First let me start this with a little disclaimer. I know this is a blog about The Simpsons Tapped Out and I also know that this is a blog read by more than just Americans. However, all of the Addicts writers are from America or routinely work in America and we feel as though it just wouldn’t be right to let today pass with out something. Thank you for your understanding and respect.
Today is September 11th 2021, the 20th anniversary of the attacks on America, where 2,977 innocent people were killed while just going about their every day lives. Today we would like to take a moment to honor all those innocent lives that were lost in New York City, Shanksville PA, and Washington DC.
I ask you, the readers of this blog, to take a moment today to reflect on that day and honor those who lost their lives.
What follows is an excerpt from Alissa’s post from 5 years ago:
On a personal note, 9-11 has never been easy for me. As many of you may remember from previous 9-11 posts, we lost my aunt that day. She was in the north tower and on one of the floors that took a direct hit from the first plane that hit. She never saw it coming.
15 years later and I can still tell you every detail of that day, as I’m sure many of you can. Every word spoken. Every feeling, every emotion, every facial expression. It’s all there, etched into my brain. And it’s difficult for me to relive those memories. Even now.
However, I will say visiting the 9-11 Memorial at Ground Zero, while very difficult to do, is incredibly helpful..especially during this time of the year. They did a wonderful job with the 9-11 Memorial. It’s a beautiful place to go and pay your respects. While it’s still hard to go, it helps. It helps with healing. If you’re ever in the area and have the chance to go (it’s completely free to go to the Memorial) I encourage you to visit and pay your respects. I still haven’t been able to go into the museum, but hopefully soon.
What follow are some of my personal photos from the Memorial, including one of my Aunt’s name on the wall….
North Tower Reflecting Pool
North Tower
The Addicts would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the police and fireman who saved lives that day, and everyday. We would also like to say a special thank you to all of our brave service men and woman, at home and abroad, who risk their own lives so that America can be safe. We would also like to honor all of the service men and woman from our allies around the world.
We encourage you to share your stories about 9-11 in the comments below.
I live in Seattle. I was 44 yrs old and was up getting ready to head out the door to my job in Boeing Engineering when is saw the report of the first plane hitting. Of course we all thought it was a small plane, off course. The 2nd plane hit and I new it was ours, and this was serious. I woke up my wife and told her, then let the office know I wouldn’t be in.
In hindsight we know it was all over after the four planes hit, but for a while we didn’t know if this was just the beginning. After a stretch of the news repeating themselves there was an air of “now what”.
I just watched the memorial reading of the names, so many names, and the personal tributes of those left behind.
I’m in the UK and at that time
I was in the middle of my own personal hell and needed to meet with someone only available on the afternoon so I turned on the TV early for the lunchtime news.
It took less than a blink to see why the news was on early and I stopped, transfixed and in a state of shock.
To see the second plane strike and to think for a second I realised the scale of what was unfolding humbled me.
I thought people would be hit, hurt or burnt, even die, but I never imagined what followed.
To see the efforts of civilians and the emergency service workers run toward danger to try to help was amazing, and then the towers fell.
Even now, as distant geographically as I am, when I watch an older movie with the towers on the skyline it gives me pause to remember.
Sadly the world is probably now a more dangerous place than it was 20 years ago and there is no easy answer to ix that, but that’s delving into perspectives and guesswork and getting close to politics and religion so I ask you to offer your own views rather than comment on mine and help make Alissa’s life a little easier
I was a 21 year old Stockbroker working directly across Church St when the 1st plane hit. When the 2nd plane hit I was standing at the corner of Broadway and Cortland St(Liberty Plzza), I can still feel the heat that hit my face when that fireball erupted. The horror of watching people leap to their deaths rather than burn alive is engrained in my memory. Then to hear a giant roar then see the Tower start collapsing and to have a giant dust chemical filled cloud chase me down the streets of lower Manhattan will stay with me until I leave this planet. No matter your politics but when I see people disrespecting Sept 11th memorial’s or disrespect the event in general. Nothing enrages me more.
Wow….I can’t imagine the kind of PTSD witnessing that must have caused. ((hug))
I’ve never been to New York but if I do the first place I’ll visit is the Memorial site at Ground Zero. With respect, for me it was an attack on all countries & their peoples who stood up to terrorism & nothing has changed twenty years on. Nobody will alter the way decent people live their lives & we stand firm against those that continue to plot attrocites, often in their own countries.
I applaud the bravery of the police & firemen on that sad day. There were heroes a plenty & while we have men & women of that calibre amongst us, the cowards will never win.
I was running a little late and driving to work (near Boston) listening to NPR when news of the first plane crashing into the WTC was announced. Although it sounded awful, in the absence of more info, I assumed that it had been an unfortunate accident involving a small aircraft. Just as I was pulling into the top floor of the garage, they announced that a second plane had crashed into the WTC and my blood ran cold as I realized that these crashes could not just be accidents.
At the time, my dad was frequently doing consulting work for one or more companies in the WTC and I had no idea whether he was there that morning. My stepdad was working at an election site (it was a primary election day in NYC that day) way downtown and my stepmom was working at the Board of Ed in Brooklyn. The first parent I was able to reach was my mom, who was safely at home on the upper east side, and she let me know that my stepdad was safe and in the process of walking home. It took a lot longer to finally reach my dad (the cellphone lines were all jammed up) and learn that he was safe…he wasn’t in the building that day, after all, although I think he, too, had been stranded somewhere in the city by the public transit shutdown. My stepmom had to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to try and get home to the upper west side!
I’m sorry for your loss and for everyone who knew someone or experienced the tradegy of 9/11. I’m from the UK but even from over here st the age of 18 I knew the world was changing and stayed hooked to the TV coverage through the night watching the scenes unfold with horror and dread. Every year I watch the documentaries and realise that one day I’m going to have to tell my son about that day so he can learn but also show him the bravery and the strength that came through during the worst of times.
I was 18 and took a year to travel before I went to college. I was staying with cousins i had never met in a small town North of Gander Newfoundland on 9/11/01. News came fast and furious about the tragedy and that 1000’s of people would be stranded due to emergency landings on the east coast mainly, Newfoundland. It was incredible everything stopped, sport centres/churches/schools and anything else with room and a roof were hotels the next day. People went to the airport and invited people to stay at their homes with home cooked meals. Still in touch with the family that stayed with me my cousins.. I reflect on this every 9/11 anniversary humanity always wins when it’s the darkest..hopefully.
It’s cool that you were a part of that story, which I’d previously heard about and thought was marvelous!
I’m so sorry for your loss, Alissa. You are right though, the memorial is beautiful. I was lucky enough to visit it in person when my family and I were in NY a few years ago.
I was a senior in college and getting ready for my only class that morning when I heard the news of the Twin Towers. I was watching reruns of ER on TV as I was getting ready and at some point I looked over and the TV was on CNN. (It was some time after 9am) I thought “how did the TV channel change when the remote was on my bed on the other side of the room?” So I picked up the remote and put in the numbers for the channel for ER. Nothing. Still CNN. I then changed channels going up or down one at a time, and all the channels were the same, more or less. Every channel had coverage of NYC on it. I switched it to my favorite local news channel and finished getting ready for my only class. As I walked into the Campus Center where my class was, there were groups of people gathered around the many TVs that were there. I attended my class and when I left, I found out that classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. At this point, both towers had fallen. Sometime that afternoon after learning of more of the events of that had happened and that all flights were grounded or ordered to land, I realized that I was living through history. This was something that was going to be in the history books for kids to learn about. It was a strange feeling knowing that. At that point I understood the whole Kennedy thing. I knew I would always remember where I was and what I was doing when I found out about the events of 9/11/2001, just like everyone in my parents generation remembers where they were or what they were doing when they found out that President Kennedy was shot and killed.
I’m lucky that I was not in any of the places that were affected and that I don’t know anyone who was there or that had died. But, for some reason, as soon as the calendar turns over to September, I feel the events of that day. It just hits me. I’m in a slight stage of mourning until the 12th. I’ll watch the documentaries and specials and learn more things about that day. Every year on 9/11, I listen to the names being read in NYC, whether at home or at work. No matter where I am, I find a live broadcast so I can listen and observe the moments of silence when they ring the bell. I also watch the 2008 documentary 102 Minutes That Changed America. It is such a powerful documentary in that there is no narration or commentary. Just actual footage from people who were in NY that day. You’re seeing and hearing actual reactions and events in real time as it’s happening. This documentary literally puts you right there. It’s so chilling and haunting. Even though I don’t have any direct connection to the events of that day, it doesn’t seem right not to do these things on this day. I guess in some way it’s my way of never forgetting. Of honoring all those who died or affected by those tragic events of that day. It really doesn’t seem like 20 years have gone by already.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all those that have been affected by the events of this day 20 years ago.
Being from New York and walk past the twin towers for most of my life. 9/11 tore my heat out of my chest. To see my belove city cover in dust and rubble. It was like seeing hell on earth. To this day I say prays for all the soul that were lost. My grandfather used to talk about pearl habbor how that was the darkest day in history. I thank the God he past before he could see this nightmare . Like than and 20 ago we came together as one nation. What I have lean since then, love with all your heat. Tell the people you love every day how must they mean to you. Because any day could be you last.
If you are a Simpson fan, when Homer ate the blow fish. You understand it could be taken away.
I’m so sorry about your aunt. I was pleased to have been able to visit the Memorial in 2014 when I visited NYC, as well as the Staten Island memorial. I’m from the UK, and as you’ll know, British people died on 9/11 too. We’ve been reading lots of posts about it today. It’s so sad and they’ll never be forgotten.
I had recently transferred from a field position to an office position. I drove into work withOUT the radio at 6:30 west coast time. I found my office mates gathered around a tv and we spent the next several hours watching from afar, with growing dread and realizing that the world had changed.