September 11, 2001: Moving forward and the lessons learned
Sandra Dahl, wife of flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, once spoke the immortal words, ‘If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.’ 9/11 will forever be the day that shook the world, slaying three thousand civilians and uniformed workers. Despite the sadness brought by this tragedy, we as Americans learned two valuable lessons that still hold true to this day: terrorism affects everyone, and heroes are everywhere. After the smoke cleared and the damage had been assessed, friends and family grieved for loved ones lost in the attacks, countless other citizens lamented the physical blow that the city itself received. Citizens of New York and all major world cities alike were traumatized to a great degree that day. New Yorkers wept not only for what their great city had lost, but after witnessing the lengths humans would go to to injure other humans. While various forms of rubble and metal fell from above, several civilians perished, however, brave civilians and firefighters alike worked to save lives that just as easily could have been lost. In total, 343 firemen, 23 policemen, and 37 port authority police officers were killed in the tragedy. Whether battling relentless flames, treating burn victims, or maintaining order and sanity amongst the citizens, those uniformed men and women were unwavering in their work and vigilant through their injuries. Innumerable civilians refused to leave each others’ sides, and many even brought others under their wings because everyone wanted to be protected. September 11, 2001 will live on in infamy as the single largest terrorist attack in history, claiming the lives of three thousand United States and international citizens, yet the lessons we as a nation have learned since that day ring with truth and will forever be indelible.
On September 11, 2001, not only New York wept, but the entire world did. That night, New York was full of friends and family mourning the losses of their loved ones, some of whom had only just begun their married lives.
After learning that his wife, Kristin Irvine Ryan, perished in the second World Trade Center, Brendan Ryan reflected,
I knew early that day that it was over. I just hope and pray, like all the family members
of people who were in there, that it was painless and quick.
Whichever version of an afterlife you believe in, you have to believe those people are in
a special place. I believe Kristy is because she, as much as anyone, deserves to be.(442)
Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Irvine Ryan had only been married for ninety-four days when Mrs. Irvine Ryan was killed in the attacks. Mr. Ryan intended to give New Yorkers hope that their loved ones went to a better place without suffering. He also inspired his fellow citizens to remain vigilant in the times of turbulence. Although numerous people mourned their lost loved ones, many citizens were traumatized by the sheer magnitude of the attacks, thus they grieved for their city. On the night of September 14th, Vincent Falivene walked 70 blocks to Union Square Park to attend a candlelight vigil, remembering it as though he was there just the day before,
At the center of the square, three Buddhist monks were handing out candles, lighting
them for people going by. Just simple long white candles. The monks stayed completely
silent as they went about their work. They wore orange and yellow or red sashes and they
had their eyes down, somber. It was like the whole park was a funeral and the monks were
trying to be deferential to the people who were hurting. There were no smiles. There was
no laughing and there was no conversation.(384)
Mr. Falivene describes the scene of the vigil as somber, yet he speaks with a sense of hopefulness that aims to discourage the citizens of New York from becoming despondent. Although many of the citizens that attended the vigil were not at the Ground Zero during the attacks, and did not witness
the damage done to the World Trade Centers in person, they experienced post traumatic stress, as much of New York did. Americans are all affected when terrorism strikes, similarly to how just this past summer, many vigils were held all across the country and the world in response to the terrible shootings in an Orlando nightclub. Although it has been fifteen years since the attacks, Americans have not lost their empathy and will always feel the effects of terrorism, regardless of whether or not they are directly involved.
During the attacks, many brave men and women heroically risked their lives for the greater good of the city. While evacuating, any and every able-bodied man and woman worked to help those who were physically disabled or in need of attention. After flight 11 hit the first World Trade Center, and the World Financial Center 1 was being evacuated, Dr. Walter Gerasimowicz recollected, “These men. Despite that no one knew what was going on and we could all be in grave immediate danger, they refused to leave me at any point”(DiMarco, 207). Dr. Gerasimowicz is a disabled man permanently on crutches, thus he was unable to descend the stairs by himself during the evacuation process. Fortunately, five men, assisted the doctor by carrying him down each and every flight of stairs, refusing to leave his side even for a moment. These men remained at the crippled doctor’s side because they feared that he could die, which led them to put their lives on the line for him. The five men were Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Feldman, Mr. Cuomo, and Mr. Reichman, yet the doctor never forgot their names because he was grateful for the selfless deed they performed. Although the heroic act may seem obscure in the ultimate picture of the doctor’s life, it was actually quite a powerful moment for him, and it engendered respect and gratitude that will last forever in Dr. Gerasimowicz’s heart. When battling the brutal flames, firefighters refused to leave their battalions, even when injured. When a visibly hurt fireman was brought to the treatment area, Roger Smyth, a paramedic on the scene, remembered,
One guy in particular we helped was a firefighter in his early to mid-forties who’d
been burned around the sides of his neck, head, and back. Could have been caused by
hot metal hitting him, fuel burning debris, I honestly didn’t know. His blood pressure
was very low and we tried to get an IV started. And while we were treating him, he
started wrestling with me to get back up and get back into the rubble, I said, “No, no,
man. It’s over for you, now. Your job’s done.”(238)
Many fireman, police officers, and medics, similarly to the fireman that Mr. Smyth described, refused to leave their posts for medical attention. The sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that was forged that day between the city’s unformed workers was inevitable, as they fought to save the lives of both civilians and each other. Just as recently as August of 2015, U.S. citizens Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos were on vacation in Belgium when a gunman came out of a train restroom wielding an assault rifle. The three brave men instantly jumped up and apprehended the criminal by tying him up, and then proceeded to tend to the wounds of the injured passengers. Their bravery just goes to show how heroes will always rise to the occasion.
The United States of America learned two immortal lessons on September 11, 2001: Heroes are everywhere and terrorism affects everyone. The 9/11 attacks left all of New York and the world terrified and stunned. The example that terrorism affects everyone serves the purpose of describing the pain and suffering of those who lost loved ones as well as the scar etched into the hearts of everyone who witnessed the magnitude of the attacks. Many brave men and women went to great lengths to save others’s lives, and some of the heroes even perished themselves. The example that heroes are everywhere serves the purpose of explaining that a man is made when a man is needed. When the situation is dire, brave people will do what is necessary to keep others safe. Although this unspeakable tragedy has caused much pain and suffering, America has picked up the pieces. We have learned that terrorism will always hurt people, even if they are not directly involved, and we have learned that when times become tough, a hero or heroine will always do the right thing.
Works Cited:
1.”Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.” – Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Aug. 2016.
2. Daly, Michael. “Firefighters Struggle to save Lives in 9/11 Attack in 2001.” NY Daily News. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Aug. 2016.
3. Eleven Lessons Learned from 9/11.” Msnbc.com. N.p., 2007. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.
4. “Remember 911 – 9/11 Memorial Website.” Remember 911 – 9/11 Memorial Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.