Every story about 9/11 begins the same way: "I remember exactly where I was that day..."
I wish my story started like that. My memories of that day are a bit fuzzy. I was in kindergarten. I remember my teacher answering the phone on the wall. I remember her eyes going big, her face becoming pale. She did not speak as she hung up the phone and turned the TV on. And there they were, the famous, fiery images of that awful day.
My next memories of the most major historical event since my birth occur the next day, 9/12/2001. At the time, I was living in Ferguson, Missouri, not far from St. Louis Lambert International Airport. It was a common occurrence for us to have all of our windows open on a warm and breezy September night. It was also normal for us to hear the familiar whooshing of planes flying high above us, either taking off for a new destination or about to touchdown. But that night, the air was silent. It felt as though everyone had gone quiet - no children played outside, no dogs barked, and no cars honked. Then, with a sound that rang through my family like a bomb going off, a plane flew above us. My sister had a look of fear I had never known her to have. I didn't understand, but after the plane flew safely away, my parents told me how all planes were to stay grounded because of what had happened. It turned out that the pilot of that plane was a wealthy man in his private jet who thought the rules didn't apply to him.
As the years have gone on, I have realized what might have gone through people's heads that day. I am glad to have been an innocent child when it happened.
I also wanted to tell a few other peoples stories of that day - the first, of Brian Birdwell.
When we tell the stories of 9/11, we often look to those who were in the Twin Towers, forgetting that a plane also flew into the Pentagon. Birdwell was a worker at the Pentagon who was on his way back to his office when the plane struck, forcing him to the ground and engulfing him in flame. Had he not spent an extra 30 or so seconds in the break room watching the planes hit the World Trade Center, he would have been in his office when the plane hit, and mostly likely would have been killed instantly. But even with second and third degree burns taking up 60% of his body, he pulled through after three months in the hospital. Birdwell's story is so incredible and is about so much more than the events of 9/11 and reminds us all that everything can change in a matter of moments. His book can be found here.
The last story I'd like to tell is that of Ben Sliney. You have probably never heard of him. On 9/11, there were roughly 4,200 aircrafts in flight, and one man ruled over them all - the National Operations Manager for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Ben Sliney went to work for his first day as the NOM for the FAA...on 9/11.
Talk about a bad first day. With a little help, Sliney made the decision to order all planes to land. He even received a call from The White House* asking him why he had made such a drastic decision, but later commended him, saying it was the best decision that could have been made.
Don't ever forget that the story of four hijacked planes, two destroyed towers, one damaged building, a burnt field, and the deaths of many stretches across so many more days of the calendar than you could possibly imagine.
