Twenty-five years later, remembering and reflecting

Sept. 11, 2001, remains a defining moment for anyone who lived through it.

For some, it is remembered in exact detail — where they were standing, who they were with, what they saw and the moment they realized that life as they knew it had changed forever.

For others, particularly those born after the terrorist attacks, it is history. They learn about it in school, see photos and videos and hear stories from parents, grandparents and teachers.

But 25 years later, the challenge for all of us is the same: How do we remember Sept. 11 in a meaningful way, and how do we help those who continue to live with its consequences?

In the middle of unimaginable horror, people helped one another. Strangers carried strangers. First responders risked their lives for people they did not know. Communities opened their doors. Ordinary people performed extraordinary acts of courage and kindness.

Greater Riverdale residents were in the thick of 9/11, as first responders from across the northwest Bronx raced to the site of the disaster to offer their aid. They brought supplies, offered support, pulled fellow New Yorkers from the rubble. Others watched on as the news rolled out and smoke filled the air, anxiously waiting to hear back from loved ones in the city.

Following the attacks, residents created memorials honoring those our community lost. Some built the rest of their lives around helping others the way so many New Yorkers did on that fateful day. The horrific event displayed, and continues to display, the full strength of this community in so many ways, even as the wounds it left behind continue to cause pain today. The reverberations of the 9/11 attacks are felt profoundly throughout the Riverdale area and the rest of the city each day, but they become more pronounced as we recognize its 25th anniversary.

The attacks brought a sense of insecurity and a horrifying realization that we could not control what was happening around us. Nearly 3,000 people were killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Families lost parents, children, siblings and friends. First responders ran toward danger, and countless others demonstrated extraordinary courage simply by helping strangers.

In the succeeding years, children grew up without mothers or fathers. Some followed in their parents’ footsteps, becoming police officers, firefighters or other public servants to honor those they lost. Grandchildren were born who never had the opportunity to know the people whose names are spoken every Sept. 11.

For many families, the anniversary isn’t simply a day on the calendar. It can bring back memories, grief and questions that never fade away.

That is why remembering matters. Memorials, ceremonies and the simple act of saying the names of those we lost are vital rituals. We remember everyone who died, we remember those who died later from illnesses connected to their work at ground zero, and we remember the families that were left behind. The anniversary is a day for reflection and service — much like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, when we pause to recognize sacrifice and those who served something greater than themselves.

Honor their memory through action. Help a neighbor. Support a first responder or veteran. Visit a memorial, take part in a community service project, or teach a child why Sept. 11 still matters, all these years later.

Children should learn about that day in age-appropriate ways, understanding both the tragedy and the remarkable response of people who came together. These lessons are important.

Twenty-five years is a long time. But it is not long enough to forget. So say the names. Remember the lives. Honor the families. Thank those who responded. Support those still suffering. And then do something good.

This week, The Riverdale Press is sharing a 9/11 special section which seeks to do just that. Through the memories and experiences of people who lived through or lost someone on that horrific day, and were forever changed, we hope to show that Sept. 11 isn’t just something that happened 25 years ago. It is part of our history, and part of our present.