In Memory

As the towers stood tall and mighty, as if posing for the tourist on a hot summer day, August 11, 1995, I could have never imagined the events that would take place six years later on September 11, 2001.

On the morning of September 11th, I was glued to my television and cried for a week.

An interesting story my friend shared with me after the attacks was about one of the hijackers. She happens to work for Homeland Security and part of her job requires her to get extensive training regarding terrorist. A couple of years prior to the 9/11 attacks, one of the hijackers tried entering the USA through the US/Mexico border crossing in San Ysidro, but her Supervisor had a strong hunch about this character. After a thorough inspection and interrogation, he was denied entry. Unfortunately, the same hijacker attempted entry for the second time, and succeeded through the Los Angeles airport.
After the 9/11 attacks, the news began to share airport video showing the hijackers boarding the planes that would eventually crash into the towers. In these videos, my friend's Supervisor immediately recognized one of the hijackers as the person who he had denied entry through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. It still gives me the chills thinking about it.

(Photo by Derek Jensen (Tysto), 2004-September-11)

For the people who lost their loved ones on September 11, 2001, we remember with you and stand united.