Remembering 9/11, Nine Years Later

If you ask anyone where they were on the morning of September 11th, 2001, they will tell you exactly where and even tell you what they were doing in great detail. It's as if time just stopped and the world came to an end.

I was in Crete, and came back from a day of swimming at the beach when I walked into my house and my father told me terrorists just flew planes into the Twin towers. I couldn't believe the horror I was watching on CNN. That was exactly nine years ago, and even though I try not to think about it as much, being in Crete, it feels like it happened yesterday.

Last night, Greek television played a documentary on the Marriott World Trade Center survivors. The hotel was crushed except for the south tower, where miraculously a lawyer was saved by a brave fireman and his colleagues. He survived to see his daughter get married and even invited that fireman to the wedding. There was also a lady with severe MS in that hotel who survived and reunited with her mother after experiencing a harrowing day.

Watching that documentary makes you appreciate life. Today, I went swimming with my brother-in-law at one of my favorite beaches, at the peninsula in Agia Pelagia. It was tough going down the steep hills and all those stairs, but when I reached the sea, it was all worth it.

Hiking back up after swimming for two hours wasn't easier. But at one point, we stopped, enjoyed the view and I looked over to my brother-in-law and said "we are lucky to enjoy this day, nine years ago thousands of innocent people lost their lives in a tragic event. I might have MS, but at least I am alive and enjoying life."

To all those victims and their families, I want to tell you that we will never forget 9/11 and our thoughts and prayers are with you.