Sept. 11, 2001 hit those of us here at National Underwriter's editorial headquarters very personally–not only because our Hoboken, N.J. office is right across the Hudson River from the World Trade Center site, and some of us rode the PATH trains to and from that station every day, but also because so many insurance people worked at that ill-fated building. What follows is the editorial we put out on the first anniversary of 9/11. Reading it over today, it still hits hard emotionally. Feel free to add any memories or comments of your own.

Sept. 11, 2002

Last year on Sept. 11, we received a phone call alerting us that a tourist helicopter or executive jet had somehow accidentally crashed into New York's World Trade Center.

Many of us here in National Underwriter's editorial headquarters in Hoboken, N.J., ran the two blocks to Frank Sinatra Park to see the damage for ourselves. The park, on a refurbished pier, juts out into the Hudson River, facing New York City's western skyline. Sure enough, one of the towers was in flames.

Shortly thereafter, to our horror, a jumbo jet crashed into the second tower, and we knew this was no accident.

All of our lives were changed forever that day, not only as Americans facing a war on terrorism unlike one we had ever fought before, but also as journalists covering an insurance industry that would be called upon to meet challenges that those in the business of risk management had never imagined in their worst nightmares.

Our hearts went out to all those who were lost in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, as well as their families and colleagues. But we especially sympathized with the nearly 500 people within the insurance community, at Aon, Marsh and others, who did not survive the attack or its deadly aftermath. And we counted our blessings for all those fortunate enough to escape with their lives.

Our thoughts keep returning to a makeshift memorial that was set up at the tip of the pier in Sinatra Park. It included pictures of those who were lost, as well as flowers, flags and poems lying in a pile facing Lower Manhattan. A portion of one anonymous poem dedicated to the victims stood out: “Your lives were not lost in vain. Your sacrifice has united this nation against a great evil. Your family, friends, colleagues and countrymen shall prevail.”

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