Reflections of September 11 - Ten Years Later

Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, and I cannot help but reflect on such a tragic, surreal day. I remember my day, which now seems so absurd. And I reflect on the courage of heroism of so many who helped save countless numbers of lives.

I am sure we all remember where we were when we first heard the news. I was sitting in my car at the intersection of 79th Street and Metcalf, waiting for the light to turn green. The DJ on the radio reported that a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center buildings in New York. I figured it was just a prop plane, piloted by an inexperienced pilot who did not know what he was doing. The clock in my car said 7:56, so this was approximately 10 minutes after the first plane struck. A few minutes later, someone in the office reported that a second plane had struck the second tower. I knew at that point that it was intentional.

My job at the time entailed traveling downtown for Tuesday morning investment meetings, so I headed down shortly, and on my way in, the news on the radio reported that a plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC. This was unreal. Finally, I don't when, but I heard about the plane crash in Pennsylvania. This was becoming a blur. Shortly after arriving in downtown Kansas City, I saw the headline flash across a Bloomberg screen that the FAA grounded all flights and ordered all planes to land immediately. The investment meeting was canceled and I was told to get back to my office and call clients.

Those were the oddest calls I ever made. There was no script, and I barely had a clue as to what to say. My bosses barely had a clue. No one had ever seen anything like this before. I spent my day reassuring customers that the financial system was still sound and that their money was safe. Paled in comparison to the tragedy unfolding. First call I made, the client told me that we were at war. With whom I asked. Whoever attacked us! I remember a call I made to a client around 1:30pm. I went through my pitch, then he said to me, "Chuck I have no idea what you're talking about." He had not heard the news yet. The story I told had to sound so unbelievable that he probably thought I had lost my mind. How could the events of that day possibly be real?

In the end, it was a day that showed the best and worst of humanity. We saw the worst that day. What emerged later was the best. Watching a special the other night that spotlighted two heroes, among many that day, Frank DiMartini and Pablo Ortiz. They rescued people from the 88th, 89th and 90th floors of the North Tower and got them out before the building collapsed, yet they died when the building collapsed. More than 300 New York firefighters died as they attempted to rescue people caught in the buildings. In all, approximately 3,000 people died that day as a result of the terrorist attacks. Yet, as we reflect on that day, I choose to remember the heroes, the people who died while saving others. The firefighters and police officers who were doing their duty when it all caved in on them.

For once, on that day and the several days that followed, we were all Americans. Just Americans. In fact, the whole civilized world became Americans that day. Ultimately we learned that America isn't about monuments or buildings. It is about freedom. And we learned that freedom is not free. Sometimes we pay a dear price for our freedom. But I love that America is about an idea. That the spirit of the people can be bent, but not broken. That the greatness of America lies in its people. Its resilient, ever optimistic people, people with a can-do spirit. The terrorists destroyed two buildings, and yes, they massacred unbelievable amounts of people. People whose lives will never be the same. But they did not destroy the spirit of any of them. All 3,000 people who died that day died as heroes. They did not die in vain. The terrorists died as cowards. As I look back, ten years later, the truth rings out: The Heroes Won.