Certain anniversaries seem to have more meaning than others and the tenth anniversary of 9/11 strikes the same chord. Hopefully the passing of ten years has allowed those affected some time to reconcile the day's events. Unfortunately, for many there is no amount of time that could pass which would be capable of healing their wounds. For the rest of our lives we will all remember where we were and what we were doing on that fateful Tuesday morning. As I sat in my office listening to the news over the radio. I could not help but fall into a state of disbelief as every moment the news worsened... 8:46 am American Airlines Flight 11 hits the north tower, 9:03 am United Airlines Flight 175 hits the south tower, 9:38 American Airlines Flight 77 hits the Pentagon, 9:59 am south tower collapses, 10:10 am United Airlines Flight 93 crashes in Pittsburgh, 10:28 am north tower collapses. Undoubtedly, these were the worst two hours in American history resulting in thousand of deaths. While the atrocities of 9/11 can never be erased there is perhaps some silver lining in the reactions of many people to assist others in a time of dire need.

The terrorists behind the attacks showed a disregard for human life beyond comprehension but there were people who demonstrated an even greater regard for human life which far exceeded the attacker's malicious intent. The efforts of those who assisted in the recovery after and during the tragedy were heroic to say the least. The first responders and average Joe citizens showed little to no concern for their own lives as they rescued people from the burning towers. Passengers aboard Flight 93 valiantly thwarted terrorist plans which could have resulted in more deaths. Passersby rushed into the Pentagon to help people in need. Volunteers stayed up for days on end to scavenge for missing and wounded people in the toppled buildings. Charities and fundraisers were started to help the victims. Schools and other organizations across the country have setup commemorative events to help not only the victims but anyone in need of assistance such as the elderly and victims of domestic violence, all in the name of 9/11.

Not only did people show their regard for human life but in many ways since people have demonstrated their resiliency to tragedy. Many have probably wondered if lower Manhattan may ever quite be what it used to be in the wake of 9/11. Much to the contrary, the area has been more populated than ever since 1920. Currently a memorial featuring waterfalls cascading into the footprints of the twin towers will open to the public on Sept. 12, a day after families see their loved ones' names around the pools for the first time. The skyscraper formerly known as the Freedom Tower is growing by a story a week and now stands 1,000 feet above the skyline as the tallest building in lower Manhattan. A transit station and a second office tower also are taking shape.

Many of the best human traits were displayed as a result of 9/11; compassion, resilience, and heroism just to name a few. It seems as though the acts of many individuals has summed up to equal something greater than its parts and is serving to inspire others to do great things in the name of helping others.

Kirk Tiley
Tiley Roofing, Inc.
CRA President