8:45 a.m. – Rock Hill High School honored Remembrance Day with a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11, establishing a tradition brought forth from Prosper High School.

Sept. 11th, 2001, militants from the Islamic extremist group Al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes to carry out suicide attacks against high publicity targets.

Three out of the four planes hit their intended targets, flying into both of the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C.

The fourth plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, due to the passengers and crew attempting to take back control.

One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett Jr., managed to call his wife before presumably going to the cockpit to take back control of the plane. According to History.com and phone records, Burnett said the following to his wife before the crash.

“I know we’re all going to die,” he said. “There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.”

The original target of this plane was the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House.

“I remember getting ready for school in 7th grade and my parents had the news on like they always do,” Earth and Space Science teacher Ryan Osterele said. “I was young enough where I was able to understand what happened but was not able to fully understand why it had happened.” 

During the 9/11 attacks, 2,977 people died, including 265 passengers and terrorists aboard the four planes. The other 2,731 were those in the twin towers with no escape from the collapse. The tragic event has haunted those who have survived.

Most of those who died were civilians. However, 343 firefighters, 71 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel risked their lives so that others could live.

Due to the horrendous dust and smoke inhalation at the site of 9/11, illnesses from this massive exposure have caused the total death toll from these attacks to rise to 2,996 people.

9/11 is a day of mourning, and reflection, to think back at all that this country has lost.

It is also a day of remembrance and unity, as Americans come together to remember those that are no longer here.

America is strongest together, and that is why it must never forget 9/11.

Watch live memorials for Flight 93 and the New York memorial for the World Trade Center victims.