Arlington’s first responders gathered outside of the county office building at Courthouse Plaza this morning to mark the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, the military held a remembrance ceremony for the 184 lives lost when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m., on Sept. 11, 2001.
The attacks in Arlington, New York and the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pa. claimed the lives of 2,996. The attacks spurred America to war, and since 9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the lives of more than 6,700 Americans.
That number doesn’t include the lives of veterans lost since returning home from the battlefield. Veteran suicide remains a problem, including in Arlington. Often individual suicides go unreported in the news, but it is a grim reality that families and local first responders have to deal with every hour of every day in the U.S.
If you are a veteran and you’re having thoughts of suicide, help and compassion is a phone call away. The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1.
If you are not a veteran, but you’re thinking of harming yourself or otherwise need help, the Arlington-based CrisisLink hotline is available 24/7, at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
It’s a weekend filled with enjoyable local events — the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, the annual Arlington Police, Fire and Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K, the Yorktown-Wakefield high school football game, to name a few — but it’s worth taking a minute, at some point, to remember the lives lost since 9/11. It’s also worth thinking how you might be able to help, to make sure more lives are not lost needlessly.
With that, feel free to discuss your memories of 9/11 in Arlington, or any other local topic of interest, in the comments.
Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf
Recent Stories
A new draft of Plan Langston Blvd, which envisions a tree-lined, walkable, densely developed Route 29, dropped last week with a splash.
Say hello to Chico, the newest Adoptable Pet of the Week! This little guy is currently in foster through the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Here is what his friends…
Arlington County is in the early stages of designing a multi-use trail facility along Long Bridge Drive. Now through mid-October, the county is gathering input on how people currently use…
Applications for the Arlington Innovation Fund (AIF) Catalyst Grant Program are now open, so don’t wait to apply!
RSCP is a part-time, play based preschool in North Arlington for children ages 18 months to 5 years old.
OUR SCHOOL: We follow the Reggio Emilia approach of learning through play. Our preschool focuses on children’s intellectual, social, and emotional growth through active play. We offer:
• Experienced and caring teachers
• Opportunities for each child to explore and gain confidence
JBLF 5K and Family Fair
Our 9th Annual Jennifer Bush-Lawson 5K & Family Fun Day is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, from 9:00am-1pm at the Knights of Columbus, 5115 Little Falls Rd, Arlington.
During a morning of celebration and health-focused activities — emceed by
National Chamber Ensemble – Diva’s Night Out with Schubert, Strauss…
Opening night in Ballston, thanks to a partnership with Marymount University will feature renowned soprano Sharon Christman singing songs of Franz Schubert, Leonard Bernstein, Fanny Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss and some thrilling instrumental music.
But that’s not all! Get ready to
