NEVER FORGET

NEVER FORGET: There were a total of 2,977 deaths on 9/11 [does not include the 19 hijackers who are never to be remembered]. The victims included 246 on the four planes, 2,606 in New York City, and 125 at the Pentagon. All the deaths in the attacks were civilians, except for 55 military personnel killed at the Pentagon.

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NEVER FORGET: Over 90% of those who who died in the WTC towers had been at or above the points of impact. In the North Tower 1,355 people at or above the point of impact were trapped and died of smoke inhalation, fell or jumped from the tower to escape the smoke and flames, or were killed in the building's eventual collapse. Below the point of impact 107 people did not survive. In the South Tower, 630 people died. Casualties in the South Tower were significantly reduced by the decision of some to evacuate when the North Tower was struck.

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NEVER FORGET: At least 200 people fell or jumped to their deaths from the burning towers, landing on the streets and rooftops of adjacent buildings hundreds of feet below. Some occupants of each tower above the point of impact made their way upward toward the roof in hope of helicopter rescue, but the roof access doors were locked. No plan existed for helicopter rescues, and the thick smoke and intense heat would have prevented helicopters from approaching.

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NEVER FORGET: A total of 411 emergency workers who responded to the WTC scene died as they tried to rescue people and fight fires. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lost 341 firefighters and 2 paramedics. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) lost 23 officers. The Port Authority Police Department lost 37 officers. Eight emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics from private emergency medical services units were killed.

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NEVER FORGET: Cantor Fitzgerald L.P., an investment bank on the 101st–105th floors of the North Tower, lost 658 employees; considerably more than any other employer. Marsh Inc., located immediately below Cantor Fitzgerald on floors 93–100, lost 358 employees, and 175 employees of Aon Corporation were also killed.

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NEVER FORGET: American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon at 09:37 EDT. All 59 (crew & passengers) on board the aircraft were killed, as were 125 people in the building. Dozens of people witnessed the crash and news sources began reporting on the incident within minutes. The impact severely damaged an area of the Pentagon and ignited a large fire. Rescue efforts began... immediately after the crash. Almost all the successful rescues of survivors occurred within half an hour of the impact. Initially, rescue efforts were led by the military and civilian employees within the building. Within minutes, the first fire companies arrived and found these volunteers searching near the impact site. The firemen ordered them to leave as they were not properly equipped or trained to deal with the hazards.

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NEVER FORGET: At 08:14 the attack upon America began when American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked. America was on the defensive for only 103 minutes. At 09:57:55 the heroes of United Flight 93 put us on the offensive. The hijackers in the cockpit answered the revolt by rolling the airplane left and right to knock the passengers off balance, up and down to disrupt the assault. A hijacker, "They wa...nt to get in here. Hold, hold from the inside... Hold." The cockpit voice recorder captured sounds of crashing, screaming, and shattering glass. A passenger cried, "In the cockpit. If we don't, we'll die" Another passenger yelled, "Roll it!" A hijacker said, "Pull it down! Pull it down!" and then airplane turned hard right & rolled onto its back. Amidst the sounds of the passenger counterattack, the aircraft plowed into an empty field near Shanksville Pennsylvania, just 20 minutes flying time from Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Capitol Building believed to be the hijackers target. The last piece of flight data was recorded at 10:03:10. For 5 minutes & 15 seconds the heroes of Flight 93 fought the enemy and bravely sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others.

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NEVER FORGET: The deaths of adults who were killed in the attacks or died in rescue operations resulted in over 3000 children losing a parent. In the days immediately following the attacks, many memorials and vigils were held around the world. In addition, people posted photographs of the dead and missing all around Ground Zero. A witness described being unable to "get away from faces of innocent victims who were killed. Their pictures are everywhere, on phone booths, street lights, walls of subway stations. Everything reminded me of a huge funeral, people quiet and sad, but also very nice. Before, New York gave me a cold feeling; now people were reaching out to help each other.”

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 NEVER FORGET: The attacks had a significant economic impact on US & world market. US exchanges did not open on September 11 and remained closed until September 17. Reopening, the DJIA fell 684 points, or 7.1%, a record-setting one-day point decline. By the end of the week, the DJIA had fallen 1,369.7 points (14.3%), U.S. stocks lost $1.4 trillion in value for the week, equivalent to $1.74 trillion... in present day terms. In New York City, about 430,000 job-months and $2.8 billion dollars in wages were lost in the three months after the attacks. Business impact near the World Trade Center, 18,000 of which were destroyed or displaced, resulted in lost jobs. Some 31,900,000 square feet of Lower Manhattan office space was damaged or destroyed.

NEVER FORGET! 

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 378-380: Reveille Weekend Success

Great News, I received the OK to return to full activity from all surgeons, doctors and even my guardian Eeyore gave his OK. Excellent, no time to waste!...

With the weekend here I got busy getting the heart rate and sweat pumping once again. So Saturday morning my wife, one son & I headed off to the YMCA. My wife got her workout on in the swimming pool as usual; a fish she is. Andrew & I hit the weights, above you see him working the lat-pulldowns which seemed like a fine machine to get started on.

Below is the rest of our routine that day...

Rowing

 Iso-Pulldowns

 Assisted Pull Ups

 Calf Press

 Tricep Presses

 Leg Press

 Horizontal Chest Press

 Incline Sit Ups

It felt great to get back in the gym. There were a few other exercises we did which I forgot to take photos of, e.g.squats, flys; we got in good variety in the hour we were there.

Sore, sore was the word of the day for the rest of my weekend. Amazing how muscle-memory works, it was like I hadn't skipped much of a beat. I felt a bit awkward on some of the exercises, felt a tad weak on triceps; but otherwise I was owning the steel.

Sore or not on Sunday, it was time to get in some more. I was determine to make this my Reveille Weekend and awaken from the stagnant slumber that I had been in for too long. Sunday, cardio! My wife was not feeling good so she didn't join as as she wanted to. Andrew & I got after it at the Rollins Savannah...

Last year I put in some great efforts here and put up a streak of personal records here as well. My best time last year on this 3.6 mile loop was 54:49 minutes. We set out with the idea of getting as close to it as possible. No way was achieving that time going to happen this day; No Way! I hadn't put in any consistent cardio in April, I still haven't shed that 10 pound regain from the winter, and my sore muscles weren't feeling extraordinary effort within them.

Never Say Never!

We smashed that PR in a big way.

I came in at 52:04 minutes...

Andrew at 51:35 minutes.

I feel an Oh Yeah!

Did you feel any Oh Yeah's this weekend/recently?

Final thought: We have Never Forgot 9/11 and those murdered, maimed and devastated. The news of OBL's termination is reason for pride swell and affirmation in our determination for justice; but it is not reason to now forget. The cause continues, sadly in the throws of war. Never Forget means just that; NEVER FORGET!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!