Today we remember, honor, commemorate and reflect on the events of September 11, 2001, many times simply referred to as "9/11" representing the four coordinated terrorist attacks upon the United States that killed 2,988 people from 93 nations.
Eighteen years has gone by and many people have been born and many have passed in the nearly two decades since the attacks, and many simply don't know the story. On the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and deliberately crashed two of the planes into the upper floors of the North and South towers of New York City's World Trade Center complex. A third plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, VA, and a fourth plan which was bound for Washington, D.C. crashed into an empty field in western Pennsylvania after the passengers on that plane fought back against the terrorists.
Approximately 90 minutes after the World Trade Center attacks, the two great towers collapsed, and five other surrounding buildings were destroyed, resulting in 2,753 deaths in New York. 184 people were killed in the attack upon the Pentagon, and 40 people were killed in the Flight 93 crash in Pennsylvania.
"9/11" remains the worst terrorist attack upon U.S. soil, to date.
Today, we honor those who lost their lives in the attack, and those who died as First Responder Heroes during rescue attempts and in the days, months and years to follow from occupational related conditions brought about as a result of toxic exposures secondary to their rescue and recovery attempts.
For those who remember back to that day, it brings tears to the eyes and will forever haunt your memory of seeing the sight of those planes slamming into the Trade Center buildings, or the towers crashing down, or the smoke billowing from the Pentagon, or the wreckage of Flight 93.
So this morning, at 8:46 am Eastern (the time of the attack on World Trade Center 1), or 9:03 am Eastern (the time of the attack on World Trade Center 2) or really any time throughout this day, please just take a moment of silence to remember, to honor and to cherish those who gave their lives, and have given their lives since as part of September 11, 2001, "may we never forget!"