Savage Words: Hard to believe it's been 23 years

It’s weird for me to think that many people reading the newspaper today weren’t around when the Twin Towers came down 23 years ago today.

There are people today that are college graduates, active members in the workforce, that weren’t alive to watch that horrible day unfold. It doesn’t seem that long ago to me.

It’s one of those moments where if you’re of a certain age, you know exactly where you were when the news started to trickle in that a plane – a small plane – had struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. I, like most, didn’t pay it much mind.

After all, a plane flying into a skyscraper in New York City wasn’t unthinkable. It happened in 1945 when a military plane crashed into the Empire State Building. Granted, that was five decades earlier, but I clearly remember learning about that crash when I was in school. That crash was due to heavy fog. I thought perhaps a familiar story was unfolding on Sept. 11, 2001.

But obviously, the narrative changed for me – for everyone – just 17 minutes later when a second plane struck the south tower. It was clear that the United States was under attack.

I was 32 years old when that happened, in the prime of my professional career. I’m 55 now, and I’m convinced our country and the entire world is still reeling from that day. 

I was working for the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever in downtown Indianapolis when the towers were hit. It obviously shook every American, those working in basketball in Indiana included. 

Our offices were in the same building as the new home of the Pacers and Fever. It was called Conseco Fieldhouse at the time, and it was beautiful. It was brand new with all of the updated bells and whistles that new basketball arenas had at the time.

We were lucky. Our digs were nice.

As we were all huddled in my boss’ office, gasping at the television at what we were witnessing, the President of Pacers Sports and Entertainment, Rick Fuson, came into our office.

He told us we were evacuating the building. I found that a bit odd, since what we were watching unfold was happening in New York, more than 700 miles away.

I’ll never – ever – forget what he said.

“Our building is the crown jewel of the NBA,” Fuson said. “We may be next.”

Again, I found that a tad bit of a reach. We were essentially a basketball court in the middle of Indiana. I didn’t think we were a target for a terror attack. New York and Washington D.C.’s Pentagon building seemed like enough.

But, I thought at the time, the world just changed. That’s how crazy it was that day for everyone. The world had indeed changed

But our country came together in the days and weeks following. Patriotism was in full bloom, no matter your political affiliation. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all waved their flags, stood on mountain tops and collectively vowed their vengeance to whomever was responsible for attacking our country.

I recall going to a big box store on Sept. 12, to purchase an American flag. I was ready to fly it proudly at our home on the south side of Indianapolis. But when I got there, there wasn’t a flag in sight. They were sold out. I was bummed, but proud at the same time. Every store I went to that day, the flags had been purchased and were waving somewhere around Indianapolis.

I finally got one about a week later. I hung it proudly outside our house, and joined my fellow Americans in a show of united Patriotism that I wish we could somehow rekindle again.

It doesn’t seem like 23 years ago when the United States was attacked and our country came together in a steadfast united front.

Sadly, considering the state of our current divided country and the ideals that divide us, I’ve realized that 23 years ago actually seems like many more.