9/11 was the day that changed everything – and still does today | foreign journal

Twenty years have passed since the terrorist attack in which two planes flew into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The result: more than 3,000 fatalities and countless personal tragedies. Four people, four stories, four lives, all of which took a sudden turn on September 11, 2001. Ramona Diaz is a construction worker—just like her father. He came from the Dominican Republic; she was born in New York—the year the World Trade Center was built. Her father had helped construct the towers as a welder. When the towers collapsed, she was one of the first responders. Amidst the chaos, she tried to remain calm: "That's when I knew: Okay, I think I have to stay—we have to clean this up." Elizabeth Miller's father was a firefighter—he lost his life trying to rescue people from the burning towers. His daughter was just six years old. No child should ever have to grow up without a father. That's why she wrote two letters to then-US President Bush – but she never received a reply. So she pursued her questions herself, learned Arabic, studied history with a focus on terrorism, and wanted to know: Why did terrorists, why did Osama Bin Laden kill her father? Andrea Booher is a war and crisis photographer – she was closer to the action than almost any of her colleagues. But unlike all her previous assignments, 9/11 was even more intense: "Because many of the firefighters, actually everyone involved in the rescue efforts, were searching for people they knew." Her work also had detrimental consequences: Her health still suffers today. Back then, however, no one thought of themselves; they focused solely on the collective effort on the ground, in the rubble. John Feal was a construction worker. During the cleanup at Ground Zero, a falling steel beam shattered his leg. Numerous operations followed – but the most important thing is that he survived. For twenty years, he has been advocating for those who haven't been as fortunate as he has. You can find more from ZDF's foreign affairs program here: https://kurz.zdf.de/dRZyE/. ---- Here on ZDFheute News, you'll find out what's happening in the world and what affects us all: We provide clarity in the world of news, explain the background, and address social debates. Join us for live discussions and form your own opinion based on the facts we present. Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss anything. Stay up-to-date at http://www.ZDFheute.de/ #911 #NewYork #auslandsjournal