Sept. 11, 2001, is a date that no American will ever be able to forget. Mentioning it can make some people shut down and turn others into the biggest patriot this country has ever seen; however you react, it is important to remember that you are not alone.

The attack on the twin towers is notably one of the biggest terrorist attacks on United States soil. While the towers were crumbling to the ground, Americans realized that life would never be the same.

People will never forget what happened in that moment; Dr. Tom Prasch, the chair for the history department at Washburn, remembers exactly how classes changed course.

“I remember teaching class that day,” said Prasch. “I remember just giving up on the syllabus and doing a full class on what was going on with some basic background [on what could have led to the attack].”

Chris Bowers, Military Transitions Coordinator, has a different perception of that day.

“As a matter of fact I was headed to a class here at Washburn University on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design,” said Bowers.

He explains that on Sept. 11, his class was discussing the attack on the World Trade Center and bringing up the twin towers.

“I first heard a plane hit one of the twin towers. At first I envisioned a small Cessna,” said Bowers. “And then you know later they sent a second plane to hit the other one and things started to change in your mind.”

Being able to learn from the bone-chilling stories that survivors and other Americans share, only helps new generations of people to understand just how important this day is. Prasch explains that this attack gave the U.S. a new sense of vulnerability that hasn’t been shown to the rest of the world.

It is hard to look back on a day filled with such devastation year after year, but it is important to learn and grow as the United States of America. As the phrase “Never Forget” is always shared on this day, we should remember that it is true; we have to relive it to learn from it.