Sept. 11, 2001, is forever ingrained in history books as one of America’s greatest tragedies. But it’s important to remember tragedies, Julia Byrum said.

The young Coeur d’Alene resident wasn’t alive that fateful day. Instead, she learned much of what she knows about it in school.

“You learn about the hijackings, you learn about the deaths, you learn about the people jumping out of the buildings, you see the videos,” Byrum said Thursday. “I learned a lot about it, and I think as a kid you really didn’t fully grasp how tragic and awful it was. But then the older you get, the more you realize, ‘Wow, that was a crazy event for our country,’ and it shaped a lot of what our country is looking like today.”

Today marks the 25th anniversary of when the World Trade Center of New York came crashing down into what turned into one gargantuan plume of gray smoke. Reported as a coordinated attack by al-Qaeda terrorists, two commandeered commercial passenger flights deliberately smashed into the 110-story north and south towers that morning, eventually killing 2,753 people.

Among the dead in New York were 343 firefighters, 23 police officers, and 37 Port Authority police officers. Another 224 people were confirmed dead after additional passenger planes crashed into the U.S. Pentagon in Washington as well as a field in Shanksville, Pa.

“I think it’s really important to remember what happened and to honor the people who lost their lives and who fought to protect our country,” Byrum said. “I am grateful for how our country came together and supported each other.”

Rathdrum resident Michael Masko was 3 years old when 9/11 happened. On Thursday, he realized 25 years have passed since it happened.

He also visited the World Trade Center memorial in 2009.

“Looking back at that time, I know I was a young kid, but it was crazy to see it. I see videos today on social media of the things that happened — the firefighters, what they went through and what people went through,” he said. “I know someone whose parent, I believe, was in the building ended up getting out of the building before everything collapsed and is still alive today, so they are very fortunate.”

No one close to Masko was hurt that day. But, he said, looking back and seeing how many people died and how it all happened is “definitely something I haven’t forgotten.”

“I’m just kind of realizing it's nice to have everyone that’s close to me here — my son, my friends here who I have close by,” he said. “I’m happy to have them every day because something bad could happen.”

Anne and Patrick Grawcock are older Americans and distinctly remember that day, with Anne saying, “This is history.”

“Two-hundred fifty years of America and it's our 25th anniversary of the biggest catastrophe on our soil, and we barely celebrated the 250th,” she said. “Nobody’s heart is in it right now.”

Patrick Grawcock is afraid that “most people have forgotten.” 

“It’s just something that’s in our history, and that’s kind of ashamed,” he said. “The anniversary came up and it says 25 years, but if somebody didn’t bring it out in the press, we would certainly forget it and go on with our lives.”

Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Greg Yeager said there’s something remarkable about the American people when it comes to 9/11. Men and women join emergency organizations with service in their heart, not knowing what each day may require from them, he said. Others go to work in various fields and never imagine that extreme courage and sacrifice may be asked of them.  

"Twenty-five years ago, Americans came together to face tragedy, and so many gave all they had for others, even their lives. We must not forget what they did for each other, and the example they set for all of us," he said. 

Today, Masko will be reflecting on what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. 

“You never know how long life can last,” Masko said. “Just reflect on the people around you and make sure that you’re happy and that they’re there with you.”

Byrum spoke about the future U.S. in relation to 9/11.

“I want us to make sure that we are supporting each other and loving each other and just working on keeping our country safe,” she said. “There’s a lot that happened, and there’s a lot that we can learn from it.”

    Rathdrum resident Michael Masko is in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday.