This time last year marked one of the most devastating events in American history. Terrorists boarded four airplanes with the objective of causing mass destruction and loss of human life. Two of those planes smashed into the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center. Another slammed into the Pentagon just miles away from the nation’s capital, and a final plane crashed into the grassy plains in southwestern Pennsylvania &045;&045; it’s destination is beli, in theory, was headed to the White House or Capital in Washington D.C.

Thousands lost their lives. Now, a year later, Americans still remember, in detail, the day that changed America forever. Here in Selma, it’s no different.

For homemaker Wende Lampert, now living in Selma but originally from Buffalo, N.Y., the events of Sept. 11 are something that will never leave her conscious state of mind.

Worries about whether family members and friends from her hometown were safe dominated her thoughts.

What she couldn’t understand, and still does not understand, is why &uot;the terrorist have such strong hatred against the United States.&uot;

City Councilwoman Jean Martin couldn’t make sense of the tragedy, either. She remembers during World War II when the country feared attack, but she never dreamed an event of this capacity would strike America with no hint of warning.

Mason Harris, owner of Cahaba Furniture, turned to the Bible for answers. &uot;I know evil forces are alive in this world, this is the word of the scripture,&uot; he said. &uot;At the same time it’s hard for me to realize people could do something like this, and it’s hard to accept this happening.&uot;

Harris said he was in a downtown restaurant drinking coffee, a daily ritual, when the attack began.

Dallas County Circuit Judge Tommy R. Jones said he could not put into words what he felt as he witnessed the second plane hit the tower and watched as both buildings collapsed. &uot;You just get so emotional, then you get mad!&uot; Jones said.

Jones was driving to work listening to a favorite morning radio station when the first reports of the crash began to come in. When he reached a television set, the second plane had yet to crash.

He watched it fly like a missile into the second tower. The collapse of the towers that followed was the hardest part for him to grasp.

Sylvia Richardson remembers feeling almost as though she were in a dream as she listened to the first radio reports on her way to work.

After learning of the attacks while in English class, Wallace Community College student Mike Cooper remembers wondering if those people who lost their lives were &uot;saved.&uot; The greatest thing to come out of this, he added, is how &uot;everybody has gotten a lot closer.&uot;

The Rev. Sammy McDole Sr., of Tyler, also gave the events of that day a spiritual implication, saying that they have &uot;allowed people to come together and value their relationships more, something that everyone around the world needs to do.&uot;

McDole said he went into &uot;disbelief&uot; mode watching the events unfold on TV. He said he now knows anything can happen here &uot;in Selma, in the country and around the whole world.&uot;