"The Ultimate Sacrifice"
Do you think sometimes that life is hard. That you have given up more than you have recived. Possibly you have. Imagine being faced with the choice to either live or save the lives of many others. What would you choose? What does heroism mean to you? To me heroism is rising above yourself and putting other first. Even in face of terror and utter chaos would you still be a hero? As the day ended on 9/11/2001 many ordinary citizens would be classified as hero's. In my mind the ultimate sacrifices occurred on that day when ordinary people faced death head on, just to secure the fact that others survived. Whether you where a firefighter or police officer. Or lead panicked people down stairs and elevators into safety. You are a hero in my mind and the mind of millions of others.
Honestly I dident really 100percent understood the effect of 9/11 on familys or what are now broken homes. Until when my mom and I where inside a local damily dollar while getting supplies to ship to my cousin overseas where we meet someone who was gravely affected by 9/11. After her spouse passed during that tragic day she and her family had a tough road to recovery. She explained how hard it still is on her kids to know that they lost a father at such a young age to a seemingly uncontrollable tragedy. That was when it clicked that even though she suffered many ordinary individuals saw their father, mother, brother, sister, cousin, grandparent, and friend again. The wouldn't have this opportunity to cherish moments with these loved ones without the help of these hero's.
Does the name Welles Crowther have any significance to you? Probaly not as of now. But to a dozen of 9/11 survivers this name signifies a guardian angle. Welles Crowther was a equity trader on the 104th floor in the south tower. But on 9/11/2001 he became a hero, a ordinary person who made the ultimate sacrifice. After disater struck he sprung into action, not desperately trying to travel 104 flights of stairs by the time the South Tower collapsed, but insuring that others did so. As injured and petrified people thought that they were knocking on deaths door a abrupt voice spoke telling the injured to fight the pain and get up and the healthy people to help aid them. He then lead numerous groups down 13 flights of stairs to available firefighters and available elevators. His actions saved the life of many. Unfortunately he in the proceess of bringing others to safety when his life came to a halt. Although his death was tragic he is a icon for acts of
bravery, sacrifice, and what real heroism is.
Welles Crowther wasnt the only hero on that day, many others contributed in other ways. For example, Tom Burnett who saved the lifes of many by crashing a plain into a feild that was heading straight for the White House. Many would have accepted their fate and just call home to say "I love you to family". Though Tom Burnett fought bravely back. He knew he was in the face of death but could help helpless other who could have died in another crash. That is heroism, that is selflessness, that is a man who should be recognized. That man that laid dead on a feild in Pennsylvania can be credited with possibly saving the lives of so many others. Tom Burnett will be missed, but his ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Its ridiculous how people look up to mostly arrogant movie stars, sports stars who put themselves first. Someone you look up to is someone you will base your actions upon. So their is no doubt in my mind that people shoud look up to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Not just to remember the heroic acts of bravery but so that people will follow after them. This world needs more of these people that are willing to put others first. It dosent always have to be life or death but just little things in life that can go a long way. As we all come up on the tragic day this year dont just remember these fallen hero's by a moment of silence but do things that would make them proud. Demonstrating selfless acts of kindness is really how we should remember them. To conclude I would just like to say thank you to everyone who made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11/2001 and that everyone that passed that day you are gravely missed.
Abe Bloom
