It has been 19 years since the terrorists attacked the United States of America on September 11th. It was a time of great tragedy and immense sorrow. It became a time that America united as one to recover and rebuild.
Hijackers took control of four planes: American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77 and United Airlines Flight 93. Those planes were used to create chaos. The basic timeline of that chaos was as follows…
8:46 AM eastern time: American Airlines Flight 11 cashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 AM eastern time: United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:37 AM eastern time: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
9:59 AM eastern time: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:07 AM eastern time: United Airlines Flight 93 crashes into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
10:28 AM eastern time: The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
That day 2,977 people were killed by the attacks. In the years since hundreds more have lost their lives due to illness caused by the toxic asbestos in the air from the buildings as they fell.
As the shock wore off people began to come together. They grieved. They supported each other. They vowed to rebuild. They united as one people and one Nation standing against wrong.
I remember feeling so helpless myself. However, when this community gathered in the days that followed 9/11/2001 (as happened all across the U.S.A.) I found the strength that has made this country the greatest in the world. That strength is in each and every citizen of this Nation. It is bonded together in the commonly held beliefs of every patriotic American since the start of this country.
I know I will never forget the events of that day 19 years ago. I will also never forget the strength I saw and felt in the days that followed when we all came together as one Nation. I hope you will remember both as well.
By: Buck Stevens
