I want to thank our country's veterans, police and firemen, and anyone who has ever stood up against the odds to defend the U.S. from the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Center, part of The Pentagon, and nearly The White House.

Sept. 11, 2001 was a day that will be burned into the mind of America forever. 2,801 people were killed in the devastating terrorist attack.

What started out as a peaceful morning in New York turned deadly when the first Boeing 767 ripped into into World Trade Center's North Tower

at 8:45 a.m. and 19 minutes later, another Boeing smashed its way through the South Tower, sending debris flying over the shocked New York city.

The unthinkable had just happened.

Both towers were flaming, threatening to collapse. Hundreds of people were trapped above the area where the jetliners had hit. Some people jumped out of the burning towers, there was no way they could survive the 90 floor fall, but it looked better than staying in the burning mess of what once was such a great symbol for America.

At 9:43 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon, barely slowed by the two foot thick exterior walls, before cutting through three of the building's five rings, trapping hundreds of workers. Kept alive by thousands of gallons of jet fuel, a huge firestorm caused smoke to engulf the Pentagon and Washington. Some 15 minutes later, the South Tower's melting supports couldn't hold the once magnificent skyscraper up any longer, and the building collapsed. Its fall sent literally tons of dust, ash and debris that covered the surrounding area, choking and blinding survivors. At 10:28 am, the North Tower suffered the same fate.

The World Trade Center was gone forever.

A fourth plane, Flight 93, was also hijacked, although it never met its mark. The Boeing jet was planned to be crashed into the White House, but because of the brave passengers who, regardless of race, background, and political view came together to defeat their terrorist captors and protect the president of the United States.

On this blog, I would rather not see any bashing or arguing, but rather see people honoring those they have seen being true patriots. Do you know anyone?

I hope to see everyone wearing America's colors with U.S. flags flying high on this sad anniversary.

God Bless America, My Home, Sweet Home!

Angelina Gervasio is a seventh-grade student at Redwood Middle School. Her blog appears weekly, if she's caught up on homework and has no other school or family committments.