09/12/2021
It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed since that morning of September 11, 2001. The experiences lived on that day, and the memories, still play vividly in our minds.
As New Yorkers, we all probably remember where we were and what we were doing that morning when the rumors began to spread: “A small plane hit one of the Twin Towers!” In a world without smart cellphones, Twitter, or social media as we know it today, if you did not have a radio or television nearby, you were in the dark about the reality of what was truly going on. “A second plane hit the other tower!” came the next rumor, and this was when confusion, fear, and desperation took over for all: we were under attack.
For those at work or school for most of the day and who were not in the Lower Manhattan area, the real shock came when we got home, turned on the television, and first saw the horrific images coming from Ground Zero and the collapse of the Towers. A shock that does not compare to the one experienced by those on the ground.
As the evening started to set in, the extense of the loss became even more evident as people began to realize that maybe a friend, a neighbor, or friend of a friend had died in the attacks. Even in a city as big as New York, we were all suddenly connected by loss. United in one spirit, we attended the vigils held throughout the city in memory of loved ones who were lost on this tragic day, even for people we maybe did not know. We were one family, grieving together.
On this day, 20 years later, the Guild Magazine and BlueAngel Photography Team pays tribute to the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, family members, neighbors, friends, colleagues, and first responders we lost on September 11, 2001. We also pay tribute to the many heroes of that day and those who came after, helping this city recover as best as possible through the pain.
We will never forget.
#911
