13 years on.

This is a post for all of the victims taken by 9/11 13 years ago today. 

This is for the mothers who kissed their children goodbye that morning, not knowing that it would be for the last time. 

This is for the fathers who rushed out to work late that day, with simply shouting a goodbye as he ran out the door. 

This is for all of those people on that plane, the cabin crew, the pilot...mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties, uncles, friends...for those who eagerly packed their bags just a few hours beforehand, only to never open them. 

This is for the kids who saw the devastation on the news at school, who went home that day an orphan. 

This is for the firefighters who ran in to the collapsing building in order to save a life, in that moment wanting someone else to have a family, putting their lives at risk for others. 

This is for the police officers who not only witnessed the screams of those in the building, but had to make that phone call, or that visit to the house to tell a family that their loved one had been taken. 

This is for the people standing by who couldn't do anything but stand helplessly and listen to the cries. 

This is for the soldiers who fought back and made the ultimate sacrifice. This is for the brave who lost their lives on that fateful day. 

So 13 years on, we take a moment of silence, and we salute you.