9/11 Remembered

 Sept. 11, 2001 cannot be forgotten. Like so many others, I remember what we were doing that morning. The Brick had terrible back problems. (Not long afterwards, he had surgery -- then a second operation when his spinal cord was accidentally nicked, and spinal fluid began leaking under his skin.) We were at the doctor's office for an appointment, and he was told to sit down in the waiting room. But he couldn't -- it hurt too much. So he laid down-- on the floor.

    (Helpful hint: if you're not getting any help at a doctor's office, head for the floor. You'll be amazed at the quick service.)

    Magically, the receptionist found a nurse who helped the Brick to an examination room. After I saw him settled, I returned to the waiting room...only to see one of the towers collapse. I remember thinking to myself, "This has got to be the worst special effects I've ever seen in a movie. It looks so fake."

It wasn't.

Here are some unusual items about 9/11 -- and its victims, as well as those who survived.

Who was the "Falling Man?"    (More about 9/11 jumpers here.)

One of 9/11's best-documented ghosts: a WWII Red Cross worker who appeared several times to rescue workers who were trying to find survivors. One man saw her several times, often with a tray of sandwiches. 'It looked like she was trying to help,' he remembered.

The ten luckiest 9/11 survivors. (according to Listverse) Also: ten raw videos from then. Some incredible stories, too.

Ten heroic police officers who gave their lives.

The daughter of a 9/11 victim finally gets closure when her mom's DNA is identified -- twenty years later.

The two fighter pilots sent out to intercept Flight 93 are interviewed:  "Our only choice was going to be to ram the airliner.

"We don't train to 'take down' airliners. We never have,"[ one of the pilots] added. "We didn't have any missiles and we didn't have combat loads of bullets. We were going to have to hit the airplane and disable it somehow."

    They survived their suicide mission because Flight 93 had already crashed by the time they reached it. The plane was the only one whose passengers attempted to retake it, though, according to Wikipedia, passengers on at least one other flight were discussing the possibility. Some strange coincidences on this.

Some of the 'darkest day' tributes around the country.

George Bush's famous Ground Zero "I can't hear you" speech:

On September 14, 2001, it was time for the president to make his way to Ground Zero. With one arm embracing a firefighter and the other grasping a bullhorn, Bush, who had held office for less than eight months, began thanking first responders. 

Someone in the crowd shouted "I can’t hear you" to which Bush replied "I can hear you!... The rest of the world hears you!...The people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!" 

The Third Man -- who led at least one survivor from the 91st floor to safety. 

Iconic 9/11 photos and their photographers -- 20 years later.

And yes, yet another professor announces that the victims of 9/11 deserved it.  Shades of Ward Churchill.  (If you're curious, more on Churchill here.)

Never forget. Never.