For many across the nation Sept. 11, 2001, they awoke that morning to their regular routines, heading off to work, school, or wherever life had planned for them that particular day. What many had presumed would be just another normal day in the United States…quickly turned into a national nightmare. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes to wreak an unimaginable amount of death and destruction on American soil.
A quarter-century ago today, two flights, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, crashed directly into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City. Those two towering skyscrapers, once staples of the city skyline, were sent crumbling to the ground veiled in flame and smoke. Within the hour of the Twin Tower attacks, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C causing extensive structural damage and a massive jet fuel fire that burned for hours across multiple floors. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, never made it to its intended destination as the brave passengers stormed the cockpit and seized control, bringing the plane down in Shanksville, Pa.
Sept. 11, 2001, was cemented in history as the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. A total of 2,977 people from 93 nations lost their lives and more than 6,000 were injured, with 2,753 killed in New York, 194 killed at the Pentagon, and 40 killed on Flight 93. All eyes were turned to watch these horrific events happen in real-time, shaking not just our nation but many across the globe to their core. It was deemed a day we would “never forget.” And as we reflect on that day 25 years ago, that statement continues to reign true with all of us as we reflect on that fateful day and how our nation rallied together in its darkest hour, uplifting each other through the tragedy and instilling pride and strength in the American people…