9/11. The mere mention of the date evokes flashes of images. I was sitting in a morning meeting with a staff member in mid-town Manhattan. "Something is going on here." was the expression. Moments later we pulled up news of the first tower strike and then the shocking second. We all yelled to the New York staff to get out, NOW!

We spent the rest of the day preparing for the unknown. I was working in the Information Technology area of one of the world's largest banks. We implemented disaster recovery plans and were busy during the day. It was all an actual excuse to stay busy and our minds otherwise occupied.

Going home, memories flooded in as the news played out the events of the day. I had been using the underground mall at the World Trade Center as a cut through a few weeks before. Four World Trade is a place that I worked in I thought as it fell. At least the fire department had put a giant American flag out to greet people coming back to town. We saw First Responders come rise... and then fall. 

As time went by, we heard about people we knew who were there. Those who died. Every one of us asked how we could help. Stories of heroism came in. Memorial services were legion. These were family, co-workers, fellow alumni, and friends that we lost.

Years later, I learned that a former manager that I knew in Boston was \in the twin towers of the World Trade Center. He managed to lead his staff out onto the street before it fell. He succumbed to cancer left from the dust of that fateful day, 9/11.

Today, at Made From RI we feature some commemorative Rhode Island made ornaments.  They have real meaning to us. They represent that time when we celebrate the First Responders. We recognize the Heroes. And we remember the day that we HAD to Stand United, because all we had was each other.