Remembering 9/11 — 25 Years On

Twenty-five years ago today, the world changed forever.

September 11, 2001, began like any other day for thousands of people. Passengers boarded four commercial airliners, crews prepared for their flights, and families went about their normal morning routines. None could have imagined the tragedy that was about to unfold.

For those of us who have a love of aviation, September 11 holds a particularly profound place in our memories. Aircraft, which normally represent travel, adventure, connection and the freedom to explore the world, suddenly became associated with unimaginable loss.

The four flights—American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77 and United Airlines Flight 93—carried 246 passengers and crew who never reached their intended destinations. Their lives, along with those of so many others on the ground, were taken far too soon.

But September 11 is not only about the tragedy. It is also about the extraordinary courage and sacrifice that followed.

Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, emergency workers and ordinary people ran towards danger while others were trying desperately to escape it. Many never returned home. Their bravery remains one of the most powerful parts of the story of that terrible day.

Twenty-five years have now passed, but for the families who lost loved ones, the pain of that morning can never truly disappear. Children grew up without parents, parents lost sons and daughters, and husbands and wives were suddenly left without the people they loved.

The aviation world also changed forever. Security procedures, airport operations and the way we think about air travel were transformed. Every time we pass through an airport today, we are reminded in some small way of the lasting impact of September 11.

As an aviation enthusiast, I still look up whenever I hear an aircraft overhead. I still admire the beauty, engineering and freedom of flight. But September 11 reminds me that behind every aircraft is something far more important than the machine itself—people.

People with families. People with dreams. People going somewhere.

On this 25th anniversary, my family and I pause to remember every passenger and crew member who never came home, everyone who lost their life on the ground, and all those who showed incredible courage in the face of unimaginable circumstances.

Twenty-five years later, we remember their names, their lives and their stories.

We remember.
We honour.
We will never forget.