September 11, 2001 is a date that will go down in history as one of the most infamous and memorable dates in the minds of too many Americans. “Ground zero” will forever be a term that marks one of the most traumatic days in our history.  

September 11 was an event that changed American society forever. On that day, lives, livelihood and security were stolen from us. We faced one of the largest terror attacks to occur in our history. Once the two Al-Qaeda driven planes had devastating meetings with our twin towers at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., the buildings went down and the flames went up. Though there was a rush of firemen from all over the country to aid those who desperately needed help, we still lost 2,977 Americans on that day.  

Much was lost and misery had set in. The twin towers were forever lost; or so America thought. Standing at 1,792 feet came a saving grace: One World Trade Center. Remade and finished in July 2013, a new building – the Freedom Tower –  was set in the place of the two buildings we lost so tragically.

The One World Trade Center serves as a painful memory of the detriment done to our country on an awful day. Some may even say it pays homage to the victims as well as the people who have suffered. In dedication to the victims of the attacks, their names were engraved in bronze at the base of the building. The memories of these victims remain not only engraved in our minds, but in our hearts as well.

The Freedom Tower serves not just as a memory of what we have lost, but also what we have gained: an outstanding sense of pride for this country. The One World Trade Center gives comfort to people knowing that ground zero is being rebuilt. With the building coming out to more than $3.8 billion, it shows that you really cannot put a price on the lives of Americans.