19 Years Later

Paul Robinson, President & CEO

Dear Friends,

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing at 8:46 am 19 years ago? The moment American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, our lives and the world changed forever.

We watched in horror as planes crashed into buildings in New York, Washington DC, and a field in Pennsylvania. We were in shock as each of the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed in lower Manhattan. In the end, we were numb as we learned 2,977 people lost their lives and an additional 6,000 people were injured.

This was a day none of us will ever forget. Today is a day of remembrance to honor those who lost their lives and for all of the police, firefighters, and medical workers who rushed in to help those impacted by these tragedies.

As I was reflecting on this anniversary and I was remembering how I felt when this happened, I began to recognize several parallels between 9/11 and our current COVID-19 pandemic.

When 9/11 happened, do you remember how scared or anxious you were about the future? Do you recall feeling helpless or perhaps even isolated? We all had unanticipated disruptions to our lives with airline travel halted, TSA processes changed, and added fear to travel. The enemy behind this terror was invisible. Most Americans had no idea how they could directly impact this situation. In the end, 9/11 changed our lives forever.

Have we not been feeling the same way for the last seven months with the COVID-19 pandemic? Are we feeling scared, anxious, helpless? Have our lives been disrupted? Is the future uncertain at this point? In the end, COVID-19 will have changed our lives forever.

What did we learn from 9/11 that can be applied to our current situation? Despite these horrific acts of terrorism, Americans rallied to come together and support one another. Travel guidelines changed to help keep Americans safe. Our strength and resolve provided a foundation for us to move forward in what was the “new normal.”

The same is happening and will continue to happen, regarding COVID-19. We are dependent on one another to navigate through this challenging environment. We must find new ways to ensure our ongoing safety. I truly believe we will emerge stronger from this pandemic as a team that works collaboratively together to ensure our future success.

Together, we will persevere through this pandemic!

Paul W. Robinson MBA
President & CEO