9 Years Later. I still remember.

Amy Sancetta / AP

We've all seen the images that will probably be forever ingrained in our minds. In 2001 I was a Freshman in high school. We heard about the planes hitting the towers during our passing period right after Biology. I was headed to PE, it was the girls turn in the weight room and instead of listening to music we were listening to news radio. Not much was done that day. With heavy confused hearts we sat in disbelief, not understanding what was happening, why and who would do this. Never in our lives had my generation had to think of war. It was something from the past and surely would never happen here on American soil right? I kept wondering if it would happen again, if that was just the first wave of the attack. We live near a nuclear power plant and remember hearing that it would be a good target if you wanted to add to the devistation. We tried to make sense of the chaos that was happening. Then I remember hearing the towers had collapsed, and my heart flew out to those people. The images of the towers falling straight down, the rush of dust and debris that filled the NYC streets and the people covered in white.The next few days were eerily silent. There were no planes buzzing overhead and everyone was glued to their televisions 24/7 seeing the people, hearing their stories, the billboards filled with people missing, we were helpless, nothing we could do but pray for them. Sporting events were cancelled for the week, we were a nation in shock. In the midst of the silent week I remember being outside for PE and we heard a plane in the sky, we all looked upward and it was Air Force One with a B-2 stealth Bomber escort. In the days and months and years ahead, slowly life returned to the new normal.

The events that day have shaped our lives growing up. No longer are wars something of the past, our sense of security had been shaken, no longer did we feel completely safe. Our country rose to the occasion and held strong together, you couldn't look to your left without seeing and American Flag flying. Hero's were made and lost that day. Never forget. As I was looking for pictures to share the last picture of the fire engine made me cry, my emotions overcame me when you try to imagine what it was like that day, I can't even imagine.

In total 3,497 people died in the attacks on 11 September 2001.
•2,735 civilians in the World Trade Center died
•87 passengers and crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 11 that hit the North Tower
•60 passengers and crew aboard United Flight 175 that hit the South Tower
•343 New York City firefighters and rescue workers and 23 New York City law enforcement officers, 47 Port Authority workers and 37 Port Authority Police Officers, lost their lives when they rushed in to save the victims in the World Trade Center
•36 passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93, who gave their lives stopping four hijackers over Pennsylvania
•64 passengers and crew aboard American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon, killing them and 125 people in the building.