As I write, our nation once again pauses to remember the lives lost on September 11th, 2001, in the tragic events at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and aboard 2 American and 2 United Airline flights. Reflecting on that day, three groups of people come to mind: The terrorists, the victims, and the heroes.
The unprecedented act of ideologically driven hate by the Al-Qaeda jihadists – the terrorists – brought me to my knees. I had never witnessed such callous hatred as when three aircraft full of people crashed into the towers, and the Pentagon disappearing in balls of fire. When those towers dropped out of the sky I wept as I also do now, reflecting on the day.
The attacks that day took the lives of 2,977 people. These victims were husbands, wives, sons, daughters, neighbors, business associates, friends, and 441 first responders. Among them was my friend, Irv Isenberg, who responded to the call for help from Williamsville, New York, 420 miles away from NYC. Irv would join the huge group of first responders from all over the country in a search for survivors. Five years ago, on November 11th, he succumbed to cancer linked to his service after 9/11. His wife, referring to Irv as a “silent super-hero,” wrote, “A week before his death in Roswell, before he became comatose, I asked him if he was sorry that he responded to the site. He said, ‘No, I would go again today if the tones came out. Those people needed us.’”
I will never forget the American spirit which shines brightest in such times of testing. The bravery of those on flight 93 who were able to fight the terrorists on board forcing them to crash the plane into a field far from its intended target. The bravery and selflessness of first responders who ran into those towers and other structures to help their fellow man are unforgettable. The courage of boys who became men that day, donning the uniform of military service to set things right, is inspiring.
As a nation, we remember some aspects of the day through various, but many have forgotten too. Among the forgotten is the God we turned to in the days and weeks after 9/11. We sought His peace and comfort until the shock began to wear off. He is worthy of honor in good times and bad.
Today, after standing with, and representing first responders at the Patriot Day Service in Port Lavaca, I returned to Port O’Connor to read to the first-grade class at POC Elementary. Before I read to them, I asked them what they knew about this day. Some knew a lot. I asked them what they knew about hate and celebrated the fact that they knew nothing of hate – I praise God for their innocence. I told them that on that day I saw the greatest demonstration of hate mixed with the greatest outpouring of love as first responders ran in to help others because it was the right thing to do. I expressed my hope that they would grow up to be people like that.
You should have heard them as each one shared what they wanted to be when they grew up – all revolving around helping others. Such beautiful hearts reflect the future heroes of our nation. Let us take a lesson from them about love and hate.
The day the towers fell was a dark moment into which the light of the American spirit shone brightly. Our future as a nation depends on the survival of that spirit in and a return to the God we ran to on that day.
We’ll talk again soon! Bro Rich
