As LaGrange continues to deal with remnants and effects from Hurricane Irma, most business and commercial activity was closed Monday, and most remain closed today as well. Over the course of the week, more information will be available as to the level of damage that has been done in LaGrange and Troup County as a result of the massive storm front.

While LaGrange and Troup County will undoubtedly show their resiliency once more in the face of adversity, our Georgia and Florida neighbors to the south have a far more challenging road to recovery ahead.

In the face of the events of Monday and today, an important date has slipped past us. Today is Sept. 12, making yesterday Sept. 11. Yesterday was the 16th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, a date that the entire country and world remembers as a moment of sharp, sheer panic and terror.

As LaGrange, Georgia, the United States and the world watched in horror as two Boeing 767 aircrafts were flown into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, a Boeing 757 was flow into the Pentagon and a second Boeing 757 was crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, the primary emotion was fear.

While fear was obvious and stark, the story did not end there, as we all know. Out of one of the darkest days in our country’s history, the spirit of American resolve was forged stronger and shown to the world. The attacks that were meant to cripple the nation served to unite us all, making us stronger.

Approximately 3,000 people lost their lives as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks, and we remember those families and lives today. We also remember the resolve, unity and resiliency that was shown in the aftermath. While there is disarray in our society today, we are immensely proud of the citizens and people of this nation, today especially.