Did you experience 9/11?

For many people, they remember exactly what they were doing or where they were when news of the attacks broke out.

However with each year passing, 9/11 has become less of a ‘lived experience” and more of a “learned experience.” Meaning the new generation never experienced life before this daunting day.

Sept. 11, 2001 marks the day that 19 terrorists from the extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial planes and quickly turned the aircrafts into massive weapons, according to the 9/11 Museum’s website.

Nearly 3,000 lives were lost as a result of the terrorist attacks that changed our world forever. The exact number of deaths is 2, 977, according to the 9/11 Memorial’s website.

Death, destruction, anger, despair, healing, support and forgiveness are feelings that have wrapped themselves around Patriot Day. Fatalities happened across the nation with the attacks killing people in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. And the death toll has grown since the day of the attacks with many survivors eventually contracting lung-related illnesses, PTSD, depression, cancer and other long-term health issues that plagued them. Seemingly, the horrible day never slipped away into the night forever, but instead casted a somber shadow among many of the survivors.

On Sept. 11 at 9:30 a.m., George W. Bush was at Emma Booker Elementary School when he learned about the attacks.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is a difficult moment for America,” the former president said. “I, unfortunately, will be going back to Washington after my remarks.”

“Today we’ve had a national tragedy.  Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country.  I have spoken to the Vice President, to the Governor of New York, to the Director of the FBI, and have ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families, and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act. Terrorism against our nation will not stand.”

9/11 is an annual day whose impact is continually felt.  As the 21st anniversary comes around, here are some must-see programs that honor, educate and shine light to the implications of this day.

• Children of 9/11: Growing Up In The Shadow Of Terror

  This is the story about children who lost their loved ones during 9/11. This documentary is haunting, gut-wrenching and important. It shows the individual stories, tribulations and harrowing experiences of the children whose lives have been shadowed by the falling of the Twin Towers.

• Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

  This movie is a real tear-jerker. Although this movie is based on a work of fiction, the story is deep, beautiful, and another film that makes you feel every emotion. “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” is about a nine-year-old boy who’s a “possible genius,” but runs into mental and social issues when his father is killed in 9/11. He finds a key that belongs to his father, which prompts him to explore New York City to find the true meaning behind this key.

• 9/11: Phone Calls From the Towers

  “When you lose loved ones, you lose the sound of their voice.”

  This documentary is about the phone calls that were left on messages and machines when the Twin Towers were falling. It’s another sad portion intertwined in this tragedy. What are the choices that we make in our final moments? What would we say? Who would we reach out to? Aside from the darkness that envelops 9/11, this movie shows another side to this tragedy. It’s a side about the moments between life and death that will leave you emotional.

• 9/11 Voices From the Air: Recordings from Passengers Onboard | 911 Documentary

  This documentary shows the phone calls and messages that were left by those on the hijacked planes during 9/11. This program reveals the grim messages between military, air traffic control and even the hijackers.

• Former President Obama On The Killing Of Bin Laden

  When U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, a feeling on uneasiness, relief, remembrance, and a mixture of emotions washed upon the American public. This 60 Minutes interview with President Barack Obama reveals the preparation, execution, and details about the overall decision to kill bin Laden.

• Recorded And Released Tapes From Sept. 11

  These recorded tapes released through AP News show the start of that horrible day. From the 911 operator’s heart-breaking demeanor to the confusion from callers, these tapes give a stark picture of what that day looked like.

• 20 years since 9/11: How President Bush was told of the attack in a Florida school

  This was the moment that changed President George W. Bush‘s presidency forever.

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