Tuesday, September 11th, started like a typical day. It was the second Tuesday of the month, which meant that at 7:00 AM, I would attend the Stow Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce board meeting, which I would facilitate as board chair. We had a strict rule that cell phones were not allowed in board meetings to keep meetings moving and efficient. At the time, most people still had flip phones. Please remember that 2001 was seven years before the invention of smartphones.
We finished the meeting at 8:50 AM, and I went to my car to head to the office. That's when life changed. When I turned my cell phone on, I received multiple messages from my office and from the headmaster of Cornerstone Community School, Roberta Wykoff. My sons, Shane and Zach, attended Cornerstone and were in fourth and second grade, respectively. I was also Chair of the school's Board of Trustees at that time. The messages were about a terrorist attack that had taken place in New York City. The people at the school and my staff at the office wanted to know what they should do.
Source: Wikipedia
It took me about 15 minutes to drive to my office. During that time, I listened to news reports about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers. Nobody was quite sure what to make of it until the second plane hit the second tower a few minutes into my drive. That's when everybody realized this was not an accident, the United States of America was under attack. In addition to the World Trade Center towers, a plane hit the Pentagon near where one of my childhood friends was working. Luckily, Marty lived to tell the story. Less fortunate were the brave souls on United Flight 93 who decided to take the plane down near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and not allow the terrorists to potentially harm thousands more innocent people by flying it into another government building in Washington, DC.
When I got to the office, I expected the phones to ring off the hook with people calling about what might happen to the stock market and their accounts. I was wrong. We didn't receive a single phone call from a client that entire day. In what became known as the “CNN Effect,” it seems that people were glued to their TVs, watching the day's events. In looking back at economic reports during that time, economists noted that there was little or no economic activity during 9/11 and the three days that followed. Nobody shopped or went out to eat. This actually caused a notable, short-term dip in GDP and economic activity.
Source: YouTube
While the phones were silent and everybody watched in real time, nearly 800 New York City firefighters ran toward the buildings and the danger to help and save as many people as possible. I could talk about the heroics and bravery of that day for quite a while. However, the CBS News show 60 Minutes dedicated their entire show on Sunday evening to the bravery of these firefighters. 343 of the firefighters who went up the towers did not survive. Not one of them questioned their orders or refused to go. If you have 40 minutes to watch something this week, I highly suggest you click the link below and watch what real heroes look like.
60 Minutes remembers 9/11: The FDNY
Bruce Springsteen wrote several songs about the events of 9/11. He wrote the song "Into the Fire" about the bravery and dedication of the New York City firefighters. A YouTube link to the video with the lyrics is included below. Here is just one verse and chorus of the song’s lyrics for you to reflect on as we move towards the 23rd anniversary of this horrific day.
Bruce Springsteen - Into The Fire with Lyrics
The sky was falling and streaked with blood
I heard you calling me, then you disappeared into the dust
Up the stairs, into the fire
Up the stairs, into the fire
I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher
Somewhere up the stairs, into the fire
May your strength give us strength
May your faith give us faith
May your hope give us hope
May your love give us love
It was not just firefighters who demonstrated extraordinary faith, strength, and courage that day. Many ordinary people did extraordinary things as well. One of them was Welles Crowther. His story is told on the 9/11 memorial website. Below is a portion of the blog post honoring him. Nearly a dozen people got out of the building that day because of his bravery.
Remembering the ‘Man in the Red Bandana’
When hijacked Flight 175 hit the World Trade Center’s South Tower, people on the 78th floor sky lobby huddled together, frightened and confused. There was no escape as far as they could tell. Then, a man with a red bandana covering his nose and mouth suddenly appeared from the wreckage and smoke. He spoke in a calm voice and guided them to a stairway, leading them to safety. The man in the red bandana made three trips to the sky lobby, saving as many people as he could until the burning building collapsed.
A few months after 9/11, stories from survivors surfaced about the mysterious man wearing the red bandana. When Alison Crowther read an article about the hero in the New York Times, she knew that man was her son, 24-year-old Welles Crowther. He had carried a red handkerchief since he was a boy. Welles Crowther worked as an equities trader and was also a volunteer firefighter.
Source: 9/11memorial.org
Welles was also an athlete, having played lacrosse at Boston College. ESPN created a video tribute to the Man in the Red Bandana. Below is a YouTube clip of the 15-minute video. It is incredibly moving and well worth watching.
The Man in the Red Bandana | SC Featured
I will close with two additional video clips from Mr. Springsteen reflecting on the day's events. The first is "My City of Ruins" from the 9/11 tribute and fundraiser, which was held shortly after the day's events.
Bruce Springsteen My City of Ruins 9-11-01
The second is from the 20th anniversary and remembrance events in New York City. The song is titled "I’ll See You in My Dreams."
We should never forget what real American heroes look like. We should always remember their bravery and their sacrifice for others. In today's divided political world, it is sometimes hard to remember that more things should bring us together than drive us apart. Let's take a little time on 9/11 to reflect on that. Thank you for letting me share my remembrances of the day with you. Please feel free to share your stories of that day with us. These stories are real, meaningful, and powerful reminders as we continue “Moving Life Forward.”
© 2024 Jesse Hurst
Senior Wealth Manager
Featured Blog Image Source: iStock.com/e-crow