It’s a beautiful day, clear skies, sun shining and people walking around just like any other day.
A woman goes into Starbucks and picks up a tall, skinny latte and then heads back out making a quick call back home to remind someone she’ll be home early today because they have guest coming to dinner. “Don’t be late”, she says.
Moments later, she heads into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
At Boston’s Logan International Airport, a man waves bye to the friend dropping him off. In such a rush, he nearly leaves his ticket in the car for American Airlines’ flight #11. It’s a rush to the gate, but he makes his flight.
As a few co-workers are getting some last minute paperwork printed up and start heading out the door to a meeting, one man reminds his assistant, “Bring both of the files off the desk.” They turn around to open the door and…
On September 11, 2001 lives changed. Where were you?
8:46 A.M. American Airlines Flight #11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center
8:48 A.M. The first television report is broadcast locally on New York’s WNYW station
8:49 A.M. CNN breaks into a Ditech commercial with live footage and the screen subtitle says,“World Trade Center Disaster”
9:03 A.M. United Flight #175 crashes into the South Tower of the World Trade Center
9:15 A.M. NBC’s Today Program makes unconfirmed statements from employees at United Airlines that an American Airlines aircraft had been hijacked previous to its destruction
9:17 A.M. All NYC area airports closed down
9:18 A.M. CNN makes reference for the first time saying foul play may be involved. FBI is investigating foul play
9:23 A.M. Text message sent to United Flight #93 warning “Beware of cockpit intrusion-Two a/c {aircraft} hit World Trade Center”
9:24 A.M. FAA notifies the Northeast Air Defense Sector about the possible hijacking of American Airlines Flight #77
9:28 A.M. Hijackers storm into cockpit of Flight #93 and take over flight. Takeover is overheard by flight controllers in Cleveland
9:29 A.M. President Bush makes first Public Statement about attacks from Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, FL where he had been visiting with students at the time of the attacks
9:37 A.M. Flight #77 crashes into the western side of the Pentagon
Immediately the Nation becomes aware that these are possibly calculated terrorist and more can continue to happen
9:43 A.M. the White House and Capital are evacuated and closed
9:45 A.M. United States airspace is shutdown. No civilian aircraft can take off and all aircraft flying are told to land immediately at nearest airport. All international flights are directed to land in Canada. Transport Canada, Canada’s transportation also shuts down its airspace
9:57 A.M. Passenger revolt begins against hijackers aboard Flight #93
9:59 A.M. The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses
10:03 A.M. Flight #93 is crashed in a field in Somerset, Pennsylvania due to hijackers and passengers fighting. Reports indicated passengers had learned of the World Trade Center attacks and planned revolt to resist the hijackers
10:10 A.M. Part of the west side of the Pentagon collapses
10:28 A.M. The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses
10:50 A.M. Five stories of the Pentagon building collapse
4:00 P.M. National news outlets report that high officials in the federal intelligence community are stating that Osama Bin Laden is suspect number one.
Due to the attacks on September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent people lost their lives. Their families and their friends lost loved ones. What these people could have brought to the future of the world will never be known but each of them has a name and should always be remembered for who they were and the lives they touched.
September 11, 2001 was caused by the hate of a group of extremist, an Islamist Militant Group and Osama Bin Laden. These attacks were not caused by the countries these individuals are from or the religion they claimed to be fighting for.
This day was a day that would forever change our Country but it shouldn’t tear down our Nation. Our Nation shouldn’t be formed by our history. We should learn from our history and focus on our growth and our future.
To be held back by that horrible day and the events that took place is not honoring those that were lost but it is awarding and remembering those 19 individuals that attacked and is also showing Osama Bin Laden that America can again be broken due to its division.
For America to be strong, its people must be United, showing each other respect, understanding and overall, having the desire to see America move forward.
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Updated add on: See article “America is a land of heroes and honor” with a tribute to 9/11 “America Stand Strong”
Change Happens 