President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium and his visit to a mosque as examples of the nation at its best.

Sunny Hostin, Joy Behar, and Ana Navarro share their stories

Sunny Hostin, then a federal prosecutor, was in a grand jury room when she and others were rushed into a bunker. Her cousin Jeff worked for Cantor Fitzgerald but had taken the day off. Her husband was at UPenn in Pennsylvania when news broke of the plane crash in Shanksville.

“I'll never forget because they thought it was going to hit the Federal Triangle, which is where I was, and one of the planes did hit the Pentagon, and I could smell in the air, sort of just the fumes, and I could see the fire, and it was so tragic,” Hostin said.

Joy Behar was in the makeup room at The View when coverage began. She managed to reach her daughter, who was on a plane in Canada preparing for takeoff.

“I said to her, 'Get off the plane.' She said, 'Well, they just locked the door, they won't let me off the plane.' I said, 'You tell the flight attendant your mother said get off the plane,'” Behar recalled.

Ana Navarro noted that her husband, Al Cárdenas, was with President Bush in Florida when he received news of the attacks.

Why remembering 9/11 matters for Iowans

For Iowans, Haines' story carries particular resonance. Her recollection of the “Iowa nice” stereotype colliding with the raw human need for connection after tragedy underscores how the attacks affected Americans from every corner of the country, not just those in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

As the 25th anniversary passes, the cohosts' shared memories serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by first responders and the families who continue to carry the weight of that day.

“There was a true moment of unity in this country that I don't recognize today,” Griffin said. “That is our nation at its best, and I hope we can get back to that.”

Frequently asked questions about 'The View' 9/11 episode

Did 'The View' air its 9/11 episode on television?

No. The show's regular broadcast was preempted on September 11, but the cohosts filmed the episode and shared clips through the show's official social media channels.

Where was Sara Haines on 9/11?

Sara Haines, who is from Iowa, was working as a page at 30 Rock, the NBC building in New York City, when the attacks occurred.

What did Alyssa Farah Griffin say about Gen Z and 9/11?

Griffin said some younger Americans have “memefied” the tragedy and do not fully understand its gravity, while urging a return to the national unity that followed the attacks.