09/11/2026
On this somber day, we remember all the lives lost and the heroic acts of courage by first responders and many others who put their lives on the line to save others.
While we honor their memory, let us also remember how everyone came together on that day and in the weeks and months that followed. At the time, I was working at a video production/live events company in Union Square. Being in fairly close proximity to downtown, many of us were shaken by the horrific acts; some of my colleagues even witnessed the Towers falling. (I was on the subway trying to get to work). The smells from Ground Zero often filled our offices depending on which way the winds were blowing. It was a troubling time, and 25 years later, the memories still feel fresh.
One memory that stands out was a comforting act by our then-CEO. He called a staff meeting on the day we returned to the office. He chose an informal location (the area connecting all of our cubicles), and he kept the meeting brief. His words were powerful: "These attacks were horrible. And things right now really suck. But we have to stick together. And our company is here for you."
They were. Department heads arranged a counselor to visit the office. We attended support groups and helped each other get through a very rough time. Many of my colleagues could not even go back to their apartment after work without showing identification to the NYPD. Commuting to and from Brooklyn each day was also challenging - I held my breath each time the N train crossed the Manhattan Bridge not knowing if there might be another attack. And my heart sank as I looked out the train window and saw billows of smoke still rising over over what was once the World Trade Center - an amazing skyscraper where I used to visit my father when he worked on the 67th floor.
With the raw emotions many of us felt during a really dark time, I give kudos to the company executives who helped make the journey just a little bit lighter. From that short (but effective) staff meeting to more frequent workplace lunches, senior management let us know that we were not alone. Teamwork and camaraderie took on a deeper meaning at work through strong leadership and authenticity. It was an example of humanity at its best in the worst of times - in New York City and in our nation.
