This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States of America, a date known as 9/11.
According to CNN, these were the events, in chronological order, which transpired that tragic day.
8:45 a.m.: A hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
9:03 a.m.: A second hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center and explodes.
9:30 a.m.: President Bush, speaking in Sarasota, Florida, says the country has suffered an “apparent terrorist attack.”
9:40 a.m.: The FAA halts all flight operations at U.S. airports, the first time in U.S. history that air traffic nationwide has been halted.
9:43 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
9:45 a.m.: The White House is evacuated.
10:05 a.m.: The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
10:10 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, also hijacked, crashes in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh.
10:28 a.m.: The World Trade Center's north tower collapses from the top.
5:20 p.m.: The 47-story Building 7 of the World Trade Center complex collapses.
8:30 p.m.: President Bush addresses the nation, saying “thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil” and asks for prayers for the families and friends of Tuesday's victims. “These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve,” he says.
Kelsey James, a junior studying marine biology and biochemistry from Florida recounted her experience that day. She said her school was released early and everyone was sent home. “My mom had the news on when I arrived home, and we sat as a family and watched the tragic events unfold before our eyes.”
Dooree Moon, a senior studying international cultural studies from Korea, said the reaction was similar in his part of the world. “It was something you usually see in films, but this time it was for real,” Moon said, referring to the explosions. “I remember watching the footage of the planes crashing into the towers. I couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Jared Wilson, a freshman studying bio-medical sciences from Washington related his experience at his school. “The entire student body of my school gathered together and shared a moment of silence for all of the victims of the attacks.”
Yasu Li, a senior studying international cultural studies from Hong Kong, was shocked that an event like this could’ve happened, as he too was watching the events on live TV. “I was surprised that someone could carry out such an attack against the strongest nation in the world. It appeared to be one of the first attacks that was able to penetrate the American mainland.”
“I couldn’t help but think who would do such a terrible act,” said Anjali Swainston, a freshman from Las Vegas studying biology. “The most horrific things I remember were people jumping out of the towers to escape the fire.”
Today, a new tower, One World Trade Center or “Freedom Tower,” rises high above the resting site of the twin towers. According to a CNN report, Freedom Tower is 104 stories and its height reaches 1,776 feet, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. Freedom Tower is the highest skyscraper in New York City.
“I think the tower has a lot of symbolism in it. It stands for so much,” said Courtney Stout, a freshman studying biology from Las Vegas. “The United States may have suffered a devastating attack that day, but it triumphed over the hardship and united us to rise above terrorism.”
According to CNN, 2,997 people lost their lives in relation to the Sept. 11 attacks.