On Sept. 11, 2001, we were all Americans

Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Panic, fear and heroism ensued. First responders taking a final flight of stairs to rescue.

Last minute phone calls to loved ones.

Final goodbyes.

Then, the unimaginable happened. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed.

At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower began its descent.

In the span of 102 minutes, the World Trade Center was gone.

At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

One plane failed to reach its intended target. Perhaps the Capitol or quite possibly The White House. Only the terrorists knew for sure.

United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark at 8:42 a.m., nearly 40 minutes late. At 9:28 a.m., al-Qaeda terrorist hijackers infiltrated the cockpit and took control of the plane.

Several passengers were not going to obey their captors’ demands.

Todd Morgan Beamer, “Are you ready? Let’s roll.”

Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at

10:03 a.m.

Within several hours of the attacks on The Twin Towers, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani solemnly proclaimed, “The number of casualties will be more than any of us can bear, ultimately.”

How devastatingly prophetic he was.

In the hours and days that followed, I remember the family members that were interviewed searching for any knowledge of their loved ones.

The first few days thereafter, hopes for rescue painfully transitioned into efforts of recovery.

In all, 2,977 precious lives were lost. A nation’s soul would grieve. Our country’s heart was broken.

On September 11, 2001, we were All Americans.

RUSTY WASHUM YUMA