Last Thursday marked 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
The Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks saw the hijacking of four commercial planes by Al Qaeda terrorists. Two of those planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, one was flown into the side of the Pentagon and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against their plane’s hijackers. These attacks claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people and changed the course of history, with current global affairs and domestic life still being shaped by the tragedy.
Multiple university organizations come together every year to host a ceremony to honor the fallen who lost their lives that day. A number of speakers attended this year’s event, including but not limited to Associate Professor Marty O’Connor, Fire Science Club President Dylan Rapp, American Criminal Justice Association President Megan Kirk and University President Jens Frederiksen.
In a time of political unrest, Frederiksen emphasized the importance of taking this day to not to focus on how the attack affected the political landscape of today, but to remember those who were directly affected by the tragedy.
“As I thought about what to say this morning, [I] thought about the larger geopolitical landscape and where we stand in relation to that day, but that is not the focus of today’s remarks,” said Frederiksen after reflecting about learning of the attacks from a dorm room. “Instead, let us never forget those directly impacted by this horrendous act of terror and the profound importance of always standing on the side of the human good.”
O’Connor also reflected on the tragedy, having been present on campus at the time.
“On that day, a quarter century ago, this campus, like just about every square inch in the world, was in shock,” he said. “No one was quite sure what came next. Not one of us was quite sure what to do. But somehow, someway, on that grave day, despite the chaos swirling around us, UNH students, staff, and faculty, we found our way over to the residential quad just as the bright sun of a gruesome day gave way to dusk in a very uncertain future.”
University alumn Ryan Mershon, who graduated in 2014 also reflected on that day and shared the story of how the event inspired his career path in a publication for FireRescue1, a network of websites covering multiple aspects of fire service.
“September 11, 2001, was just a regular day at school for me — a fourth grader living in New Jersey — until our gym teacher told us that something horrible had occurred just north of us in New York City. Shortly after, we were sent home to our parents with no explanation,” said Mershon. “I remember getting home and seeing my parents watching TV. This was the first time I saw the planes hitting the Twin Towers and smoke pouring into the sky. Minutes later, I observed people jumping from the towers and falling to their death.”
Watching and hearing stories about the heroic first responders on that day led Mershon to want to be a first responder when he grew up.
“I watched these events unfold along with the rest of the country and immediately knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be one of these heroes,”said Mershon. “Firefighters, law enforcement officers and EMS personnel were the heroes of the day. People openly thanked emergency workers for their service and praised the work they were doing.”
At the end of the ceremony, USGA President Jessica Harbaugh led attendees to the memorial tree where flags were placed to honor the fallen.
