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By ZACHARY SEIFTER/ Staff Writer

Every year on Sept. 11, many people share their memories of what happened in 2001 when the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked. They talk about where they were, what they were doing and what their reactions were.

As far as myself, I was 3 years old, and have no recollection of what happened that day.

In fact, I was not aware of what happened on that day until I was in the fifth grade.

It was Sept. 11, 2008. I was in a classroom when my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. King, asked our class if any of us had heard of what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Some raised their hands, others did not, including myself.

What followed was hours of videos being shown to us. I witnessed the horrors of that day for the first time in my life, and it stuck with me.

I went home and talked to my parents about it. My father, who was born and raised in New York City, talked to me about where we all were that day, and what he went through trying to process the attack on the city he grew up in.

Since then, Sept. 11 has been as significant to me as it is for millions of Americans everywhere.

It is a day where we remember and honor the lives that were lost, as well as thank those that serve and sacrifice their lives for our country and communities each and every day.

While I may not have a personal memory of that day, it is a priority to take it seriously, and acknowledge what an important day it is in our country’s history.