Editorial: So many heroes
This editorial ran on Page 4A of the Thursday, September 20, 2001 issue of the New Canaan Advertiser. It is being reprinted here as part of the Advertiser's coverage of the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center.
There was no shortage of heroes last week as New Canaan joined the rest of America, and much of the world, in reaching out to victims of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Quick to arrive at the front lines, as they are every day here, were New Canaan police, fire-fighters and emergency medical personnel. They gave of their time and immediately responded to the city, some reaching ground zero of the explosions and building collapse that have left more than 5,500 missing, many of whom have ties to New Canaan.
Doctors treated the injured rescuers just feet from where the Twin Towers toppled, allowing them to quickly return to the task of searching for survivors.
Back in New Canaan, human services agencies and charities were collecting needed supplies and transporting them to the city. The Red Cross was swamped with blood donors. From the smallest school children, one of whom offered to donate a toy backhoe to help dig people out from under the ruins, to the founder of AmeriCares, who donated $1 million to a fund to help the families of the New York City firefighters and police officers killed during their initial rescue effort, the entire community seemingly offered its help.
In a show of patriotism, red, white and blue decorated the town and became the uniform of the day.
The community, indeed the nation, has come together. It will need to stay that way to get through the weeks and months ahead, as it will only get harder.
It has been nine days since fanatics flew planes filled with innocent travelers into offices filled with workers. With each hour, the hope of finding any more survivors in New York and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., fades like the dust and smoke still rising from the wreckage.
Obituaries for those who called New Canaan home, or who have family and friends here, begin to appear in today’s Advertiser. The bereaved will need our strength and support.
While rescue and recovery efforts continue, the world waits for a response to the attack. Certainly America will battle to find those responsible for last Tuesday’s sneak attack. There will be casualties on both sides.
The only way this town and country will get through this is to stay as united as we became during our immediate response to terrorism.
Previous generations have done it. Now it’s our turn.
