20 years later: Remembering 9/11
Students look on during a ceremony to create a flag tribute wall in honor of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Sept. 11, 2001 is a day most Americans can recall what they were doing at the moment, especially the moment they heard about the devastation. Some of these memories are so vivid that many people can recall them 20 years later.
Pravin Sevak, professor of graphic design at VU, was at Northern Kentucky University teaching a class when everything was unfolding. He didn’t find out until 11 a.m. that day when the department chair told him.
Sevak said that the events from that day were a shocking thing and that it was a “big loss to the country.”
Melissa Potts, a photography major at VU, was at University of Southern Indiana in her freshman year working on her bachelor’s degree.
Potts mentioned that the events from 20 years ago felt like they happened yesterday.
“I was on my way to class at USI when the first building was hit, I walked into a common area and the [south tower] was hit,” said Potts.
Potts said she watched the replay of the south tower being hit by the plane in a common area at USI.
Potts added that she was “scared and didn’t know more attacks were happening.”
However, Potts reflecting back she stated that the fact it happened made her mad.
Kirk Abendroth, assistant professor of history and political science at VU said he was doing laundry at home when he turned on the news when he heard a plane had crashed. He then turned off the TV but a few minutes later turned the TV back on to see the events unfold.
“My thoughts were of disbelief,” said Abendroth, “I was stunned as we all were.”
Abendroth also added that as a historian, his thoughts turned to observing the thoughts of society and how it views the events from that day.
VU hosted events throughout the week to honor the anniversary. These included a flag remembrance memorial along Second Street; a special presentation titled “Remembering 9/11 from 8:46 AM to the Present” in the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10; and WVUB Blazer 91.1 FM will air a special program on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 8:30-10 a.m. Eastern time. It will also be available online at wvub.org.
