Opinion: Reflecting of 9/11

Written by Robert L. Santos, Director, US Census

This Sunday marks the (21st) anniversary of September 11, 2001, also known as Patriot Day. 

This day is incredibly profound for our nation and for me, as I expect it is for you, too. Twenty-one years later, the tragic events of this day are indelible memories. 

We will never forget the suffering, the lives lost, the vulnerability we felt when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93. 

Nor will we forget the closeness we suddenly felt to one another as a unified nation, as fellow Americans. We realized we were all neighbors, we were compatriots. We stuck together, looked out for one another, and helped each other process the magnitude of what had occurred. 

The events of 9/11 brought out the best in many of us. Everyday people became heroes. And first responders became superheroes. So many sacrificed their lives for others. 

One of the distinct honors of my statistical career was working on a research project to document the survivor experience of individuals (from the) Twin Towers prior to collapse. 

The project called for a sample survey of survivors ... and in-person interviews ... and loved ones who had received phone calls or voicemails from victims who did not make it out. 

The research was heart-wrenching. ... stories of escape were horrific and profoundly personal. Yet ... inspirational.

To this day, I still get emotional talking about the project ... but the trust is, I don’t ever want to feel unemotional about it. 

On Patriot Day, we mourn this tragic loss of life and reflect on ourselves as one nation. 

But we also cherish the strength and resilience we demonstrated, the sense of unity ... commitment we collectively made ... to recover and overcome the challenge. 

We need more of that unity and commitment.

I wish you a peaceful and reflective Patriot Day. (Source: US Census 09/09/22) Reflecting on the anniversary of September 11, 2001 (census.gov)