We Remember: The 25th Anniversary of 9/11

The day was Tuesday, September 11, 2001. It began as a beautiful day; fall was in the air, but summer was still hanging on. At 7:46 a.m., everyone was going about their business; many were already at work or were on their daily commute. Some were out running errands after dropping the kids off at school. Kids were getting their school day started with thoughts of math, science, or what kind of games they were going to play at recess. No one had any idea that at that exact moment, 7:46 a.m., on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the world as they knew it was about to change forever.

As we learned later, the September 11 attacks were a coordinated series of suicide attacks perpetrated by the Islamic terrorist organization, al Qaeda. Nineteen terrorists planned and subsequently hijacked four airliners, then flew one into each of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City. The third plane crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. The fourth plane crashed in a rural Pennsylvania field during a passenger revolt.

American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 7:46 a.m. CST. United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:03 a.m. CST. Americans watched their televisions in horror and disbelief as airplanes struck the twin towers. Both buildings collapsed within an hour and forty-two minutes. You knew you were watching people die as it was taking place live on TV.

The casualties were devastating - 2,977 victims died, including the 19 hijackers. 2,750 people died in New York City, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 in Pennsylvania. 441 emergency workers died in New York, marking the largest loss of first responder lives in a single day in U.S. history.

The facts about that day are sadly embedded in our brains, as we have heard them many times. The thousands of deaths from the terrorist attacks are truly considered to be the tragedy of our generation. However, one thing we seem to have lost is the unity we all felt as Americans after the heartbreak of 9/11. Our country had been wronged, and a bond was forged among Americans that made us want to protect one another and stand together as one against the evil that had invaded our country. The war on terror began, Osama bin Laden was eliminated, and almost every home had an American flag on display.

Twenty-five years later, the heartbreak of the terrorist attack is not gone, but it has certainly lessened over time. Sadly, the patriotism and togetherness experienced by Americans has lessened as well. In these times of political turmoil and general unrest, perhaps we should pause to remember the 2,977 lives lost on that day 25 years ago. Also, may we remember the bond that was forged with those we came to call our brothers and sisters, and may we consider ways to revive that patriotism and love for our fellow Americans and our country.

At “Ground Zero,” the site of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, a memorial and museum have been constructed to honor the victims of the attack. The museum houses artifacts like structural steel from the towers, emergency vehicles, and personal items.

Two massive pools sit directly in the footprints of the original Twin Towers, featuring large man-made waterfalls cascading into central voids. The edges of the pools are inscribed with the names of 2,983 people—including the victims of the 2001 attacks and the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. A Callery pear tree that survived the disaster was nursed back to health and replanted on the plaza as a living symbol of resilience.

The Wayne County News asked our readers to tell us where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001, when the terrorist attack took place. Here are some of the responses we received [some have been edited for length and clarity].

I don't remember exactly what I was doing at the moment but I remember stopping in my tracks and sitting down. Then when the second plane hit and they closed all airspace, it was unnerving. We wondered if we were watching a war unfold. But what I remember most was the feeling in the atmosphere. Flags started going up everywhere. We flew them on our car antennas. It was the most coming together of this country that I had ever experienced. Of course, prayers were being prayed, hearts were being touched, compassion was abundant and love for this country was strengthened. We have always had tragedies, but that one day, as we learned of the destruction, of the many lives lost, of the heroism aboard Flight 93, well, it's hard to really describe the raw emotions. And then the retaliation began. While we watched the struggle to find survivors, to sift through the devastation, looking for any signs of hope, we also watched our soldiers go after the evil that caused this heartbreak. And that they did. May we never forget, first of all, the many innocent lives lost, the sacrifices of so many and the most amazing feeling of living in a country that fell for a few minutes, but came alive with anger, and the determination that this would not go away quietly. -Bobbie Davis

I was at my parents’ house visiting them and Talitha called and told me we were under attack so we turned on the TV and watched. But it was right after the first tower was hit. Such a sad and terrible thing. The USA came together with love and support for each other so sad that it faded with time and now we are watching our country decline. I pray everyday for our country to turn back to God. -Sue Raines Kilburn

I was teaching a history class at Collinwood High School. That is a day those kids in that class will never forget. They became an intimate part of living history that day, not through some random facts from a textbook, but from real time experience. -Katy Parker Wright

In sixth grade in Mrs. Brenda Whitten's class. It was math class, she turned on the TV and we watched the footage. -Kimberly Daniel

Sixth grade history class at E.A. Cox in Columbia. My teacher received a call telling her to turn on the news. We were held over in class that day and had a late switch to the next class. Our mom picked up early from school. -Brooksie Ruby Grace Thompson

I was in my office in Brentwood. A colleague shouted from the hallway, “a plane just hit the World Trade Center.” We all scrambled to the conference room and saw the towers fall. One of the horrors was that our company had sales guys in the air. By evening our team was accounted for and safe. I joined so many others at Brentwood United Methodist Church that night and we prayed and cried and held hands. Dr. Howard Olds assured us we were still sheltered by the Love of Almighty God. Several years later I was at Wachovia Corporate Trust. FedEx was a client. On the 9/11 anniversary I recall talking with FedEx folks. One of the many extraordinary events that unfolded from 9/11 was FedEx had planes in the air carrying transplant organs. Through the heroic efforts of so many, the waiting organ recipients were not denied the life-changing gifts they were to receive. Good did prevail over evil that day in so many ways. May we always remember. -Myra Staggs

I had just gotten home from working the midnight shift. I turned on Good Morning America and got into bed. First they reported a small plane had hit one of the towers. That got my attention. Then watched as the second one hit and the aftermath thereof. I called my wife to check on her. She was working in downtown Nashville at the time. I told her we were under some sort of attack and to call me if she needed to. That Tuesday night was my last midnight shift for the week. I thought about calling off but decided to go in to work. We can never let evil win. -James “Jamey” Ledford

I was a stay-at-home mom at the time. My twin daughters and I had gone to get a few groceries at the Pig here in Waynesboro. I walked in the store and it was on the radio playing over the speakers. I asked John Daniel what was going on and he told me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center in NYC. I remember just trying to hurry up and get home! I remember holding onto my kids while watching the news coverage, crying as I held them close. I had a fear for my children like I had never had before, a fear for their future…our future as Americans. I knew in my heart things would never be the same…things would never be like it was prior to 9/11. People changed as well for a brief time. People were helping people, church attendance increased…people longed for that sense of security that they could only find in God. It breaks my heart to know that sometimes something like that has to happen before people will make it right with Him. -Jennifer Franks Jackson

I will never forget, I was getting ready for nursing school when I heard about the plane running into the World Trade Center. I could hardly finish getting ready for trying to listen to it. Then after I dropped my kids off at my mom and dad’s and was headed to school, we got the call that there had been a bomb threat at Northwest Shoals Community College and classes were canceled so I went back home, got my kids and went home and we were glued to the TV the rest of the day watching everything unfold. -Belinda Andrews

I worked at Genesco (Texas Boot). I was at work and heard part [of what was happening] on the radio. I went to the office to listen better and then realized what was going on. Then everyone was talking about it. -Debby Terry

I was working at Wayne County Nursing Home. I was right in middle of getting a lady ready for the day when Lillie Brewer came over the loudspeaker and asked for everyone that could to come to dining room. We all stood there and watched TV. Then we had a prayer. -Simone Pyle

I was still in Mississippi, I had recently gotten out of the Navy and not moved back to Tennessee. Was taking my son to daycare and heard news on radio for first one and watched 2nd hit while signing him in at daycare. Base was shut down to essential personnel only for rest of day. -Eleanor Hargrove

First off, thank you so much for doing this, a day not to be forgotten. I was watching the news on TV feeding one of our granddaughters a bottle when the first plane hit the north tower, I couldn’t move. Then I watched another plane circle the south tower and head right for it. That’s when I knew it was going to be a terrible day. A few minutes later the Pentagon but it still wasn’t over, flight 93 in Shanksville PA. I watched TV for 22 hours. Our youngest son was deployed overseas in the Middle East and we had no way of knowing how this would affect him. How we came together as a country that terrible day made me so proud! I am so grateful to live in a community where our newspaper will publish a column like this. September 11, 2001 should never be forgotten, ever! God bless the USA! -Jane Humphrey