As I’m sure many of you know already, this Sunday marks the ten-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 at 8:46 a.m. ET. Instead of writing a typical Elder Law or Estate Planning article this week, I decided to simply pay homage to the occasion instead.
Ten years ago this Sunday, our country was shaken to its core by the brutal acts of terrorists. How could we ever forget?Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, hijackers took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles after takeoff from Boston, Newark, and Washington, D.C. At 8:46 a.m., five hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the World Trade Center’s North Tower and at 9:03 a.m. another five hijackers crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower. Another five hijackers flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. at 9:37 a.m. A fourth flight, under the control of four hijackers, crashed United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m. Flight 93 did not reach its intended target (believed to be the Capitol in Washington) due to the brave actions of passengers and crew who fought back against the hijackers after learning through phone calls that other similarly hijacked planes had been crashed into buildings earlier that morning.
Home of the Brave, indeed.
Wherever you were during that fateful late summer’s morning and whatever you were doing, I’m sure that like me you stopped in shock and watched our country change forever. On Sunday, I will for a moment be reflecting on the past ten years and what they have meant for our country, while still holding hope for the future. In fact, there is a strong movement across the country to encourage all Americans to participate in a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. on Sunday morning in remembrance for all those who lost their lives that day and in the years and wars following.
At the main sites of attack, several memorial services are planned. At Ground Zero in Manhattan, a ceremony with New York City officials and families of the day’s victims will officially open the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. In our own backyard of Washington D.C. there will be a memorial ceremony held at the Pentagon Memorial, attended by members of the military and families of those who died in the attack on the Pentagon. And in seldom-mentioned Shanksville, Pennsylvania there will also be a service at Memorial Plaza to honor the brave souls of Flight 93 who wrested control away from the hijackers and in the process saved hundreds of lives.
I hope you’ll join me in a moment of silence and remembrance and amid that, I wish you a good weekend. God Bless America.
To participate in an event in your community, visit this Yahoo page for a comprehensive list of events across the country.
About Evan H Farr, CELA, CAP
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