It was 20 years ago this September 11 that the world stood still. And changed forever.
On that innocent-looking, beautiful clear morning on the east coast of America, a dastardly assemblage of Islamic terrorists, financed by Saudi Arabian madman Osama Bin Laden, carried out a nefarious plot involving four passenger airplanes on suicide missions. Ultimately, two of the planes caused the destruction of the fabled Twin Towers buildings in New York City; another one crashed into the Pentagon; and the other, whose target was never reached, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
Before most of the world knew what was happening, nearly 3,000 lives were lost. America was breached. For the first time ever.
To this day, people often recall where they were and what they were doing at that precise moment when the world changed as we know it. Airline flights stopped. Militaries around the world were mobilized. Blame was thrown everywhere.
But in the midst of all this anguish and disaster, some good was found.
Heroes were made that day, mostly in the form of New York City firefighters and police. Despite losing legions of their comrades who perished amid the burning rubble, others undauntedly put their lives on the line, rushed into the towers and saved the lives of countless many.
Canada’s reputation for being hospitable and friendly sky-rocketed that day, as 38 Trans-Atlantic flights and nearly 7,000 people were re-routed to land in Gander, Newfoundland, an unwitting safe haven from the carnage and disaster. Life-long friendships between internationals and locals were born out of the tragedy.
May we never forget the time-honoured message of 9/11 now that it’s been 20 years. May we never take our freedoms, our rights, our privileges, and our opportunities for granted. May we behave in accordance with appreciation toward our city and our country.
May the passing of thousands of innocent lives on September 11, 2001, never be in vain.
