A guest at a Hampton Inn & Suites in New Orleans was baffled to find a photo of an airplane hanging in her hotel room. The issue: Her room number was 911, a jarring reminder of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In a TikTok video with more than 2.1 million views, Brooke Ballen (@brookeballenger59) pointed out the coincidence. She wrote in onscreen text, “They could have picked a different picture for 911.” Commenters were divided. Some speculated the choice was deliberate, while others called it an unfortunate oversight by the hotel.
One user wrote, “You won’t convince me that it wasn’t intentional.”
The significance of 9/11
Sept. 11, 2001, is remembered as the day of one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. history. Members of the extremist group al-Qaida hijacked four commercial airplanes and crashed them into major U.S. landmarks.
Two planes struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, leading to the towers’ collapse. A third plane hit the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. The fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, was headed for either the White House or the U.S. Capitol, but passengers fought back, and the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
In total, 2,977 people were killed. Thousands more were injured or later developed serious health conditions, including cancer and respiratory disease, from exposure to toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero.
The attacks reshaped U.S. domestic and foreign policy and cemented “9/11” as a cultural reference point that continues to carry profound weight for many Americans. Despite being a horrifying event that permanently altered the lives of thousands, if not millions of people, it’s also become a point of contention. Many people began to find humor in the event, either through disassociation, grief, or other coincidences that became “memes.”
Should Hampton Inn change its placard?
It’s possible the Hampton Inn & Suites in New Orleans did not realize it had placed a photo of an airplane in room 911. While some TikTok commenters joked that the hotel chain deliberately chose the photo, it is more likely a coincidence, possibly the result of an older suite that has not been updated in years or staff not making the connection. The image itself appears to be of a plane built in the 1940s, not a commercial jet like a Boeing.
Similar coincidences have happened elsewhere. Some buildings have not been renamed despite the number’s association with the Sept. 11 attacks. One commenter wrote, “Some of the dorms at my college were literally called the Twin Towers and I was in room 911 my freshman year. I’m so serious.”
Despite being extremely reminiscent of the event, it’s more than likely a coincidence.
@brookeballenger59 Come on now Hilton.. #ohno #Hilton #hamptons #911 #whoops ♬ Welp, Didn't Expect That – Yu-Peng Chen & HOYO-MiX
The Mary Sue has reached out to the Hampton Inn & Suites via email and Brooke Ballen via TikTok direct message for comment.
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