On September 11, 2001, I was only four years old, living in Fiji, far from the financial district of Lower Manhattan, New York. I still vividly recall watching the breaking news of the shocking events that occurred that day. My parents and grandparents often discussed the 9/11 terror attacks, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 innocent people, including first responders.
My late grandmother would become visibly emotional while watching the news about the victims, as if she personally knew each one of them. The attacks on the twin towers were a global headline, and news coverage continued to be present in our home for months and years following the tragedy. This early exposure sparked within me a desire to fully understand the events of 9/11 and its significant effects on world history.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from the Islamist extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two of those planes were crashed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The towers ultimately collapsed as a result of the impacts and the fires that ensued, leading to nearly 3,000 deaths from 93 different countries.
The third plane struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing 184 civilians and service members. The passengers of the fourth hijacked flight, Flight 93, fought back against the hijackers. The plane subsequently crashed into a field in western Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes from Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths of 40 people.
Fast forward to September 1, 2024, twenty-three years later, I was in New York through the International Visitor Leadership Program by the U.S. Department of State, and I prioritized a visit to the 9/11 memorial in lower Manhattan. I left my hotel with a colleague around 11 a.m. for a short drive to the site. Upon arrival, we were met by hundreds of tourists from around the world also visiting the memorial.
The memorial’s focal points are two vast pools, each covering nearly an acre, located in the footprint of the former towers. These pools feature the largest man-made waterfalls in North America, descending 30 feet into square basins. Architect Michael Arad, who designed the memorial, stated that the pools represent “absence made visible.” The flowing water creates a space of tranquility amidst the city’s bustle.
As I walked through the memorial, reading the names of the 2,983 victims of the 2001 and 1993 attacks inscribed on bronze parapets, I felt a profound sense of history and loss. The names, including that of “Rahma Salle and her unborn child,” served as somber reminders of lives cut short. Rahma was a 28-year-old passenger on American Airlines Flight 11, and she tragically died alongside her husband and unborn child when the flight crashed into the North Tower.
The memorial plaza also features a Callery pear tree, known as the Survivor Tree, which was the only tree to survive the attacks. Discovered in October 2001, it was damaged but revived by the New York City Parks and Recreation Department before being returned to the World Trade Center site in 2010, symbolizing resilience and perseverance.
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial was an emotional experience that allowed me to fully comprehend the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Each name on the bronze panels surrounding the pools represented a life lost and a disrupted story. The sheer number of names was overwhelming, reminding us of the nearly 3,000 victims, including first responders, who perished that day.
Exploring the museum, I encountered personal artifacts, moving testimonies, and historical displays that vividly illustrated the events of 9/11. The stories of the heroes who rushed into danger and the families who lost loved ones highlighted the enduring collective grief and impact of their loss.
This visit was more than just a tour; it was a journey into the heart of a global tragedy. It served as a powerful reminder of the lasting legacy of September 11 and its profound effect on our world. White roses, placed on the names of victims at the memorial on their birthdays, echo this sentiment, serving as a tribute to those lost.