We all recall where we were on 9/11. The devastating day is forever etched in our memories. And now we are reminded to remember the day again, along with those who were tragically lost.
Now, a couple have accidentally discovered photographs from the aftermath of 9/11 on CDs they bought at a house clearance sale. The pictures show the devastating destruction from Ground Zero immediately following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.
The 2,400 images date between mid-September and October and were taken on a Canon Powershot G1 by a presumed unidentified construction worker.
They show the clean-up of the Twin Towers and the surrounding buildings in the months following the terrorist attack. Views from above buildings and on the ground show the rubble, dust, and smoke from small fires that burned for weeks after the event. Some photos depict giant masses of metal and concrete, while others show the destroyed inside of semi-remaining office spaces.
Those who cleaned up the mess stayed awake through the night with floodlights illuminating what remained of the World Trade Center. While most of the photos show helpers working, some reveal their smiles as they find some humanity in the aftermath of the disaster. One even depicts a makeshift memorial for the 300 New York firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11.
Dr. Johnathan Burgess' partner found the photo CDs at a garage sale. Burgess then contacted archivist Jason Scott, who uploaded the pictures to Flickr. Burgess and his wife enjoy archiving old media for the public. With Scott, they used a service to retrieve the old and spotty images from the CDs. Burgess told BBC:
"Generally these items are neglected at sales. It's very likely these would be in a dumpster by now had we not gone."
Burgess chose to share the photos because his archiving is "about doing what's right for humanity." He recommends that those who are touched by these graphics donate to a worthy cause.
Nearly 3,000 people died from the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania targeted by airplane hijackers. And that's not counting those still affected today. Several individuals suffer negative health effects from cleaning up the rubble and dust without proper respiratory equipment. Many also suffered from toxins or injury.
To help these people and their families, Congress created the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund shortly after 9/11. Since then, more than 40,000 individuals have applied for aid. Light night show comedian Jon Stewart has taken up advocating for those who've helped with the event's aftermath.
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He recently spoke on Capitol Hill to advocate for funneling more money into the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, which is running low.
