When asked to pen a 9/11 commemoration article for National Underwriter, I have to admit I was a little overwhelmed. Not being directly affected by the loss of family or friends, I was afraid I could not convey the magnitude or the emotional impact of the event.
However, once I started thinking back to that day, I realized that I remember more detail about the events that occurred than just about any other day in my life. Not to say that I know or understand the loss of those directly affected, but I can simply reflect on the impact that this day had in the life of an American who experienced it and, hopefully, relay the importance of preserving that memory.
As many of us do, I remember exactly where I was when the news began to circulate that one of the World Trade Center towers was on fire. I was working in an insurance office and was called to an underwriter's desk where there was a small television. At that time, most breaking news came from the 24/7 news channels like CNN and Fox News, along with the big three networks.
A few of us gathered around the small screen and observed the first images of one of the towers on fire with a crystal clear blue sky behind it. Early speculation was that an aircraft had accidentally impacted the tower, but I remember wondering how an aircraft could "accidentally" fly into a skyscraper in the middle of New York City on a clear day. As newscasters continued to try to explain what was happening, and those of us watching were debating, the second tower was hit. All we could do was stand there in stunned silence.
As events unfolded, images and stories emerged, turning that stunned silence into anger, sadness and an extreme sense of loss and insecurity; but what I remember most was not knowing how to respond. It was devastating to see this country attacked in such a surprising and indiscriminate way. Having been active duty military just a year before and then serving in the Air Force Reserve, we were trained to respond to an overseas threat, an enemy nation or even a natural disaster. This was something we had never seen before.
I was fortunate that I quickly had the opportunity be part of a response with the Air Force Reserve unit at Maxwell Air Force Base. Although it was initially a local response and primarily focused on accounting for our members that normally work day-to-day outside the military, ultimately our unit deployed hundreds of airmen during the next 13 years in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. There are similar response stories in the insurance industry.
There was an initial accounting of loss and debate on coverage response, but over time the industry pulled together, adjusted, and found a way to handle an exposure and a threat it had previously never seen before. Countries, industries, communities, families and individuals each found ways to help one another through the tragedy, rebuild our lives and protect our freedoms.
Try to remember
We each have our own memories of 9/11, and as we look back now 16 years removed, we must not allow these memories to fade. First and foremost, remembering honors those who lost their lives in the horrendous attack on this sovereign nation and the freedom it provides us: the men and women who were going about their normal work day in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon; those who were traveling on the aircraft that were turned into weapons; the first responders who were carrying out rescue missions; and the military men and women killed in the subsequent response to the terrorist threat. Each played his or her own part in making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
We must also remember those who suffered immeasurable loss and may still be suffering today. The fathers, mothers, siblings, sons, daughters, spouses, friends and family members of all who were lost along with those who suffered debilitating injuries must continue to be kept at the forefront of our thoughts and prayers.
Finally, we must not forget how we responded. During a time of immediate and obvious crisis, we often see people pull together and forget their differences. Why do we not always respond that way in everyday life? Preserving our memories of 9/11 not only honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but it can help us remember our response. Perhaps that memory will carry over to how we respond to others each day. There will come a day when this nation again faces a crisis, an attack on our freedoms, or just reaches a tipping point, and how we respond will make all the difference.
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Patrick Albrecht is the senior vice president of business development for Associated Insurance Administrators, Inc. Contact him at palbrecht@aiamga.com.
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