Remembering 9/11: 10 Years Later

"A day that will live in infamy.”

These words from  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, used when speaking to our nation following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, are certainly appropriate to be reprised once more to describe the aftermath of the horrific and tragic attacks on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001.

This Sunday marks the tenth anniversary of that “day that will live in infamy,” when the worst terrorist attack in our history occurred, forever changing our world. And even today, 10 years later, as I write about this tragic event, I am flooded by memories of that magnificent, clear blue sky on that late summer morning, the chill of the early morning air, and the mixture of sadness and excitement my husband Marty and I were feeling while packing to move from the greater New York City area down to Florida.

I heard about the first plane crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center while chatting with a friend online. But when he informed me about the second plane striking the South Tower, I knew this was no accident; we were under attack.

Within an hour the streets were filled with the sound of fire engines from both our town and the surrounding areas, rushing down toward the city to offer help. And to keep our town secure the heavily trafficked roads leading to and from the Valhalla Dam were closed. Businesses and schools in our area were shut down early so people could be with their families.

This Sunday we will remember and honor those extraordinarily brave firefighters, the police men and women and the medics who, in spite of their own fear, rushed into the towers trying to save as many lives as possible; many of whom sacrificed their own lives. 

But just as importantly, at the same time, let us not forget those four-legged heroes, the search and rescue dogs, who tirelessly and courageously, working side-by-side with their human partners, gave their all to search for survivors. With their highly refined sense of smell and heightened ability to feel vibrations, they rescued many who would otherwise not have been found. Since they can't "speak”, laugh or cry, these animals are indeed the "silent heroes" of 9-11.

 Never questioning. . .never refusing to enter into those hot, dark and dangerous places to do the job for which they were trained. . .they just persisted.  And while some of these incredible canines are still alive, many of them have already passed away, still far too young, from complications caused by working at Ground Zero.

Penn Vet Working Dog Center’s tribute to the 9/11 search dogs reads, “As we mark the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, we look back to the rescue dogs who searched tirelessly at the disaster sites. These dogs provided hope and comfort for the responders and community; we now honor these heroes in this slideshow.”

Take a few minutes to watch their touching slideshow video uploaded to YouTube by Pennvetwdc.

Search and rescue dogs are truly remarkable. Leave a comment and share your thoughts.