The world changed on September 11, 2001. It is one of those days that for many of us in the United States we will never forget. We know exactly where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt when the news of the first plane flew into the World Trade Center tower in New York City. I was at the Austin Energy center in downtown Austin. I was a database administrator and while walking past a break room I heard people gasping and crying. I peaked into the room and my eyes were drawn to the television screens that were all showing the same thing. As I stood there in shock, I could feel the tears start to trickle down over my cheeks. The newscasters were trying desperately to explain what was happening, as we gazed and saw the lives of over 2,000 people come to an end. Then, we saw the second plane fly into the second tower. In the next few hours, further reports of a plane flying into the Pentagon were reported, and another plane that appeared to have been forced to crash somewhere in Pennsylvania. Rumors were now prevalent and those of us at Austin Energy were told the building was now under lockdown since it was considered a potential target. People were scared.
It was also a day where many heroes were made. It was a day where other Americans of all nationalities sacrificed their lives in the attempt to save the lives of others. We witnessed some of New York City’s finest fire fighters, harbor and city patrol officers and regular citizens charge into the burning buildings to try to rescue those in the buildings. We heard of similar reports happening at the burning Pentagon near Washington, DC and amazed when reports that passengers on the flight in Pennsylvania were the ones who forced their flight down to the ground….to prevent the terrorists on board from flying it into a building and killing even more lives.
In the weeks ahead, volunteers from across our country came together and went to New York city to help search for bodies under the rubble of the collapsed towers. We continued to hear reports about what was happening, and started to get the answers as to who, but I think for many the why remains unanswered. It was a time when a divided country came together. It was a time when Republican and Democratic leaders laid aside their differences and joined in passing legislation to help support the important recovery efforts. It was a time where people of different faiths turned to their God for answers.
Today, is the nineteenth anniversary of this horrendous event. I pray that we let history remind us of who we were before it happened, and what it took to bring us together. I pray that as time progresses, we do not let future history authors change or minimize what happened. I pray that it does not take another event like this to force us to come together once again.
