Coatknee

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There is something immensely humbling about looking into the eyes and shaking the hands of men who stood at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, and in the days that followed. Today, I had the privilege of doing exactly that. After participating in a memorial march and ceremony, something pulled me toward the front, where ten of those men stood. One by one, I shook each of their hands, looked them in the eye, and thanked them for their service. Today, they wore gold and “brass,” as we call it. But as I stood there, I couldn’t help but think about who they were 25 years ago. Some of them may have been seasoned leaders. Some may have been brand-new boots. But on that day, titles and rank didn’t matter. They were simply human beings who chose to run toward unimaginable danger while everyone else was trying to escape it. That realization hit me hard. During the ceremony, our mayor spoke about how more than half of the world’s population either wasn’t alive on September 11, 2001, or was too young to remember it. He talked about the children who were just old enough for that day to become one of their first permanent memories—the 9- and 10-year-old fourth and fifth graders who are now adults standing in crowds like this one. I was one of them. For a moment, I felt like that little 9½-year-old girl again. I was sitting in Mrs. Chance’s classroom. I can still picture it. I remember getting off the bus that afternoon and walking inside to find my dad glued to the television. I remember asking question after question—questions he couldn’t possibly have had answers to. I’m sure he shooed me away more than once. But I remember. And today, 25 years later, I stood in a crowd listening to someone remind me that remembering is now part of my responsibility. We are becoming the generation entrusted with carrying these stories forward. We have a responsibility to remember the people who died that day, the families whose lives changed forever, and the first responders and service members who carried burdens most of us will never fully understand. We must also remember those we are *still* losing because of what they were exposed to while answering that call. But I believe there is something else worth remembering, too. In one of our darkest hours, humanity showed us just how good it is capable of being. People ran toward strangers. They carried one another. They gave blood. They opened their homes. They prayed together. They grieved together. They showed up for one another without first asking about politics, religion, status, or whether someone looked or believed like they did. And I constantly find myself wondering: **What could this world look like if we showed up for one another like that when the buildings aren't burning?** What if we didn't need tragedy to remind us that we belong to one another? What if we chose that kind of humanity on the ordinary days, too? I am a public servant, and I refuse to wait for the next life-altering tragedy to decide what kind of human being I want to be. And to our Countries leaders, next time you decide you want to start changing crap — please remember neighbors (Canadians) who welcome THOUSANDS with open arms, while you were relaxing in your Penthouse’s. #911 #neverforget #NYFD #nyc #nypd

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We do it sick and hot so we can be hot and sick. 🤣 #spiralingdown #runforhealth #mentalhealth #whimsy

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NASHVILLIANS WE MADE IT!!! WE SURVIVED!! #wemadeit #happyfall #nashville #tennessee