On September 11th 2001, a coordinated al-Qaeda attack saw four planes hijacked in American airspace, resulting in the deaths of 2,996 people. It was the most devastating terror attack to take place on US soil.
Two of the planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 75, were forced to crash into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Another plane, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon in Washington and the last, United Airlines Flight 93, was flown into a field in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania as passengers and crew fought to regain control. Plane passengers, office workers, emergency service personnel and bystanders were all victims of a truly heinous act.
The images of that terrible day will remain with us always but, so too, will the words were spoken in the immediate aftermath and the following years from notable figures, families and survivors of that fateful day. These are just some of the powerful 9/11 quotes.
"The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead, we have emerged stronger and more unified."Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, speaking on September 31st, 2001,"No day shall erase you from the memory of time."A quote from Virgil's Aeneid, which adorns the 9/11 Memorial Museum
"What do I tell the pilots to do?"Barbara Olson, who was on Flight 77, asked husband General Theodore Olson for advice" We're young men. We're not ready to die." Kevin Cosgrove, who was on the 105th floor of the South Tower, spoke to the emergency services moments before it collapsed"Numerous civilians in the stairwells, numerous burn victims are coming down."We're trying to send them down first... we're still heading up." Captain Patrick Brown of Ladder 3 and his company were climbing the stairwell of the North Tower just half an hour before the first collapse.
"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate."-Sandy Dahl's husband, Captain Jason Dahl, was the pilot of Flight 93“My older brother John lived [his life] in Technicolor. … When he walked in the door, the whole house lit up. And I’m sure heaven lit up when he got there too.” Anthoula Katsimatides, speaking at the World Trade Center site in 2005“My son, firefighter Leon Smith Jr., who was the sunshine of my life. He gave his life so that others could live. I love you, I miss you and we’ll meet again soon.” Irene Smith spoke lovingly of her son, a member of Ladder Co. 118 FDNY, during a memorial service in New York.
One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history. We’ll always honour the heroes of 9/11. And here at this hallowed place, we pledge that we will never forget their sacrifice.” President George W. Bush, speaking at the Pentagon in 2008. Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honour those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”President Obama, speaking during a 2011 radio address“ With almost no time to decide, [your loved ones] gave the entire country an incalculable gift. They saved the Capitol from attack. They saved God knows how many lives. They saved the terrorists from claiming the symbolic victory of smashing the centre of American government. …"They allowed us to survive as a country that could fight terror and still maintain liberty and still welcome people from all over the world from every religion and race and culture as long as they shared our values because ordinary people given no time at all to decide did the right thing.”