Twenty-Three Years On: The Lasting Memories of 9/11

Most of us recall where we were and how life changed that day. For Katrina Keefer, living just blocks from the World Trade Center, the events felt strikingly immediate and personal.

Shock, sadness, fear, anger: the 9/11 attacks inflicted a devastating emotional toll on Americans. Many of us watched in horror as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, left nearly 3,000 people dead in New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. For most who are old enough to remember, it is a day that is impossible to forget. For many of us, the memories of 9/11 are firmly embedded in our minds.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Katrina Keefer, now CEO of DCH Health System, heard a loud boom echo through her Manhattan apartment. It was a sound that would forever change her life and the course of American history. That morning, from the roof of her apartment building, she watched in horror as America was under attack.

“I was in New York City during the best of times and the worst of times,” said DCH Health Systems CEO Katrina Keefer. From the roof of her apartment building, Katrina watched as the second plane struck the World Trade Center. Katrina said she will never forget the tragedies of that morning.

Katrina lived just three blocks from the World Trade Center. She remembers hearing the first plane hit Tower 1. The impact was so powerful, Katrina thought something had hit the nearby Brooklyn Bridge.

“I looked out my window and I saw that traffic was still moving,” Katrina said. “That’s when my roommate, who had the television on, said, “something just hit the World Trade Center!” Katrina headed to the roof to see what was happening.

“I think the life-changing moment for me was, you would see these flickers coming off the first building, and then you’d see these objects falling faster,” said Katrina.

That’s when Katrina realized these were people jumping from the windows of the building. “To know this was their choice was very hard,” she said. “And then I saw the second plane as it went through the second tower. At that point, it still had not hit me that this was a terrorist attack.”

The situation quickly worsened as the tenants in her building were told to evacuate. She quickly threw some items in a backpack. “I’m a girl from Alabama, so I had my Bible, clean underwear and I stopped at every ATM to get as much cash as it would give me. I knew if I had cash, clean underwear and my Bible, I was set.”

Katrina said her missions experience helped prepare her for that day. “I knew what I needed,” she said. “For example, I didn’t know where I was going to sleep, but I knew my feet would be cold, so I had socks.”

The streets were soon filled with smoke and debris as the first tower crumbled. “I couldn’t see what was imploding,” Katrina recalled. “I could only see the smoke billowing in the street.” 

For Katrina, navigating the aftermath of 9/11 became a profound learning experience, one that deeply shaped her leadership style. She said, “In my life, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to be in so many unique situations, and I’ve learned from them all.”

*Parts of this article were excerpted from stories in the Jagwire and Augusta Health newsletter.