Reflections on September 11th, 19 years later

19 years have gone by and yet I will always remember this day. I was in 7th grade and stumbled into my mom’s room to watch TV before school when I saw the news. At the time, the east coast felt really far away, but the gravity and fear that came along with what had happened wasn’t lost on me.

When I moved to New York City nearly a decade later those feelings took on a whole new meaning. It was more than a national tragedy our country had faced, it was personal to those closest to me. They didn’t watch the terror play out on the news, they lived it. They lost friends. They lost family. They walked the streets of the city not knowing what was coming next and those experiences would change them from that day forward. While I’ll never truly be able to feel the same pain, seeing how the anniversaries affected the city year after year, watching the readings of the names, and visiting the memorials are experiences that will stay with me forever. 

Today I want to remember each and every one of the nearly 3,000 lives who we lost that day in the attacks. I want to remember all of the first responders who didn’t think twice about putting their lives on the line to help others and everyone who did their best at the hospitals. I want to remember everyone who was injured and those who have lived with long-term health effects ever since. And I want to send my love to all of those who lost someone they loved that day and let them know we will not forget them. 

There is no comparison to the tragedy that took place that day, but the heaviness the country is feeling right now feels faintly familiar. There has been so much loss, destruction and unease. So today I also want to remember what happened in our country after September 11th. How in one of America’s darkest times we were able to set our differences aside and come together and how the city and country was able to rise again. #NeverForget.