DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — Friday marks 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a day that changed America and claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
On that morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. A third struck the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, including hundreds of firefighters, law enforcement officers and other first responders who rushed toward danger to help others.
Across the country, Sept. 11 is now observed as Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
For many Americans, the anniversary is also a time to remember the courage shown in the hours and days following the attacks. First responders searched through debris, strangers helped one another and communities across the nation came together to support those who had lost loved ones.
A quarter-century later, the impact of 9/11 continues to be felt. Survivors, first responders and families of victims continue to live with the lasting effects of the attacks, while a new generation has grown up knowing Sept. 11 only through history lessons and the stories of those who lived through it.
On Sept. 11, Americans are encouraged to remember the lives lost, honor the first responders who answered the call and recognize the sacrifices made in the years that followed.
Twenty-five years later, the message remains simple: Never forget.
