Every year since 2001, I have always taken note of the weather on September 11. It was on that morning back then, as I walked to my car before the early morning drive to work in northern New Jersey, I remember how the day dawned. The sky was sparklingly clear–deep blue and not a cloud to be seen. But as a pilot, I also noted that the wind was virtually dead calm–a very unusual combination, at least here in the Northeast. I clearly remember thinking, “What a beautiful, smooth day to fly!”

As I drove northbound, I heard over the radio that a plane had struck one of the towers of the World Trade Center. After the initial shock, it struck me as odd, since I had already made note of how calm the winds were. As a journalist, I started mentally chalking up the questions I would want answered as to what might have happened.

Like most people who heard the news early that day, I first assumed it was a light airplane that had somehow gone astray. I had flown the Hudson River corridor several times and the tops of the towers were about level with the required low altitude for navigating over the river. But, actually hitting one accidentally seemed highly unlikely, especially on such a calm day. The idea of a light-airplane pilot committing suicide did cross my mind.

I wondered if a business jet departing from Teterboro could have been involved. Maybe a control issue? Or some other mechanical failure? The likelihood it was an airliner seemed a remote possibility. Approaches to JFK Airport and Newark (KEWR) were simply not on a track that could logically involve the site of the Twin Towers. Even closer-in LaGuardia (KLGA) flights would have no good reason to be anywhere near lower Manhattan.

There are a few spots on my commute where I knew I could sometimes catch a glimpse of the New York skyline. As I passed one of them, 22 miles to the west-northwest, I craned my neck. I think I heard the news report that the “accident” involved an airliner about the same time I saw the smoke from the North Tower, which had been struck by American Airlines Flight 11. My first response was disbelief that this could have possibly been unintentional. What did I actually believe? I couldn’t begin to process that.

By the time I pulled into the parking lot at work, United Airlines Flight 175 had hit the South Tower and news reports were starting to filter in about “other flights.” From there, it was a matter of sorting out fact from speculation and trying to make sense of what would come next. It still seems surreal 23 years later, but for a time, the prospect that this attack signaled the start of total, global war could not be ruled out. On the more personal side, 18 residents of my small town died that morning.

As I write this on Sept. 10, 2024, the weather for tomorrow, for the first time in 23 years, looks to be, once again, “a beautiful, smooth day to fly.”

Recalling the Events of 9/11

Sept. 11 and the horrible events following the terrorist plane crash attacks into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center reached its twenty-third anniversary this year. Several documentaries investigate the timeline of events of September 11, 2001 and check in with those affected by the event as well as those too young to have experienced or remembered it. The perspectives of the moments witnessing the plane crashes and reacting to the horror vary in the five documentaries listed below.

Documentaries That Illuminate the Day

• ‘9/11: Inside the President’s War Room’ (2021) – Apple TV+: This hour-and-a-half documentary film, directed by Adam Wishart, provides a glimpse into the White House’s response to the attacks, featuring interviews with key figures such as George W. Bush, Richard Keil, Andrew Card, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, and Condoleeza Rice.
• 9/11: Minute By Minute – Apple: Directed by Piers Garland, this hour-long documentary offers a detailed account of the events leading up to and during the attacks, with firsthand accounts from individuals such as Betty Ong and Nydia Gonzalez.
• In the Shadow of the Towers: Stuyvesant High on 9/11 (2019) – Max: This 35-minute documentary, directed by Amy Schatz, captures the harrowing experience of students at Stuyvesant High School, who witnessed the attacks from their classrooms. It features interviews with eight former students who share their memories of that fateful day.
• Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror – Netflix: This five-episode docuseries delves into the timeline of 9/11, offering a comprehensive look at the events leading up to, during, and after the attacks. Each episode runs for approximately an hour.
• What Happened on September 11 – Max: This short documentary provides a kid-friendly explanation of 9/11, taking viewers on a school field trip to the 9/11 Tribute Museum in Lower Manhattan, where guides share their experiences.

Remembering Those Lost

The impact of 9/11 is still felt today. It resonates deeply in the lives of those who lost loved ones in the attacks. Each year, at the 9/11 Memorial in New York, relatives gather to read aloud the names of the victims, a poignant tradition that honors their memory and keeps their stories alive.

A poignant phrase echoes when 9/11 victims’ relatives gather each year to remember the loved ones they lost in the terrorist attacks. “I never got to meet you.” This is the sound of generational change at ground zero, where relatives read out victims’ names on every anniversary of the attacks. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when Al Qaeda hijackers crashed jetliners into both the twin towers, the Pentagon and a field in southwest Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.

Some names are read out by children or young adults who were born after the strikes. Last year’s observance featured 28 such young people among more than 140 readers. Young people are expected again at this year’s ceremony Wednesday. Some are the children of victims whose partners were pregnant. More of the young readers are victims’ nieces, nephews or grandchildren. They have inherited stories, photos, and a sense of solemn responsibility.

Being a “9/11 family” reverberates through generations, and commemorating and understanding the Sept. 11 attacks one day will be up to a world with no firsthand memory of them. “It’s like you’re passing the torch on,” says Allan Aldycki, 13. He read the names of his grandfather and several other people the last two years, and plans to do so Wednesday. Aldycki keeps mementos in his room from his grandfather and namesake Allan Tarasiewicz, a firefighter.

The teen told the audience last year that he’d heard so much about his grandfather that he felt like they’d known each other. “But still, I wish I had a chance to really know you,” he added. Allan volunteered to be a reader because it makes him feel closer to his grandfather, and he hopes to one day have children who’ll participate. “It’s an honor to be able to teach them, because you can let them know their heritage and what to never forget,” he said by phone from central New York. He said he already finds himself teaching peers who know little or nothing about 9/11. When it comes time for the ceremony, he looks up information about the lives of each person whose name he’s assigned to read. “He reflects on everything and understands the importance of what it means to somebody,” said his mother, Melissa Tarasiewicz.

The Legacy of 9/11

The events of 9/11 left a lasting impact on the world. The nation strengthened security measures at airports and other public spaces, and the War on Terror, launched in response to the attacks, continues to shape global politics. While the events of that day remain a painful memory, it's important to remember the resilience of the American people and the spirit of unity that emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Despite the challenges, America has emerged stronger, united in its determination to stand against terrorism and ensure that such horrific events never happen again. The memory of 9/11 serves as a constant reminder of the importance of peace, freedom, and unity, values that will forever be cherished and defended.