Students had the chance to learn more about 9/11 through first-hand accounts from Troy University faculty

September 11, 2001 remains more than a date in history for the people who lived through it. At Troy University, faculty members and students gathered for a 9/11 panel to share memories, firsthand experiences and reflections on the attacks that changed the nation.

The panel gave students an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of what happened that day — from the Pentagon to the military and even from a college campus. 

Rather than learning about Sept. 11 solely through textbooks or history lessons, students were able to hear directly from people who experienced its impact.

For Troy student Messiah Jones, one part of the discussion stood out particularly strongly. Jones reflected on the difficult decisions faced by people aboard the planes during the attacks.

“One thing that I definitely felt in my heart was when the gentleman in the middle talked about how people had to make that hard decision about whether to burn or to jump, and really, in my heart, knowing that that would be the hardest decision of my life. I can’t begin to imagine or fathom people who had to make that decision,” Jones said.

Jones’ reflection highlighted the human side of Sept. 11 and the unimaginable choices people were forced to make as they faced uncertainty and danger.

For Dr. Duane Gunn, Troy Leadership Institute director of operations and lecturer, the memories of Sept. 11 are not something he learned from a textbook. Gunn was at the Pentagon when the attacks happened, experiencing the uncertainty and devastation firsthand.

Gunn said that remembering the attacks is about more than simply looking back at a historical event. For him, continuing to understand what happened and recognizing its emotional impact are important parts of remembering the day.

“It’s just trying to know and understand and continue to learn what happened that day and coming to terms with the emotion of that day, being able to appreciate the emotions from that day,” Gunn said. “You can’t take things for granted, something like this will happen again. 

“I don’t know if it’ll be in your lifetime. I don’t know if it’ll be in your children’s lifetime, but you have to take responsibility and take seriously what we have, the blessings we have here as a nation.”

The panel concluded with students asking questions, not only about what happened on Sept. 11, but also about what the attacks mean for generations who came afterward.

For those who experienced the attacks firsthand, the memories remain personal. For students who did not, the panel served as a reminder that Sept. 11 is more than a date to remember. It represents the people who were there, the lives that were lost and the lasting changes experienced by a nation that continues to remember.