You might think after all this time, there's no bell left un-rung, no prayer unsaid, no song that hasn't been sung.
uncertain
that → think → time
After 25 years, the most fitting way we can think of to keep the day close is talking to those who were there.
asserted
who → think → those
"You could see flames shooting out of, you know, all sides of the North Tower," said Harry Handler, who was on the 67th floor of the other tower, 2 World Trade Center.
uncertain
who → see → tower
"The building made an announcement that said, 'There's been an incident in 1 World Trade Center.
asserted
that → make → Center
If you're in 2 World Trade Center, return to your desks.'
asserted
you → return → desks
I thought, this is just a bad idea."
asserted
this → think → ?
Seventeen minutes later, a second plane hit his tower.
asserted
plane → hit → tower
He began leaping down flights of stairs, 12 steps at a time.
asserted
He → begin → time
And then he stopped.
asserted
he → stop → ?
"I ran into a woman who was leaning against the bannister having an asthma attack," Handler said.
asserted
Handler → run → attack
"I said, 'Well, let me take you down.'
asserted
me → say → you
She took my arm.
asserted
She → take → arm
Even though she was breathing heavily, we went very slowly down the stairs."
asserted
we → breathe → stairs
They had no idea that a third plane had hit the Pentagon.
asserted
plane → have → Pentagon
"Things were not where you'd expect them to be," said Marine Major Dan Pantaleo, who rushed in to help, though no one had asked him to.
asserted
one → expect → him
"There was a part of a desk that was sort of in the ceiling.
asserted
that → be → ceiling
There was what looked like a safe that was turned sideways and embedded into the wall.
asserted
that → be → wall
Just a half an hour later, the last of the planes, likely headed to Washington, too, crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
asserted
last → head → Shanksville
Passengers, having gotten word of the attack on both New York and the Pentagon, had stormed the cockpit.
asserted
Passengers → get → cockpit
"On that dark day, 40 people did something that gave America hope," said Tim Lambert.
asserted
Lambert → do → hope
"They're faced with the worst thing, and they voted to do something about it, and they did."
asserted
they → face → it
Lambert's family had owned the land where United Flight 93 went down since the 1930s.
asserted
Flight → own → 1930s
"Those trees took the brunt of the explosion," he said.
asserted
he → take → explosion
"And then, over time, we saw Nature start to take hold again.
asserted
Nature → see → hold
Grass was growing, wildlife was coming back.
asserted
wildlife → grow → ?
But the reminders of what happened there were always constant."
asserted
what → happen → ?
"I feel like it's something I struggle with a lot still," Laurel told us.
asserted
Laurel → feel → us
"It's like what my life was supposed to be, versus what it ended up being, and just not even knowing who I would have been."
asserted
I → suppose → ?
Over time, she attended summer camps organized for survivors, but after 25 years, those camp-goers are now all adults.
asserted
goers → attend → years
"I kind of grew up with a level of shame to the whole thing, and I was bullied at points for it," Homer said.
asserted
Homer → grow → it
"This girl, like, wrote 'DD' on a paper, and she was like, what does that stand for?
asserted
that → write → what
And then she said, 'Dead Dad.'
asserted
she → say → Dad
And then ever since then, I don't think I really had a great place to grieve in a healthy way."
asserted
I → think → way
Each sees these annual 9/11 observances a little differently.
asserted
Each → see → observances
"They're all tough," said Handler.
asserted
Handler → say → ?
"Sometimes I don't sleep well, and think, 'Oh right, it's September.
asserted
it → sleep → ?
People are thinking about it again.'
asserted
People → think → it
Pantaleo said, "There's a flood of emotions.
asserted
Pantaleo → say → emotions
I remember things like all of the American flags on people's houses just popping up all over the place.
asserted
all → remember → place
So, I go back to that, and I'm hopeful, but then I also recall the incredible devastation and destruction, and that's a different experience for me."
asserted
that → go → me
…and 32 more, not listed.
The Aporia
