HINTON, W.Va. (Hinton News) — As the sun rises over the quiet town of Hinton, the community comes together to honor and remember the lives lost and the heroes born on September 11, 2001. Each year, this solemn day provides an opportunity for reflection and remembrance of the enduring spirit that emerged from one of the darkest days in American history.
The events of September 11, 2001, continue to shape the national consciousness, and this day serves as a crucial reminder of the resilience and unity that arose from the tragedy. In Hinton and across Summers County, as in communities across the nation, the memory of that day underscores the enduring strength and compassion that define the American spirit.
I distinctly remember that horrifying day as if it were yesterday. I was in the car with my parents and the news came across the radio. I did not truly understand what the broadcasters were talking about, but I knew it sounded bad. Later, at my grandparent’s house, the news was playing when we walked in and the scene playing on the screen was like something out of a movie. There was smoke hanging in the air, people running and covered in soot.
Perhaps the worst part of the live broadcast was the sound of PASS alarms going off in tandem. Having grown up in an emergency services household, you learn about PASS alarms early. These devices are attached to a firefighter’s gear and are designed to go off when the firefighter has been still for a specified amount of time. Because of the nature of what they do, firefighters are always moving and working when on scene, when they become still to the point of a PASS alarm triggering, it means there is a problem. The person could be injured, unconscious or dead.
The sound of multiple PASS alarms, people shouting and sirens created the soundtrack to the next week as my family, along with the rest of America, attempted to understand. We watched every news update, every replay of that day and every politician and TV personality as they talked about the horror.
The one bright spot in the tragedy was the way the American people came together and united. People of every creed, religion, societal status and ideology were one, Americans and nothing else mattered. I watched people cry and hug, I saw terror in the eyes of those I passed on the street, but at the end of the day, I think we were all grateful to still be with our families.
On this anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, I remember the 343 firefighters who could have easily included someone I care about. I remember each of the 2,977 lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. May we never forget.
