American Latvians recall witnessing the 9/11 terror attacks in New York
Latvians living in the US, IT specialist Edgars Zālīte and entrepreneur Juris Bļodnieks, have shared their memories of witnessing the September 11, 2001 terror attacks firsthand. The event, which destroyed the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, changed their lives, New York, and the world.
Latvians living in the United States are recalling one of the most world-shaking events of the 21st century — the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York. IT specialist Edgars Zālīte and entrepreneur Juris Bļodnieks were in the city at the time and witnessed with their own eyes as hijacked planes flown by terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center's Twin Towers.
An event that turned into tragedy
Both men saw firsthand how the towers caught fire after impact and then collapsed, sending massive clouds of smoke billowing over New York's streets and skyscrapers. That moment, as the eyewitnesses themselves describe it, felt like it could be the beginning of the end of the world.
Impact on their lives and the city
The consequences of the attacks were felt not only in that instant but for years afterward — shaping the personal lives of Zālīte and Bļodnieks, the city of New York itself, and the broader world order. The event became a symbolic turning point that reshaped security and international politics for decades to come.
The testimonies of these members of the American Latvian community offer a personal perspective on a historic event that continues to be commemorated each year on its anniversary.
