Where were you when the towers fell in New York City?
This Saturday, Sept. 11, marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks when terrorists flew planes into several locations in the U.S. including the World Trade Centre in New York City.
The attacks have left marks on our society still to this day.
I remember that day (Sept. 11, 2001) like it was yesterday.
At the time I was the assistant editor at the Squamish Chief newspaper.
My buddy, who worked in the production department, were roommates and were heading into the office. For some reason that day, I didn’t turn on the TV or the radio in the car, so when I arrived at the office and saw the grim look on my editor’s face, I knew something was wrong. Immediately we tuned into the coverage on TV and the morning was spent trying to comprehend the images coming across the screen.
It was unreal.
I had visited New York exactly a year prior. I still have the photo that I took on the observation deck of the World Trade Centre. That recollection still gives me chills.
In the days that followed, our newsroom jumped into action, as did newsrooms across the world, trying to cover the story. In Squamish it meant local reaction stories including from the fire department who held a somber memorial service, of which I attended.
Looking back at the Optimist archives, they too told stories of Delta firefighters who answered the call to go to New York City to offer any help that they could.
We spoke with a few of them this week as they remembered their time in New York in the aftermath of that unspeakable event.
This Saturday I will reflect and remember all of the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks and the sacrifices of the firefighters and first responders who died while trying to save others.
It is the least that I can do to thank and support all of these heroes who put their lives on the line every day for all of us. I hope you will all do the same.
