Every American should know the significance behind the date of September 11, 2001. It was a day not many people want to remember due to all the pain and suffering that it caused, but if you were too young to remember the day or weren’t even born yet, you have to learn to honor this day. It’s an important date in the history of the United States, and this year marks the 20th anniversary. Remembering 9/11 is not only respectful and inescapable but also necessary to understand how this catastrophic event affected the United States, especially when it comes to foreign policy. 

9/11 is the day when Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked commercial planes filled with innocent people and crashed into the Twin Towers in New York as well as other national locations in the United States. The details of 9/11 are the aspects of that day that you don’t know but should know as a young person to truly understand what exactly happened that day and how greatly it altered the future of our country. 

After the first plane hit one of the Twin Towers, many people believed it was a freak accident; they didn’t know it was a terrorist act as soon as it happened. The fall of the Twin Towers after the collision was broadcast live on television for all Americans and the world to watch. On this day, it was the first time in United States history that all planes were grounded for fear that there would be more hijacked planes. In the months and years since 9/11, many first responders have died due to cancer or respiratory diseases caused from the attacks. A study by the medical journal JAMA Network Open found that the first firefighters on the scene on 9/11 were 44% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than the first responders that arrived the next day to help. It took over eight months to finish the cleanup and rescue efforts of the Twin Towers. 

Now that you are more aware of some of those details that really show the magnitude of 9/11, it’s important to commemorate. Many schools or offices hold a few minutes of silence every 9/11. Another way you can commemorate is through participation in a 5K run or stair climbs that honor the victims of that day who couldn’t make it out of the Twin Towers. Another way to honor the victims of this day is through a visitation of the Twin Towers memorial in New York City. 

This year marks 20 years since 9/11 happened; therefore, bigger commemoration ceremonies throughout the United States will likely occur in-person and virtually. Participating is important, but participating after doing the research to understand the events of 9/11 and talking to people who remember how they felt that day are some of the most respectful ways to commemorate the lives that were lost but never forgotten.