September 11th 2024.
On a bright September morning, the bustling city of New York was suddenly turned into a scene of chaos and devastation. Eight planes were hijacked by terrorists, with four of them crashing into iconic landmarks in the United States. As people around the world tuned in to their radios and televisions, they watched in horror as the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks unfolded.
Among the thousands of lives lost that day, there were also eight innocent children who tragically lost their lives. These children, who were just beginning to discover the world and all its wonders, were taken from their families and loved ones far too soon.
The youngest of these children was two-year-old Christine Lee Hanson. She was a playful toddler from Groto, Massachusetts who loved going to the playground and helping her dad in the garden. Christine had a special bond with her grandmother, who gave her a Peter Rabbit teddy to commemorate her being born in the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. This teddy and a red Teletubby were Christine's constant companions, and they went everywhere with her.
Christine's parents, Peter and Sue Kim Hanson, had planned to take her to Disneyland for a fun trip after visiting relatives in Los Angeles. However, their plans were tragically cut short when their plane crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03am. The loss of this precious little girl was felt deeply by her family and friends.
In 2014, Christine's grandparents donated her cherished keepsakes, including Peter Rabbit with two Winnie the Pooh stickers still on his torso, to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Her grandmother, Eunice, fondly remembered how Christine would put stickers on everything she liked, as a mark of her approval.
Three-year-old David Brandhorst was another victim of the attacks. He was a vegetable-loving toddler who loved playing with Lego and going to his swimming lessons every week. David was adopted by his two dads, Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa, who had been together since 1987. The couple had always wanted to have a family, and David was the "loving focus of their lives." They had even made plans to adopt more children in the future.
On the morning of 9/11, David and his fathers boarded flight 175 at Logan Airport, heading back home to Los Angeles after a visit to Cape Cod. A plaque was later added in his memory at the West Hollywood playground that he loved to go to with his dads, with the words "five more minutes Daddy!" inscribed on it.
Four-year-old Juliana McCourt was on her way to Disneyland with her mother, Ruth, when tragedy struck. Juliana had a witty personality and was lovingly nicknamed "Miss J" by those who knew her. She had a nurturing spirit, just like her mother. Ruth had planned the trip to Disneyland with her best friend, Paige Farley-Hackel, but they ended up taking separate flights and planned to meet in Los Angeles.
Ruth's brother, Ron Clifford, witnessed the plane crash into the South Tower, not knowing that his sister and niece were on board. Juliana's father, who was not on the plane, struggled to come to terms with the loss of his beautiful daughter. In a heartbreaking twist, Paige had taken a different flight, American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the North Tower shortly before Juliana's flight.
The oldest of the children lost on 9/11 was 11-year-old Bernard Brown II. He was a bright and energetic boy who loved playing basketball and spending time with his family. Bernard was on his way to Los Angeles to visit his dad when his plane was hijacked and crashed into the North Tower at 8:46am. He will always be remembered as a kind and loving child who brought joy to those around him.
The loss of these eight children, along with thousands of others, will never be forgotten. They will always be remembered for the love and happiness they brought to their families and for the innocence that was taken away from them too soon. As a nation mourned the tragedy of 9/11, we also mourn the loss of these young lives and the potential they had to make a difference in the world. May they rest in peace.
It was a typical Tuesday morning in New York City when everything changed. People were going about their daily routines, unaware of the tragedy that was about to unfold. Suddenly, a plane collided with the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46am. Within the next two hours, three more planes would crash - one into the South Tower, one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and one into a field in Pennsylvania. The entire world watched in shock and disbelief as the events of 9/11 unfolded before their eyes.
The aftermath of the attacks revealed the devastating loss of life - a total of 2,996 people died at the hands of the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda. The nation mourned for the lives lost, and it was estimated that over 3,000 children lost a parent that day. But amidst the heartbreak and sorrow, there were also eight children on those tragic flights who lost their lives as well.
As President Bush expressed at the time, these children were "the most important person on the Earth to somebody." In different circumstances, they would all be adults now, perhaps even with families of their own. But their lives were cut short by the horrible events of that day. Today, we remember these eight children who lost their lives on 9/11, 23 years ago.
The youngest of the children killed was two-year-old Christine Lee Hanson from Groton, Massachusetts. She was a busy toddler who loved playing at the playground and helping her dad in the garden. Her grandparents, Eunice and Peter Hanson, had given her a Peter Rabbit teddy to commemorate the fact that she was born in the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. Christine and her beloved teddy went everywhere together, along with her red Teletubby.
Christine's parents, Peter and Sue Kim Hanson, had planned to visit Disneyland with their daughter after visiting relatives in Los Angeles. But on that fateful morning, Peter made a frantic call to his father, telling him "Dad, I think they're going to crash the plane." At 9:03am, their flight crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
In 2014, Christine's treasured belongings were donated to the 9/11 Memorial Museum by her grandparents. On Peter Rabbit's torso, there are still two Winnie the Pooh stickers that the little girl had placed there. "She put stickers on everything she liked," her grandmother Eunice remembered. "I suppose it was her mark of approval."
In an interview last year, Eunice shared how Christine was a "kind" child who "bubbled" with life. "If she did get into mischief, she found a way to make everyone laugh," Eunice added.
Three-year-old David Brandhorst was a vegetable-loving toddler who loved playing with Lego and going to his swimming lessons every week. He was adopted by his two fathers, Daniel Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa, who had been together since 1987. They had decided to grow their family ten years later by adopting David, who called Ronald "daddy" and Daniel "papa." The couple lived in Los Angeles and relished in being fathers. David was the "loving focus of their lives," according to a close friend. They had even made plans to adopt more children.
On September 11, David boarded Flight 175 at Logan Airport with his fathers to return home to Los Angeles after a visit to Cape Cod. In memory of the little boy, a plaque was added to the West Hollywood playground that David loved to go to with his dads. The words "five more minutes Daddy!" were inscribed on the plaque, a reminder of just how much David enjoyed spending time there.
Four-year-old Juliana McCourt was known for her wit and was lovingly nicknamed "Miss J" by those who knew her. Her grandmother Paula described her as a nurturer, just like her mother Ruth. Juliana and Ruth were on United Airlines Flight 175, headed to Disneyland for a fun trip. Ruth's best friend, Paige Farley-Hackel, had initially planned to fly with them but ended up on a different flight. They had made arrangements to meet in Los Angeles.
Ruth had long, red hair, and Juliana had blond locks, making them a striking mother-daughter pair. Unfortunately, Ruth's brother Ron Clifford witnessed the plane crashing into the South Tower, not knowing that his sister and niece were on board. "I will never be able to look at this child again," Juliana's father shared in an interview. "This child will never be in my life. She was so beautiful. It's a way of almost denying it, but it's the only way I can cope at this point."
In a tragic twist of fate, Paige had decided to take American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the North Tower just before Juliana and her mother lost their lives.
The final child on board one of the 9/11 flights was 11-year-old Bernard Brown II. He was on his way back to Los Angeles after visiting his mother in New Jersey. Bernard was a bright and curious child who loved reading and playing video games. His father, Bernard Brown, Sr., described him as a "good kid" who was always eager to learn.
Bernard's family had planned to move to California, but he had to return to school in Los Angeles. His father had brought him to the airport and watched as he boarded Flight 77. That was the last time he saw his son. Bernard's mother, Patricia, was also on the flight, headed back to Los Angeles after a visit to her family.
In memory of Bernard, a scholarship was established in his name at the University of Maryland, where he had been enrolled in the summer program for gifted students. His family also dedicated a bench to him at the playground in his hometown of Tappan, New York. On it, the words "Gone but not forgotten" are engraved, a reminder of the bright young life lost on 9/11.
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