New voices honor 9/11
The Sept. 11 attacks on the Twin Towers and other U.S. institutions happened 24 years ago, but events honoring the lives lost that day are still finding new people to speak about their memory of the event.
Nathan Hezlep, a 10-year member and now lieutenant with the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, was just 9 years old on Sept. 11, 2001, but he spoke about his memory of the historical event during a ceremony Thursday in the township. Cranberry Township has a Sept. 11 memorial where speakers gather each year to honor victims of the attacks, and Hezlep was one of them this year.
At the memorial, Hezlep said he learned from visiting New York City in 2001 the duties of first responders.
“At a young age, they taught me about the events and the impact and the fallout,” Hezlep said. “You form a greater appreciation for everything that was done that day from the first responders’ side.”
It’s interesting to hear these perspectives, even if Hezlep himself said he doesn’t have clear memories of what unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001.
We need people to continue sharing anything they remember from that day, especially as youths born after 2001 grow older and need to grow their understanding of the ramifications of that event. People alive on Sept. 11, 2001 may not remember the day itself, but they may be able to recognize how things changed afterward or they may even recognize what changed in themselves after coming to understand it.
So if you were alive and have even the blurriest memories of Sept. 11, 2001, it would be great to hear from you at a future memorial event. With the 25th anniversary of the attacks coming next year, it will likely be a milestone people would want to be a part of in some way.
— ET
