Remembering September 11th, 2001

A tribute to the small moments that helped New York heal following the attacks on September 11th, 2001. New York, we love you.

Many of our readers are born and bred New Yorkers.

Whether you reside downtown, in one of the five boroughs, or in the shadows of Manhattan, a generation from America's City stood still on the morning of September 11th, 2001.

As two decades have passed, many around the country seem to acknowledge the day in passing.

9/11 will never be forgotten by New York.

I was born in 2001, yet, it's hard to make it through writing this piece with all of those I know who passed away or were severely damaged from it.

Growing up, there wasn’t a lot of normal day activities that occurred on the 11th. 

If you are from the region, there was no moment and silence and resume. The pain remained in the faces of those who survived, whose brothers, parents, relatives, and friends had their lives altered forever...the entire day.

If I walked down the street and asked two questions "Where..." and "Who..." there would be an extremely specific and choked-up response. 

At 8:46, 9:03, 9:37, 9:59, 10:07, and 10:28 AM,  loved ones were lost. One final phone call was received. One final "I love you" was stated. 

And many did not. 

In the wake of disaster, a handful of beautiful moments came from sports. It still will bring a tear to your eye and goosebumps all over. 

I hope these moments can bring a smile to your face today. 

Mike Piazza’s Home Run:

Every moment was emotional in New York in the aftermath of September 11th, but no moment seemed to jumpstart the healing process like Mike Piazza’s homerun.

In the first sporting event in New York following the attacks, the Mets would play their rival Atlanta Braves. In the eighth inning, the Met's star player had a man on base down by a score of 2-1.

Straight out of Hollywood, Piazza would hit a home run that electrified Shea Stadium. 41,000 fans cheered, the first time they could smile in 10 days of mourning.

Many baseball fans consider it one of the most timely and significant home runs of all time.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olaebjhnFuE[/embed]

The Captain:

Mark Messier is the New York Ranger. Brian Leetch and Rod Gilbert are right there with him, but “The Messiah” is the only captain to lead two different clubs to a championship in sports history and rid the club of a 54-year championship drought.

But that's not what truly matters.

On October 7th, 2001, Mark Messier and the New York Rangers held their opening game against the Buffalo Sabres. Both teams wore specialty jerseys, and the Ranger's iconic diagonal title was replaced with “New York”.

Mike Richter and Mark Messier were some of the first to arrive at ground zero to help out. Messier wore fireman Ray Downey’s hat as a tribute to the first responders who lost their lives. The image of Messier wearing the hat has become a symbol of immortalization of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for New Yorkers.

The pre-game tribute is considered one of the greatest moments to ever occur at Madison Square Garden.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jB4lkCnq_M[/embed]

George Bush's First Pitch:

On October 30th, 2001, before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, President George Bush walked out of the dugout in Yankee Stadium to deliver the game's ceremonial pitch. 

As he carried a heavy bulletproof vest under his coat, he waved to a deafening crowd upon his arrival at the bump 60 feet out from home.

Bush, with no hesitation, threw a strike right down Santa Clause lane and the arena erupted. In a fearful country after the attacks, Bush helped restore faith in the people of New York and America.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjGcCI9ByWw[/embed]

Sammy Sosa’s American Flag Trot:

On September 27th, 2001, Sosa took his position in the outfield to open the Cub's first game since the attacks by running the outfield with an American flag waving in the wind.

He would later go on to hit his 62nd home run of the season, carrying the flag with him as he rounded the bases.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bkj2U2-BTU[/embed]

Take a moment today to pray. 

Take a moment today to read the stories of those whose lives are forever changed.

Outside of the seemingly boxed-in world of sports, remember that there is more to life than professional sports.

At The Hockey News, we are sending love to you on this day. 

Reach out to your family and friends, affected by the event or not. 

Tell them you love them. 

New York will never forget. 

God Bless.