On the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11 tragedy, remember
and reflect with these powerful quotes.
“Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of
kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of
unity that followed 9/11.”
—President Obama in a 2011 radio address
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that
life is short and there is no time for hate.”
—Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, in
Shanksville, Pa., in 2002
“My older brother John lived [his life] in Technicolor. …
When he walked in the door, the whole house lit up. And I’m sure heaven lit up
when he got there too.”
—Anthoula Katsimatides at the World Trade Center site in
2005
“Five years from the date of the attack that changed our
world, we’ve come back to remember the valor of those we lost—those who
innocently went to work that day and the brave souls who went in after them. We
have also come to be ever mindful of the courage of those who grieve for them,
and the light that still lives in their hearts.”
—New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani at the World Trade
Center site in 2006
“One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the
bravest acts in Americans’ history. We’ll always honor the heroes of 9/11. And
here at this hallowed place, we pledge that we will never forget their
sacrifice.”
—President George W. Bush at the Pentagon in 2008
“My father, Norberto, was a pastry chef at Windows on the
World in Tower One. For 10 years, he made many fancy and famous desserts, but
the sweetest dessert he made was the marble cake he made for us at home. …
Whenever we parted, Poppi would say, ‘Te amo. Vaya con Dios.’ And this morning,
I want to say the same thing to you, Poppi. I love you. Go with God.”
—Catherine Hernandez at the World Trade Center site in 2008
“With almost no time to decide, [your loved ones] gave the
entire country an incalculable gift. They saved the Capitol from attack. They
saved God knows how many lives. They saved the terrorists from claiming the
symbolic victory of smashing the center of American government. … They allowed
us to survive as a country that could fight terror and still maintain liberty
and still welcome people from all over the world from every religion and race
and culture as long as they shared our values, because ordinary people given
no time at all to decide did the right thing.”
—President Bill Clinton in Shanksville, Pa., in 2011
“Last year, America’s poet laureate, Billy Collins, wrote a
poem he called ‘The Names’ about the 2,792 who perished that day. Here are its
closing lines:
Names etched on
the head of a pin.
One name spanning
a bridge, another
undergoing a tunnel.
A blue name needled
into the skin.
Names of citizens,
workers, mothers,
and fathers,
The bright-eyed
daughter, the quick son.
Alphabet of names in
a green field.
Names in the small tracks of birds.
Names lifted from a hat
Or balanced on
the tip of the tongue.
Names wheeled
into the dim warehouse
of memory.
So many names, there
is barely room on
the walls of the heart.”
—New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the World Trade
Center site in 2003
The quotes from the World Trade Center site can be found in September Morning: Ten Years
of Poems and Readings from the 9/11 Ceremonies New York City
(powerHouse Books; $25), compiled and edited by Sara
Lukinson. Royalty revenue goes to the National September 11
Memorial & Museum
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