#NeverForget

On this day 18 years ago, the largest attack on US soil occurred. Thousands of people lost their lives; our country lost its sense of unbreakable security. There had been no such foreign attacks in the 235 years prior to that day.

The Twin Towers, circa 2000 (photo courtesy of referencereference.com)

The irony is that this day started beautifully; a late summer's morning without a cloud in the sky. The time was a vital one for me: I just began my elementary school studies, making new friends and learning new subjects. My fellow classmates and I did not have a care in the world about anything - other than the latest pair of Adidas sneakers and the sharpest of crayons.

Little did we know that our sense of carelessness would vanish so quickly?

Only hours upon our entry into school, the principal announced that the nation was under attack. Just 15 miles away, over 2,500 civilians were killed by an incoming aircraft. My teacher's facial express read as if the attack happened right there in the classroom. Calamity filled the air as we sat in the classroom, infiltrated by pure and utter silence. The student worried about their parents, the teachers about their loved ones.

The rest of the day was a blur. Upon our arrival at home, my sister and I walked into the living room, where we saw both buildings of the World Trade Center in smoke. Our babysitter at the time cried uncontrollably as she viewed the debris and heared the screams from the 18-inch television screen. My mom frantically called our father to calm our worries and check in on him. He was in Atlanta with some business clients at the time, unable to fly back in New York. For over 24 hours, they had to drive back as all of the East Coast airports shut down, per the federal government's orders.

The following day, several of my classmates did not come into school. They and their families had to grieve for the their loved ones lost the prior morning. Even those who did not lose a family member felt the tragedy in some way, shape, or form. The events that transpired struck a chord with all 300 million Americans. Most of all, the country became vulnerable and broken.

Despite the animosity and chaos, the United States is still strong. New York City is still the greatest cultural, economic, political, and social hub in the world. As a native New Yorker, I carry a great sense of pride for my state, city, and country. Hold that pride, my readers, not just day, but every single day. We are not broken; we are stronger because of our bounce-back from such a horrible and unimaginable attack on humanity.

Thank you and much love,

PK