Lenawee Community Foundation: Sept. 11, 2001 – May we never forget
It’s been 22 years since that infamous day. That September day when terrorists hijacked airplanes and executed coordinated attacks on American soil, killing almost 3,000 people.
Most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing during the shocking and unthinkable attacks on our nation. For me, the moment is as vivid as if it had just occurred yesterday. I had two young children in 2001, ages 5 and almost 8. We were homeschooling that year and my son was having his weekly piano lesson at the instructor’s home. My daughter and I waited for him in the living room where the TV was playing a morning talk show. Unexpectedly, the images on the screen changed, the piano lesson ceased, and all eyes and ears were fixed on the television in disbelief.
Like most Americans, we spent much of the day watching the news coverage and wondering what would be next. Like many of you, I remember seeing the second plane hit the twin towers. I remember the black, billowing smoke, the sound of sirens, the crumbling buildings and the fear on faces. I remember the heroic first responders rushing into danger to save lives.
Just like most of us remember where we were on Sept. 11, 2001, we also remember what followed in the days, weeks and months that followed. I remember a nation coming together in a way I had not seen before during my lifetime. The people of the United States laid aside their differences and joined hearts and hands during one of the most challenging times in our modern history.
The phrase “Never Forget” is now a verbal symbol of that horrific day. Not only must we never forget the sacrifices of brave first responders and those who lost their lives but let us also never forget the lesson learned during the aftermath: that when facing a crisis as a country, we have an opportunity to come together and lift up each other and our communities.
At the Lenawee Community Foundation, we believe in the importance of coming together and building up our community. We believe we can have a much greater impact together than we can have alone.
On Sept. 11, we not only remember that tragic day in 2001, but we also pause and reflect on the lessons of unity and hope that followed as we put differences aside and joined together for the good of our communities, our nation, and our shared future.
Bronna Kahle serves as the president and CEO of the Lenawee Community Foundation. Your Community Foundation partners with individuals, corporations and organizations to fulfill their charitable goals and dreams for Lenawee. For information about how your business, any group, your family, or you can help build a better community for today and forever, call 517-263-4696, contact forlenawee@lenaweecf.com, or visit lenaweecf.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee Community Foundation: Sept. 11, 2001 – May we never forget
