25 Years

Where were you when the world stopped turning 25 years ago today. I would say we will never forget or that we all knew what happened that day. It seems as if a lot of people have forgotten. Before my where were you story, a little bit of what happened that day.

Nearly 3,000 people died. Four airplanes were hijacked by Islam terrorists. They overtook the captains of the planes.

The first jet stuck the World Trade Center at 8:46. Immediately killing many, sealing others fate that were above the crash and taking others down with it a short time later when the tower collapsed.

The second plane rammed into the second tower at 9:03. Immediately killing many, sealing others fate that were above the impact and taking others down with it a short time later when the tower collapsed.

The third plane crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37. Immediately killing many in the explosion.

The fourth plane was headed toward Washington D.C. as well. The suspected target was either the Capitol or White House. We will never know for sure because it crashed into a field in Shanksville, PA at 10:03. By this time passangers had heard about the first two hijackings and knew what was happening on their plane. They knew they were dying. They chose to be heros in the moment. They were able to overtake the Islamic terrorist and crashed into an open field saving hundreds of lives.

The hijackings were orchastrated by Islamic terrorist who want to destroy America. Their motto - death to America.

Over the next weeks and months, bodies were dug out of the towers. In the years past, many who were able to escape the towers were strucken with cancer caused from the toxic air they breathed that day and in the days following. The ultimate death toll from stemming from that day may never be known.

This was only the beginning and a quick vague history reminder. No, some people did something is not an accurate description. Islamic terrorist attacked our precious nation thrusting us into an unknown. May we never forget what really happened that day. May we be able to look past the conspiracy theorist and those who want to whitewash the truth. Yes, I'm still angry at what they did. Yes, it pains me when people attempt to revise history. Never forget, never change the narriative of what happened to fit your conscious. Feel the feelings. Let it make you feel uncomfortable. Cry. Believe the truth.

Where was I on the day the world stopped turning?

I was as Sophmore sitting in English class. Our vice principal came to the door and talked to our teacher outside of the classroom. She turned on the tv. We saw the second plane hit the second tower. We changed classes that day - but the television was on in each class all day. I'm not sure how many exactly decided to join the military that day, but quite a few of my classmates did. One of those were killed in action in 2006. I will never forget the day we found out Kenneth Hauprich Jr. had died in a helicopter crash.

I turned 15 that day. My parents wanted to still celebrate me. I didn't want to. In between getting home from school and going to a prayer vigil at church, we had my birthday cake. As I was blowing out the candles, we heard the loudest boom. We thought there was another attack happening. My parents told us to stay in the house and they went outside to see if they saw black smoke billowing anywhere. They didn't. We lived within 30 minutes of Wright Patt Airforce Base. We thought another tragedy was unfolding. They came in and turned on the television. It had briefly been turned off to celebrate me. It was a sonic boom. We were safe. Then my mom gave me my birthday present. A Bible. I had wanted a new Bible for my birthday. It was so fitting in an erie way.

That evening we went to church and prayed for our country. We were broken, but we were not out. It was a day I will never forget and still haunts me to this very day.

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?