Today We Will Never Forget

Hi Everyone,

There are certain days in our lives that leave an indelible mark. Like many people, September 11, 2001, is a day that will not be forgotten.?

I was in my second year of law school living alone in a one bedroom apartment.

I remember I was blow drying my hair in the bathroom, listening to the news in the background as I did, and still do, every morning.

I can still feel the moment I heard the anchor say, “This is not a joke. This is happening.”

My curiosity made me stop, and as I walked to my bed and sat down, I felt complete dread wash through me as live footage of the second plane hitting the Twin Towers was projected on my small VCR combination 13-inch TV screen.?

It was surreal. The sheer horror of it left me frozen, as I watched the world as we knew it begin to crumble in front of me.?

Law school shut down that day.?

They wheeled TVs into the main rooms and commons area, and we all gathered there, not as students, but as Americans, unified in our devastation, watching the unimaginable unfold before our eyes.

After the attacks, the world felt different. I remember the first time I flew again after the grounding was lifted—the airports were empty, everyone was afraid, and security was tighter than ever before.?

Then there was a man with a bomb found in his shoe attempting to board a plane that would have carried 200 passengers., That’s when everyone had to start taking their shoes off at the airport. These were the new realities of a changed world.

I'll never forget.?

Never forget watching that second tower collapse. I'll never forget watching that plane, watching live footage of 2,996 people be put to death.?

Then the unity that followed.?

We weren’t divided by race, political party, or background. We were one country, rallying together, supporting one another, and digging through the debris side by side. In the face of unimaginable tragedy, we showed what it truly means to be united.

I tell you my memories of 9/11 not to bring you pain, or heartache. I share my story in remembrance of those we lost, in remembrance of those who ran in aid towards the attack and not away from it, and in the remembrance of hope.?

Our shared humanity and the strength we find in each other also, cannot be forgotten.?

We will never forget. We must never forget.

With love and strength,

Michele Locke