9/11 

by Tom Tunny, Hamilton

My wife and I are in New York City these days visiting my sister. Coincidentally, it is also the Memorial of 9/11. 

My sister‘s son worked in the World Trade Center on the highest floor that was able to get out of the building before it collapsed. Many of his friends were killed that day, and my sister and brother-in-law spent many days attending funerals for friends and neighbors. 

My wife and I visited the site of the attack about three weeks after it occurred. The smoke and ash was still rising into the air at the time. 

The 2977 people who were killed that morning are being remembered today with the reading of their names. The 441 First Responders who ran into the buildings in the face of death are also being remembered. 

New York City Mayor Mamdani recently released 170,000 pages of hearings and investigations regarding this tragic incident. Official estimates are that many more thousands of people have died over the years due, either directly or indirectly, to the air quality resulting from this incident. 

Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, a third plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as it was heading for Washington, DC. While enroute, the 44 passengers revolted and attacked the pilots. The plane crashed in a field out of harms way. A fourth plane hit the Pentagon building in Washington, DC. 

The one positive result of this tragedy was that it brought all Americans together of whatever political persuasion, religious affiliation, or economic status. 

We joined together to help those in need whether they were the 2977 victims in the World Trade Center, the 44 souls that lost their lives in Shanksville or the 189 who died in the Pentagon attack. We were all Americans wanting to help in any way we could. 

It is unfortunate that we have become a country now so divided racially, ethnically, religiously, economically, and politically. 

Let us hope that one day we will rekindle the spirit of 9/11!