09/11/2026
Twenty-five years have now passed since September 11, 2001. And yet, for those of us who lived through that morning, the memories remain remarkably clear.
From Denise Raap,
Litchfield First Selectman
I remember that morning very clearly.
I had opened The Village Restaurant, just as I did on any other day. I was sitting with a cup of coffee, the television was on, and I was doing some paperwork. It was just another ordinary morning in Litchfield.
And then, all of a sudden, our neighboring businesses began knocking on the door.
We had heard that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers.
At first, there was confusion. We didn’t really understand what was happening. We gathered around the televisions, watching the news and trying to make sense of what we were seeing.
And then the second plane hit.
It became very clear, very quickly, that this wasn’t an accident. Something awful was happening.
Like so many people across this country, we watched in disbelief as the events unfolded. And what had begun as an ordinary morning suddenly became a moment none of us would ever forget.
We remember where we were. We remember who we were with. We remember the fear and the uncertainty.
And most importantly, we remember the people who never came home.
Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives that day. Families were changed forever. And our country was changed forever.
But when we remember September 11, I believe we should remember more than the tragedy.
We should also remember what came afterward.
We remember first responders running toward danger while others were running away.
We remember firefighters, police officers, EMTs, military members and ordinary citizens who put the safety and well-being of others ahead of their own.
We remember strangers helping strangers.
Neighbors checking on neighbors.
Communities coming together.
Flags appearing on homes and businesses.
For a time, the things that divided us seemed much less important than the things that united us.
We remembered that we were Americans. We remembered that we were neighbors. And we remembered that we needed one another.
For the people of Litchfield, September 11 also carries another deeply personal meaning.
It is the day we lost our own Jimmy Waters, LHS class of 1980.
Jimmy’s passing reminds us that dates on a calendar can carry very personal meaning. September 11 is a day when our entire nation remembers thousands of people we lost 25 years ago. But here in Litchfield, it is also a day when we remember one of our own.
We remember Jimmy not simply because he passed away on this date, but because of the life he lived, the people he touched, and the memories he left behind.
And that is ultimately what remembrance is about.
It is about making sure people are not forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, there are lessons from September 11 that are still important.
We should remember the importance of kindness, because we never know what someone else may be carrying.
We should remember the importance of community, because when times are difficult, it is our neighbors who often stand beside us first.
We should remember the courage of those who serve others.
And perhaps most importantly, we should remember that our differences should never be greater than the things that unite us.
Litchfield will always remember.
