The Day That Changed Their Lives Eleven years ago today, our
world changed. The U.S. has never been quite the same as it was
before the attacks on September 11, 2001, and it's unlikely that
it'll ever go back. Photo by Flickr Creative Commons/fekaylius
Most of us share a few key changes to our lives in the past 11
years: a heightened awareness of terrorist threats. Less
convenient air travel. The knowledge in the back of our minds
that our own soil may not be safe. And of course, a new day of
mourning, one that joins Pearl Harbor Day and Memorial Day as a
time to reflect and remember. But some lives were changed more
than others. While many Americans slowly made their way back to
normality after September 11, a few didn't – or couldn't – fall
back into routine. They took inspiration from that day's stories
of heroism and tragedy, and it spurred them to do something new.
For some, it was a huge life change like a new career; for
others it was a subtle but meaningful new personal directive –
but for all of thes