Remembering 9/11

(Image Description: "Remembering 9/11" is bolded in white over a background of the Twin Towers and the American flag.)

Remembering 9/11

It was a normal Tuesday morning like any other. I was in my Kindergarten class and we were sitting on the carpet to get ready for the day ahead. Suddenly, my teacher turned on the television and the classroom went silent. Our eyes were all immediately glued to the TV, trying to figure out what we were seeing.

On September 11, 2001, the United States became under sudden attack when the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon were hit by a plane. We want to remember the many innocent people who helped get everyone to safety and ran inside the building, thinking of others first before themselves. Additionally, we want to pay respects to those who were trapped inside these buildings and were trying to return to their loved ones and children. Nearly 3,000 people died; in addition, there were 400 police officers and firefighters that risked their lives to help people get out of the attack.

That day, millions of lives were changed and we reflect on the ones who lost their life on that tragic Tuesday morning. We pray for them daily and we are thinking of the families who are still impacted by the death of their loved one. For this sad event, every year on September 11, the U.S. government lowers the flags at half-mast to honor the ones who lost their life and ensure their spirits are never forgotten.

While there was so much sorrow on that day, there were some moments of hope. For example, the daycare program at the bottom of one of the towers was instantly evacuated by a team of volunteers who rushed the children to safety. At a seemingly safe place for these children, where they were fingerpainting and playing, their world turned upside down. Similarly, when I was in my Kindergarten classroom, my life also came to a halt. I couldn’t understand what was going on, but after asking my mom about the event later that day, I had a better idea of what sadly happened.

Now, students in schools learn more about this distressing day in their classrooms as a way to make sure this type of event never happens again. I hope that you take some time out of your day today to have a moment of silence and keep the memories of those who were lost alive.

In friendship,

Jamie Galvin (Writer)

Nathan Moldavsky (Editor)