I visited the Freedom Tower and the 9/11 Memorial on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I was 31 years old, and it was my first time visiting the World Trade Center. Even though I often visit family in New York and recently moved to Manhattan, I avoided visiting the World Trade Center because I knew I would be deeply upset. Instead, I saw the Freedom Tower on the skyline as I went about my daily life in the city.
However, I wanted to visit the World Trade Center even if it would make me upset. And I knew that if I was going to do it, September 11 was the day to go. So I booked a ticket to go up the Freedom Tower—which is officially called Tower One—to the observatory on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. I was surprised the observatory was open on that day, given the security concern; and I did feel apprehensive about my safety in going; but there was simply no way I could be living in New York on the 20th anniversary of September 11 and not go. Keep reading…
This article was originally published on September 15, 2021, in America’s Future. All photos were taken by the author and belong to the author. Read the original publication here.
