Surviving 9/11 and Honoring the Fallen

There are moments that stay with you forever. The morning of September 11, 2001, is one such moment for me. I was a few weeks shy of my third birthday when I survived the attack on the Pentagon.

My younger sister, Heather, and I grew up in a military family. We attended daycare inside the Pentagon Child Development Center. That Tuesday morning seemed ordinary until the world changed.

After Flight 11 hit the World Trade Center’s North Tower at 8:46 a.m., the South Tower was struck at 9:03 a.m. The Pentagon was hit at 9:37 a.m. by American Airlines Flight 77 while I was inside. Being so young, I didn’t understand the situation. I remember the chaos as service members evacuated us. They carried infants like my sister to safety.

My mother was working at Bolling Air Force Base. My father, recently retired from the USMC, found and evacuated us. As a 3-year-old, the trauma led to childhood regression.

The impact of 9/11 played a part in my decision to serve in the military. I now serve as a captain in the United States Air Force, inspired by those events and the unsung heroes of that day.

My parents, who planned to raise us in Virginia, continued to serve the nation. My mother retired after 30 years in the Air Force. Our family’s fortune on that day has pushed us to live in a way that honors those lost.

The memory of 9/11 has started to fade in some ways. In my high school years, I noticed the flag not at half-staff on the anniversary. This observation motivated me to start the Run to Remember 2,977 initiative to ensure we never forget.

Since September 11, 2025, I have run a mile for each of the 2,977 lives lost that day. I began with a 9.11-mile run with my squadron and have dedicated miles to those lost at the Pentagon, on Flight 93, and in New York City.

Running these miles has connected me with many families. It gave me a deeper appreciation of the nation’s loss and the resilience of those impacted.

I hope Run to Remember 2,977 allows families and friends to share memories of their loved ones. I want younger generations to understand 9/11’s profound impact by learning about the lives taken.

I often reflect on what could have been if those lives hadn’t been lost. Visiting the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial, I am reminded of the lives like Dana Faulkenberg’s, a child who will forever be three years old. This realization drives me to share these stories.

I hope this 25th anniversary inspires us all to honor our promise to ‘Never Forget’ and continue supporting one another.