Share your 9/11 story

BLADE STAFF

Smoke, flames and debris erupt from one of the World Trade Center towers after a plane strikes it Sept. 11, 2001. The first tower was already burning following a similar attack minutes earlier.

As the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks approaches, communities across the United States are planning memorial services and other events for the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Cities like New York and Washington, D.C., are increasing police presence following a threat of a new attack, and airports are heightening security measures that forever changed how people travel throughout the country.

The Blade will present extensive coverage Sunday online and in print in a special anniversary section: "9/11: 10 Years Later."

We'll recount the events of that fateful day, when two planes hijacked by al-Qeada terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, another plowed into the Pentagon, and a fourth bound for the nation's capitol crashed into a Pennsylvania field after passengers tried to take back control.

We'll examine how the nation reacted, how people have tried to rebuild and move on, how memorials sprang up from coast to coast.

Local people will share their stories on the loved ones they lost, the services they provided in recovery efforts, and the effects on Muslim relations.

Many people have memories. What are yours?

Where were you when you heard the news that the country was under attack? What did you do?

An American flag flies over the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center buildings in New York in this Sept. 13, 2001, file photo.

How did you feel about the events? What were your reactions to media coverage? Did you experience or engage in any altercations with regard to race or religion?

Did you know any of the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks? Did you know any military troops who were deployed to places like Afghanistan and Iraq in the resulting war on terror?

How are you planning to mark the 10th anniversary? Have you ever visited Ground Zero in New York City or any of the memorials?

How has your life changed since Sept. 11, 2001? What lessons can people learn from these last 10 years?

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Be considerate, be respectful, and be sensitive to the deep feelings and strong reactions that everything surrounding 9/11 can conjure.