Remembering September 11, 2001

It was a normal Tuesday morning as I, along with my co-workers, settled in to work on the Hill, in Washington, DC. Then suddenly our world changed forever at 8:46 a.m., on September 11, 2001. The first plane had just hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. The second plane was to follow at 9:03. Then, at 9:37 a.m., a plane crashed into the Pentagon and at 10:03 a.m., yet another plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It was surmised this plane was meant to crash into a building in DC. Would there be more? Pandemonium ensued.

Capitol police were everywhere, announcing what had just happened and rushing people to safety. There was very little time to think about what was happening because we were told there was a plane headed toward DC. Panic!

Then the terrible events of that day started to be broadcast on all media and we watched as our country was under attack and wondered what would come next. We watched people jumping to their death and buildings crumbling. We watched great clouds of smoke billowing from the carnage. We watched the bravest of the brave rush into the chaos without regard for their own lives. We watched and wept.

It was a very long day; this day when so many things changed. The world would never be the same. But we had no idea what these changes would be or how they would affect our lives. We wondered.

Please take a moment to remember what we now call simply 911. Remember the 2,753 who perished at the World Trade Center. Remember the 184 who died at the Pentagon. Remember the 40 who died at Shanksville. Remember how it was before 911.

Thank you for remembering and thank you for keeping our country strong by being strong yourself.

Amata