On September 11, 2001, I was just four years old and living in Fiji, far from the financial district of Lower Manhattan, New York. I still recall the breaking news that filled our home, detailing the horrific events of that day that shocked the world. My parents and grandparents frequently discussed the 9/11 attacks, particularly the crashes into the World Trade Center that claimed nearly 3,000 innocent lives, including many first responders.
My late grandmother would often become emotional while watching news reports about the victims. It was as though she had lost her own family members in the tragedy. The fall of the twin towers dominated global headlines, and news coverage remained a staple in our household for months and years following the attacks. These early experiences instilled in me a commitment to understand the full significance of 9/11 and its lasting effects on global history.
On that fateful morning in 2001, 19 terrorists from the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The destruction led to the collapse of the towers, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people from 93 different countries.
One of the hijacked planes struck the Pentagon, where 184 individuals lost their lives, including both civilians and military personnel. Passengers aboard the fourth plane, Flight 93, learned about the other attacks and fought back, ultimately crashing the plane into a field in Pennsylvania, killing 40 people.
Fast forward to September 1, 2024, exactly 23 years later, while visiting New York through the International Visitor Leadership Program organized by the U.S. Department of State, I prioritized a visit to the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan. My colleague and I left our hotel around 11 AM for the short drive to the memorial site, passing under the Brooklyn Bridge and past Wall Street.
Upon arriving, we were welcomed by crowds of tourists from all around the globe, all making it a point to pay their respects. The centerpiece of the memorial comprises two nearly one-acre pools sitting where the North and South towers once stood. According to the memorial’s notes, these pools feature the largest man-made waterfalls in North America, with water cascading down into a central void, symbolizing “absence made visible,” as described by architect Michael Arad. The soothing sound of water offers a tranquil retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Walking through the memorial felt heavy-hearted as I read the names of the 2,983 individuals who lost their lives in the 2001 and 1993 attacks, all inscribed on bronze parapets surrounding the pools. Standing before the reflecting pools, marking the footprints of the Twin Towers, I was overwhelmed by the weight of the historical tragedy.
One poignant name that stood out was that of “Rahma Salle and her unborn child.” Rahma, from Boston, was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11 at seven months pregnant, traveling with her husband, who were both killed when the flight crashed into the North Tower.
The memorial also features the Survivor Tree, a Callery pear tree that endured the devastation of 9/11. Discovered by recovery workers in October 2001, this severely damaged tree was nurtured back to health by New York City Parks and Recreation Department and returned to the World Trade Center site in 2010 as a lasting emblem of resilience.
My visit to the 9/11 Memorial was an emotional experience that allowed me to grasp the immense loss that September 11, 2001, inflicted on the world. Each name on the bronze panels represented a personal story forever interrupted, a haunting reminder of nearly 3,000 lives lost, including many courageous first responders.
As I walked through the museum, I encountered personal artifacts, touching testimonies, and historical exhibits that vividly depicted the events of 9/11. The weight of these narratives, the collective mourning, and the enduring impact of that day were palpable throughout my visit. This experience was not simply a memorial tour but a significant journey into the heart of a monumental tragedy, a powerful reminder of the events of September 11 and their lasting legacy in our world.