The terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, created for many of us what psychologists call a “Flashbulb Memory.”
The event was so shocking, the brain took a “snapshot” of the moment when we learned what had happened, creating a forever-memory of where we were and what we were doing at that moment.
The anniversary of that day rouses even deeper feelings as we realize that it has already been 25 years since it happened.
The Vedette asked first responders and local officials for their recollections of 9/11. Their memories were vivid.
Crete Village President Mark Wiater was initially reluctant to talk about that day.
“As an American Airlines pilot, this one hit too close to home,” he said.
“I started typing up my dealings that day a few times. But I couldn’t seem to finish.
“My story is not all that interesting. I never made it in the air that day. It just felt like a personal attack and it made me realize how random fate can be.
“The return to flying a few days later was difficult, too. The intel suggested there could be more attacks. But we all knew we needed to get the planes flying again. It was a crazy time.
“Fast forward 12 or so years. I fly with a kid named Tom McGuiness. During the course of the trip, I said we lost a Tom McGuiness on 9/11–the copilot on American Flight 11 that left Boston and went into the World Trade Center.
“He said, ‘Yep, that was my dad.’ American Airlines hired his son to continue the legacy. We are a big family, and it kind of shows how it was an attack on us all.”
Chief Steve Malone, Manhattan Fire Protection District, was still in school that day.
“On the morning of 9/11/2001, I was driving to Joliet Junior College for a fire science class, working on my associate’s degree,” he said.
“The moment I heard it on the radio, I immediately felt a state of disbelief, sadness, and anger all in one. I called my parents to see if they heard what had happened. School that day was obviously a little different as we all stared and watched the TV. Needless to say, I don’t remember much work getting done. There was a somber feeling throughout the entire campus, and many people were on high alert. If I remember correctly, I believe school was let out, a ‘free pass’ time of thing.
“I remember talking to my friends on the fire department, we were all in shock and felt a strong urge to go help. No one close to me went to Ground Zero, although many wanted to.
“This is a day that I will never forget. It strengthened my passion for the job, the urge to help others, but also very humbling and sad for all of the first responders and all lives lost that day and following years. The years following the tragic event, I felt such a strong love for this country. Unity, not division. “Something I wish we could all get back to.”
Dr. Kara Cognialese, superintendent for Crete-Monee schools, was a new mom when the Twin Towers fell.
“Like so many Americans, I remember the morning of September 11 with undeniable clarity,” she said.
“I was home on maternity leave, cradling my newborn son and feeding him his bottle, when the world shattered on live television. My husband and I watched in disbelief, trying to process an unimaginable reality. As the gravity of that day unfolded, my heart broke for the countless families whose lives were altered in a heartbeat. Holding my baby, the weight of protectiveness hit me like a sudden, fierce wave—a realization of how fragile the world could be and how fierce our responsibility was to safeguard the future.
“In many ways, our schools function much like a family home in moments of crisis: they are the sanctuaries where we gather to protect, reassure, and rebuild.
“Over the last 25 years, that life-altering morning has shaped how I view my life’s work. What September 11 taught me above all else is the enduring power of unity, resilience, and human connection. As a school superintendent today, I am reminded every day that our schools are far more than centers of academic learning—they are anchors of hope, safety, and community.
“When the world feels most uncertain, our schools must stand as unwavering beacons of hope—places where we teach our children that compassion will always be stronger than fear, and that community is our greatest strength.”
Crete Police Chief Scott S. Pieritz was a new dad, but not yet a law enforcement officer in 2001.
“I remember 9/11 very well. It was before I got sworn as a police officer with the Village of Crete,” he said.
“I was living in Champaign at the time and was on my day off. I was watching the news and holding my then 2-month-old son. When the first plane hit, I thought it was a terrible accident.
“By the time the second plane struck, I was in disbelief and shock. I felt a feeling of dread as I watched people jump out of the towers on TV. As I held my son, I wondered what kind of world I had brought him into, and how I could protect him from the evil in the world.
“As long as I am chief of police, the department will never forget,” Pieritz pledged. “Every year, we send an officer to the Will County 911 Memorial Service in remembrance-which is sponsored by the Will County Fire and Police Chief Associations. Here is the link for information:
Peotone Mayor Chris Vieaux said remembering the attack still moves him deeply.
“I remember while I was driving to work, the news came on stating a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers.
“I thought to myself, ‘How could that be an accident?’
“Upon arriving at work they had the TV on and everyone was watching, and then the second plane hit the other tower. Everyone was shocked and trying to figure out why they had done that.
“The news kept getting worse throughout the day. Everything was grounded and I remember looking into the sky and seeing nothing, no air traffic at all, at a time when normally you would see several planes flying overhead.
“It still gives me chills when I think about the people in the towers and I say a prayer for them and their families.”
Monee Police Chief Scott Koerner said the reaction with his colleagues at that time was a desire to do something to help.
“Nine-eleven was 25 years ago,” he mused. “It doesn’t seem possible!
“It is one of those events that everyone knows exactly where they were and what they were doing. I was a State Trooper and was working that morning. I attended a meeting in Clifton, Illinois, when the news broke. For the next couple of hours, we all sat glued to the television as the events unfolded in front of us.
“We were shocked, saddened, and well aware that the world as we knew it was about to change significantly.
“We all wanted to do something, anything that could help. Several units at the meeting headed to Chicago, closer to their homes and an obvious target.
“Later that day, I was assigned to a unit that began checking security protocols at our nuclear facilities. For the next ten days we worked 12-15 hours a day traveling from plant to plant making sure their security was adequate and prepared.
“It was the beginning of a war and the beginning of a major shift in our way of life. Police work changed dramatically as the scope of new threats became a daily part of lives,” he continued.
“For all Americans who witnessed the attack and the aftermath, it will be forever etched into their memories. For First Responders and Veterans, we know all too well that this is a very different world where people who only wish to see the demise of our country continue to plan their next attack, both inside and outside of our borders.
“Sitting here now, 25 years later, one of our biggest fears for the next generation is that the lessons of 9/11 will somehow fade. We can only hope that the memories, the pictures, the videos and the memorials will always be a stark reminder of what it takes to protect our great country.”