Tomorrow marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11, where we'll pause to honor the memories of the innocent men and women, moms and dads, students and children that were simply starting their day…commuting to work, settling in for a productive day on the job.

But their day came to an end at 8:46 am est, when Flight 11 crashes into the north face of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99. All passengers aboard are instantly killed with an unknown number inside the building.

At 9:03, Flight 175 crashes into the south face of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, between floors 77 and 85. All passengers and crew are killed together with an unknown number inside the building. Parts of the plane, including the starboard engine, leave the building from its east and north sides, falling to the ground six blocks away.

9:37:46: Flight 77 crashes into the western side of The Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia. All 58 passengers and crew were killed aboard the aircraft, as well as an additional 125 on the ground.

9:57: The passengers aboard Flight 93 begin a revolt, planned by Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, Jeremy Glick, and others, moving against the hijackers in an attempt to take back the plane. I might point out that just minutes before, citizen patriotism was reborn when Todd, Mark, Tom and Jeremy decided…to fight back…and proclaimed “Let’s Roll.”

As a result, Flight 93 was downed by mere passengers on the plane who stepped up in an attempt to save others at a target unknown. Flight 93 went down in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Flight 93’s intended target was likely either the White House or the United States Capitol.

Twenty-seven minutes later the unthinkable happened—the south tower collapsed, sending out shock waves that registered over 2.4 on the seismographs at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

The attacks killed 2,977 people from 90 nations: 2,753 people were killed in New York; 184 people were killed at the Pentagon; and 40 people were killed on Flight 93.

They were not soldiers. They were not engaged on the frontline of some battlefield in some distant land.

They were citizens of this great country, and apparently other nations, simply going about their business. Thinking about their schedule for day, working on a big presentation at work, dropping their kids off at day care, working towards a dream maybe to send their kid to college or in the midst of planning a wedding, a vacation or a long awaited fall reunion with distant relatives.

That was 24 years ago.

Millions witnessed this tragic day on TV from the comfort of their home. Others learned of these attacks from the radio or a co-worker. But countless thousands witnessed this horrific day first hand just outside of ground zero, covered in concrete ash as they scrambled to find safety, medical care and understanding.

This was a day we were told to “Never Forget.” It was the day a sleeping giant of a nation was awakened from their slumber and self-absorbed pursuits. It was the second or third, maybe even the fourth rebirth of this nation to stop, look and listen to the dangers surrounding us.

So join me today's I shed some light into the many backstories that were taking place, well in advance of 9/11.

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