Originally published September 11, 2023 8:41 am PDT
Twenty years ago, on a clear September morning, the world stood still as a series of tragic events unfolded on American soil. Today, we reflect on the timeline of that day and pay homage to the nearly 3,000 souls who were taken from us too soon.
A Timeline of Events on September 11, 2001:
8:46 AM: American Airlines Flight 11, with 92 souls on board, crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
9:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 175, carrying 65 passengers and crew, strikes the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:37 AM: American Airlines Flight 77, with 64 individuals aboard, crashes into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
9:59 AM: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 93, carrying 44 passengers and crew, crashes into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It’s believed that the plane’s passengers bravely thwarted the hijackers’ plan to strike another national landmark.
10:28 AM: The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
Over the course of that morning, a total of 2,977 victims lost their lives. This count includes 246 on the four planes, 2,606 in the World Trade Center and surrounding areas, and 125 at the Pentagon. The victims were civilians from more than 90 countries.
Paying Respect to the Lives Lost
The enormity of the loss on September 11, 2001, is still felt deeply by families, friends, communities, and the world at large. It was not just an attack on buildings or a nation, but an assault on humanity itself.
Each year, memorials are held across the country, with a moment of silence observed at the exact times each plane struck and each tower fell. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York stands as a solemn reminder of the day’s events, with twin reflecting pools sitting in the footprints of the North and South Towers. The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 World Trade Center attacks are inscribed on bronze panels surrounding the pools.
In Shanksville, the Flight 93 National Memorial honors the heroic passengers who prevented further tragedy. And at the Pentagon, a series of benches stands in memory of those who were lost there.
Today, as we mark two decades since that fateful day, we remember and honor each and every individual who perished. Their memories live on in the stories we share, the lessons we teach the next generation, and the resilience we display as a nation.
Let us take a moment today to reflect, remember, and vow never to forget the lives so tragically lost on September 11, 2001.
