Yesterday was September 11, 2016, 15 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It is a day which few will forget due to the sheer surprise and horror of the events. Thousands perished during the tragic events brought on by the terrorist group al-Qaeda. The events of that day, of course, had a profound effect on our nation and the world. It not only kicked off a massive war and manhunt, but it also changed the way in which we live and travel. That said, where were you on September 11?
I personally remember that day clearly. I was sound asleep when my grandfather woke me up a bit earlier than the time I usually woke up at. He had the TV tuned into a local news station, as he usually did. But on the screen was the burning towers of the World Trade Center. While the attacks were a shocking tragedy, we were quite isolated from it, as Hawaii is over 5,000 miles away. However, my school’s band was to participate in the 75th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade that November.
A cancelled trip, to be clear, is nothing compared to the tragedy that unfolded that day, but it was a consideration for us. There was a much debate regarding whether or not we should still participate in the parade. Eventually it was decided that we would participate in the parade. It was important, after all, that we go about our daily lives like normal; not doing so would be allowing al-Qaeda to win. It was a sobering event for us kids to display our patriotism and bear witness, first-hand, to the aftermath of this tragedy.
The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon are events that I will never forget. And, ironically, I haven’t been back to the East Coast since that trip in November 2001. Not out of fear, though; I still love travel very much. In fact, thanks to a combination of points and good airfare, I will be traveling to New York again for the first time in 15 years this December. Of course, I will make it a point to visit Ground Zero once again, though it’ll look very different this time around.