Today marks the 13th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American history, 9/11/2001. I, like the rest of us, will never forget that incredible moment in time when we heard the first news of the attack. I was driving to the office after dropping my then kindergartner at school.
As the news reports began to come in, none of us knew what to do. Some of us continued on to our work while others headed back to school to pick up their children. Many of us called our spouses and parents to make sure everything was OK. Others simply went home to wait for more information.
But we all gathered around radios and TVs to try to make some sense of what was happening. We stayed glued to the news not just for the rest of the day, but for what seemed like forever. We gathered our families close as we watched horrifying photos of people lost in a haze of ash as the landmark sky scrapers came crumbling down. We heard stories of bravery, heroism, and service above and beyond as first responders worked to save those lost in the rubble.
Today, we pause to remember that day and all those who suffered in the aftermath.
I think of him (refers to the author’s cousin) and all the innocent people who lost their lives on that tragic day. More than three thousand people, mostly but not all Americans, died in that tragic attack. The entire world has changed as a result of 9/11 and the lives of all Americans changed from that day.
Many Americans, especially those under the age of 20, don’t understand the gravity of emotion, fear, and anger we experienced that sad day. Tell a teenager what it was like getting on an airplane without taking off your shoes and they’ll think you’re from Mars. Many may not know why it happened, how it happened, or even who masterminded that destructive day that has affected the heart and soul of Americans and other free peoples, all over the world.
Read the full story: 9-11 13 Years Later and the Importance of 110 Stories
There will be many ceremonies to commemorate that awful day. Certainly the most humbling of these will take place in New York City, at the Pentagon, and at the Flight 93 site in Pennsylvania. These are the places where we lost our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, as well as our sense of collective security. But there will also be many smaller ceremonies around the country as we try to ensure that those who lost their lives as a result of unspeakable acts will not be forgotten. If you can attend one, we encourage you to do so. If not, be sure to take time out of your day to pay your respects to those heroes and everyday people who were impacted by 9/11. And say a prayer or send a wish that a tragedy like 9/11 will never happen again.
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9/11 2014 Commemorative Ceremonies
New York City (Calendar Listing)
New York City (Calendar Listing)
New York City (Video/New Story)
New Jersey (News Story)
Shanksville, PA (NPS website)
The Pentagon (News station photo gallery)
The Pentagon (C-Span video)
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