Courage & Hope

In June of 2023, we had a house fire. At the time, my husband and I were in Boston. Our three children were home for the summer. Together, they navigated their way through this terrible ordeal. It took hours to get the fire under control. As the fire fighters worked tirelessly to contain the blaze, my husband and I made our way home from Boston. Fear and anxiety accompanied us on the 7 hour ride.

We arrived around 2:00 am the next day. The sun wouldn’t rise for several hours, yet even in the darkness of night, I could see the silhouette of my house. In the glow of the street light, I could just make out the yellow caution tape that surrounded our home and the wood panels that filled the space where windows once hung. A neon pink sign was taped to the side of the window frame. It declared that the property, our property, was condemned. 

Yet in the midst of what could only be described as a nightmare, I learned that our son, Jonah, had snuck back into our house, on multiple occasions, once the fire was out. From the charred rubble, he attempted to rescue certain items that held special significance for our family. One of the first items he salvaged was a newspaper from September 11th, 2001. At the top of this folded newspaper, in bold red letters, are the words

“SPECIAL REPORT”. 

The headline for that day reads,

“Terrorists Launch Air Attack on U.S. Cities”.

Below the headline is the iconic photo of the World Trade Towers, engulfed in smoke, taken just moments after the attack . 

Through the years, this special edition newspaper has been a quiet reminder for our family. The once crisp pages are now coated in the ash and soot from our house fire. Burn holes of various sizes are scattered over the front page, another quiet reminder for our family.

While it’s a little worse for wear, this historic newspaper is now 25 years old. 

Immediately following the attacks of 9/11, there was a surge in church attendance, patriotism and unity. These were just some of the ways American citizens tried to cope with the shock and grief they felt as the events of that horrific day unfolded. 

Once again, the American flag became a symbol of solidarity. Solidarity for the victims of this tragedy, for the first responders and for our country as a whole. The American flag sent a message to the world, as well. It sent a message of courage and hope.

The demand for American flags spiked so rapidly after 9/11 that flag makers simply couldn’t keep up. Within days, stores had completely sold out. This wave of patriotism, coming off the heels of such a devastation, led Congress to designate September 11th as Patriot Day, when Americans are encouraged to display the flag as a reminder of our continued strength and endurance. 

Special events will be taking place across the United States to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11. From special concerts and moving light displays to touching memorial services, there are countless options available for us to reflect and remember.

Over the years, our family has visited some of the sites from 9/11. More recently, we visited The Empty Sky Memorial in NJ. While each location holds a distinct pain and sorrow that is almost palpable, each one also holds a message of courage and hope.

Two thousand, eight hundred ninety-three (2,983) precious lives were lost that day. Countless lives continue to be impacted, even today. Their collective courage stands as a hallmark, uniting our nation in hope, 25 years later and counting….