Today our insurance agency would like to remind you to hold a moment of silence for the families, victims, and fallen heroes of 9/11. America faced one of its greatest tragedies 18 years ago today, and 9/11 is a day that will be remembered in US history forever. On that day, New York City was waking up as millions of people made their daily commute to work, school, or other commitments as a normal part of their day. However, the lives of innocent people completely changed when an airplane suddenly crashed into the North Tower of The World Trade Center at 8:45AM. Following the first crash, another airplane crashed into the South Tower 18 minutes later. Within 15 minutes of impact, the South Tower fell, and at 10:30AM, the North Tower collapsed. Debris, smoke, jet fuel, and other toxins covered Manhattan for days following the terrorist attack, and clean-up of Ground Zero took about eight months. News outlets and radio stations alerted citizens across the country, and the world watched as the devastation unfolded in the United States of America.
Cleanup
The attack left many victims stunned, injured, or trapped amongst all of the rubble. However, first responders bravely ran to the scene and many risked their lives to save and care for the victims who needed help immediately. Unfortunately though, not everyone could be saved, and for months the streets of New York were covered with flyers for missing people. Still to this day, thousands of missing people have yet to be found. Many of the firefighters and police officers who lost their lives on 9/11 are also still missing. Additionally, 9/11 survivors have to cope with the physical and mental effects of this attack that has caused serious health conditions.
Same-Day Incidents
While the world was focused on the tragedy occurring in New York, two other planes were hijacked—American Airlines Flight 77, flying towards Washington, D.C., crashed into the Pentagon at 9:45AM; while passengers on United Flight 93 out of New Jersey, bravely fought the hijackers and crashed into rural Shanksville, PA at 10:10AM rather than the theorized intended target, the White House. All four planes had been hijacked by members of the militant extremist Islamic terrorist group, al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden, who reportedly financed these attacks, was eventually captured in June 2011.
Recovery
Recovering from such a tragic event takes time. Cleanup crews worked around the clock for roughly eight months, removing 1.8 million tons of debris from Ground Zero. Today, the 9/11 memorial has been constructed in place of the twin towers, as a reminder of where the towers once stood. In 2014, the One World Trade Center was opened to the public for all to visit and pay their respects to the victims of this tragedy. The tower took 11 years to build, and remains one of the tallest buildings in New York to date. You can visit the observatory in the One World Trade Center, as well as see a time-lapse of the incredible construction that took place during the rebuild.
Remembrance
In honor of remembrance, consider visiting the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, or giving a donation to help preserve the memories of those who lost their lives. We must never forget. United together, America will always remain strong.