Sixteen years ago, today, the unthinkable happened. Terrorists turned passenger filled airliners into flying bombs they used to attack the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and destroy the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. A fourth hijacked jet was crashed by its passengers into a field in Shanksville, PA rather than let it strike another innocent target. Almost two decades later, One Freedom Tower has risen from the ashes to take its place near where the original towers stood. In their place are two memorial waterfalls that surround the footprints of the original North and South Towers. The stone comprising the monuments bear the names of all who died that day in New York, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

One of the two 911 Memorial Fountain that bear the engraved names of those who died in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
One of the two 9/11 Memorial Fountains on November 16, 2012. No tickets were required because the ticketing system had been destroyed by Hurricane Sandy the previous month.

Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center from a corner of the 911 Museum
Freedom Tower from the 9/11 Memorial Museum, October 23, 2016, four years and a day after Sandy.

From the ashes…

For those of us who, all those years ago, watched our televisions in horrified fascination as the Towers smoked, burned and fell; the memories are vivid. Unforgettable. The youngest among us know something terrible happened on the day that is eponymous with an emergency call for help: 9-1-1. For all of us alive during this unspeakable attack on us on the U.S. and the citizens of the world who worked and perished, the memories will be with us. Always. For those who are too young to remember, for those yet to be born, the fountains and the 9/11 Memorial Museum stand along with Freedom Tower, and the Oculus at its base to bear witness for them.

I live in Atlanta, Georgia which holds the singular distinction as being the only city completely destroyed by war (except for a very few churches downtown by the state capitol which remain standing today.) The strength of a country of immigrants is the passion brought to rebuilding after destruction by enemies or by mother nature. As I write this, I’m thinking of the victims and devastation in both Houston and Florida brought by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma respectively during the last few days. We rebuilt after 9/11. We rebuilt after Katrina and Sandy. We will rebuild in Texas and Florida. It’s what we do. No matter what.

 

The Oculus is the new train station replacing the one that was under the original Twin Towers
The Oculus is the new train station replacing the one that was under the original Twin Towers
The plaque dedicating the construction of the original World Trade Center was recovered from their rubble. It's displayed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
The plaque dedicating the construction of the original World Trade Center was recovered from their rubble. It’s displayed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
Ladder 3 a fire engine destroyed when the Twin Towers collapsed on display in the 9/11 Memorial Museum
Ladder 3 a fire engine destroyed when the Twin Towers collapsed on display in the 9/11 Memorial Museum
A bent beam from the Twin Towers on display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum
A beam bent back on itself from the heat of the inferno caused by burning jet fuel displayed at the 9/11 Memorial Museum
In the upper right of this photo, Freedom Tower soars where the Twins once stood in lower Manhattan.  The Empire State building is in the center of the frame.
In the upper right of this photo, Freedom Tower soars where the Twins once stood in lower Manhattan. The Empire State Building is in the center of the frame.

All photographs by Kevin Ames. ©Kevin Ames