5 years. Has it really been that long? I started writing this at 1:47am. 5 years ago at this time, who knows what I was doing? Do many people, if any, really remember September 10th, 2001? It all seems almost non-existent to me. I’m pretty sure it was just a normal night, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing spectacular.

9 hours later everything was totally different. People were struggling, people were dying, people were helping others. In the face of absolute horror, an alarm bell rang out in peoples heads that told them “others need my help.” These people didn’t care if the person they were helping was black, white, Hindu, Jewish or anything like that. They cared because of compassion for a fellow being. Some of these people wore a suit and tie, some a t-shirt and jeans, and some a helmet and bunker coat. Some of these people helped with merely a window washing tool, others with a heavy axe.

Some had only the will and determination and a simple saying of “Let’s roll.”

For the past 5 years, many have called these acts heroic. To me, they are legendary. Heroes wear capes and jerseys. Those people, while heroic, do not posses the characteristics of legends who, despite facing certain death, pushed forward to give all of something to hope for. They gave us the hope that despite the horror we were facing at that moment, we would see another day. They gave us that chance.

Their sacrifice cannot be forgotten.

Many people heeded a call then. Many did not. They could have simply turned and walked away. But they didn’t. They rose up to the greatest challenge many would ever face, and not only succeeded, they far surpassed, perhaps even their own expectations. They showed us the power of will can be stronger then even physical strength. Many selfless acts were performed that day, and the days after.

These are people we probably wouldn’t have given a second glance to before. In this one day, a city and a nation stood up to a challenge of horrific proportions that no one could ever have imagined and selflessly persevered.

5 years ago right now it was 2:11am, September 11th, 2001. The last hours of “normal.” New York City was then the greatest city on earth, and since then has become even greater.

I love this town.


-Luke