Remembering 9/11 A message from John Alex

Twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, we experienced a tragic day that changed our country forever.

It was the day terrorists attacked our nation and murdered nearly 3,000 innocent people.

As a New Yorker, I did what little I could to help while trying to make sense of the grief, shock, and anger that came with losing friends and colleagues at the World Trade Center. Like millions of Americans, I came away from that day believing that the best way to honor those we lost was to keep moving forward and do our part to build a better world.

Has the world become a better place over the last 25 years? Depends on the day you ask me.

What I can say for certain is that I had an epiphany of sorts.  It’s not money or possessions or fame that matter. It is connection with other human beings that matters. The big connection for me is United Aid Foundation, the volunteers who have joined me on this journey, and the thousands of people we've met around the world whose strength and resilience have given us far more than we've ever given them. I am grateful.  

I am incredibly proud of the people who have been part of this organization. People who gave up vacation time, donated money, shared their expertise, and showed up when others were hurting. They prove every day that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

I'm especially proud of one of our volunteers, Sloan Buhse. Sloan was just four years old when her father was killed in the North Tower on 9/11. Today, she honors her dad’s memory by doing good for others and has volunteered with United Aid Foundation on three continents. She participated in this video describing her volunteerism on the 20th anniversary of the attacks.  Watching her grow into the person she is today gives me hope and reminds me why this work matters.

Twenty-five years later, I still grieve for everyone whose life was forever changed by 9/11. I still think about the people we lost. And I still believe that the best response to hatred, violence, and tragedy is service.

So today, I re-commit myself to the same mission that started me on this path all those years ago: doing whatever small part I can to help build a better world.

I hope you will join me. 

 John Alex

Founder and President, United Aid Foundation