By J1 Reporter Molly McGreer

It was an average day; a routine morning going through the actions of everyday life. This was the beginning of one of the most memorable and devastating days for our country.

25 years ago, Matt Winterboer woke up on Sept. 11th, 2001, in his apartment at Iowa State. He was preparing for his first morning class when the towers came crashing down.

Watching the TV before he left, Winterboer noticed something strange: all of the channels started syncing up. What was going on? After paying close attention to the news of the first plane crash into the World Trade Center, his immediate thought was that it could be nothing more than an accident, as he recalls other accidental plane crashes prior to this. 

When he was finally able to process this information, he witnessed something tragic happen. The second tower? Hit. But this event was more than just the plane crash, this was more than just the loss of twin towers towering over the horizon. At this moment, everyone understood what was going on. America was under attack.

Dumbfounded, Winterboer packed up and went to his first morning class. All students were confused and distracted to which his professor was annoyed and refocused the class, unaware of the impact of this event. After a few hours, all afternoon classes were called off via email. 

One of Winterboer’s initial thoughts was the impact of air travel post attack. His sister and brother-in-law were on their honeymoon and he didn’t know how difficult it would be for them to get home. However, after a few days, air travel was available again. 

Although there is not much that can be done about this day in history, it is important to remember. Winterboer explains this event as a “pivotal moment in our history.” He believes it is important to never forget a day that has been branded into the hearts of Americans. From this day on, American history changed. He believes every detail does not need to be memorized to understand this impact, but losing sight of what this event means may leave America vulnerable to similar attacks on the nation. Because of this day, the dangers of not being aware of possible threats were revealed. 

For Winterboer, joining the Navy was always in the back of his mind. Prior to 9/11, he often dismissed this thought. However, after living through and seeing the harm of attacks from other countries, he reconsidered this path. Over the next six months after 9/11, he made the decision to join the Navy. He confirms this day was a major contribution and deciding factor for joining the United States Navy to protect his nation. 

This was just one story of many, showing the stain the attack has left of individuals across the nation.

Have a 9/11 story? Please share in the comments!