Publication Date
9-11-2021
Abstract
Nearly 20 years ago, our world was turned upside down. Many of you may remember the moment. Perhaps you heard the news while in your classroom, the grocery store, or right here on the campus of ETSU.
Others may know of the events of September 11, 2001, only because of their infamy. Some, who are too young to remember, may even wonder why two decades later we still pause to commemorate one of the darkest hours in our nation’s history.
We do so because it touched all of us — even those among us who were not yet born.
I’d like to share my experience from that day. Like many, my initial reaction was one of disbelief and denial as we watched events unfold on television. But as we watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center and then heard news of the Pentagon and the missing flight in rural Pennsylvania, it started to sink in that we were truly under attack. We began to think any airplane could be a weapon flying over our heads. Carrying our friends and families. Entering our cities.
I began to take stock of where my loved ones were when a realization hit me like a punch in the gut. I had a good friend who was working in the World Trade Center.
I immediately called him. He didn’t answer, but that was no surprise. I imagined many were trying to reach him. All around me and all over the nation, people were making the same frantic calls. Pleading for information. Praying for miracles.
Nearly 3,000 men, women, and children became victims of these brutal and horrifying attacks. By the grace of God, my friend was not among them. Many excruciating hours later, we received word that he was safe.
Many of the students on our campus right now have no recollection of the terrorist attacks in 2001. Many have never lived in a world where their loved ones could welcome them home at the airport gate or where a backpack lying unattended on the ground was no cause for suspicion. That day brought terror and hate to our doorstep, begetting trauma that will last for generations.
But it also shined the light on true heroism and what it means to stand as one. We were taught to look for the helpers — the people running in instead of out. Many of us were awed not only by their bravery but also by their number. First responders, police officers, firefighters, service members, and everyday citizens rushed to the aid of their fellow Americans. Brave men and women signed up for the armed forces in droves, putting their lives on the line. Too many made ultimate sacrifices, giving up their lives, their health, or their families to protect others.
So, on this 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I urge you to pause and reflect on all that has happened since that Tuesday morning in 2001. They say time heals all wounds, but let’s not let it harden our hearts or make us numb, unable to appreciate the heartache and heroism that stemmed from that day. Thank our service members and first responders. Hug your family and friends. Be kind to your neighbor. Because we can never forget that all that is good in the world is born out of our love and care for one another.
Brian Noland
President
Document Type
News Article
