9/11 Remembrance

It was only 21 years ago when that first plane went into the World Trade Center.

Everyone thought it was an accident only to be terrified when another flew straight into the second tower. Cries rang out, tears were shed, fear loomed, and hearts were shattered. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives that day and we still haven’t forgotten. Our country was in devastation and defeat when the Islamic terrorist attack occurred right in the middle of New York City and we still haven’t fully recovered. On Sunday, the Grand Junction Fire Department hosted an open house at Fire Station 3. During the open house, a remembrance ceremony was held to honor the 415 first responders who lost their lives. The community planted flags out in front of the fire station and they will stay there for the rest of the week to remind everyone to remember the many firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and paramedics we lost. Many of our own educators vividly remember this day, including Jory Sorensen. As current principal of Redlands Middle School, 21 years ago Mr. Sorensen was working as a high school science teacher in Loveland, Colorado. “When the first plane hit the tower I was driving to work a little after 7:00 and I first thought ‘is this real?’” Mr. Sorensen goes on to explain how many kids got picked up that day because parents were worried, teachers were stressed, and it’s one of those few days in his life that he knows exactly where he was in that moment and what he was doing.