American Resilience
A tired NYC firefighter takes a much needed break on 9/11 at ground zero.
American Resilience
by Kevin Boerup
Throughout our history, America has faced trials that tested our nation’s resolve, unity, and identity. From battlefields soaked in blood to national tragedies that tore at our heart as a people, adversity has been a constant thread in the American story. Yet woven just as tightly alongside that adversity is a remarkable quality—resilience. The capacity to confront catastrophe, rally together, and rise stronger defines the American spirit. Few moments embody this more clearly than the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and particularly the heroic actions of the passengers aboard Flight 93. But this resilience is not unique to one moment; it is part of a legacy stretching from Valley Forge to Ground Zero—a living testament to the strength of a people who refuse to break.
The Morning That Changed Us
On the morning of September 11, 2001, our country was attacked in a way it had never experienced on home soil. We can all remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news that is was an attack and not an accident. We all thought it was an impossibility. Using commercial airplanes as weapons? Nineteen terrorists hijacked four planes. Two were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, another into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the fourth—United Airlines Flight 93—never reached its target. The aim was to paralyze the country, shatter our sense of security, and break the will of us all.
In many ways, the attacks succeeded in the short term: thousands were killed, iconic buildings were destroyed, and fear gripped the nation. But then something distinctly American happened. Rather than collapse, the country rallied. Ordinary citizens became first responders. Strangers helped each other escape crumbling buildings. Firefighters climbed burning towers knowing they might not return. And amid the chaos, the passengers of Flight 93 made a decision that changed history.
Ordinary Heroes, Extraordinary Courage
United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked about 46 minutes into its flight. The terrorists intended to crash it into a high-profile target in Washington, D.C.—likely the Capitol or the White House. But their plan was derailed by a group of passengers and crew who, upon learning of the other hijacked planes through phone calls, realized the grim reality: they were part of a coordinated attack. Rather than wait to become victims, they chose to act.
Led by individuals like Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett, Jeremy Glick, and others, the passengers organized a counterattack. Beamer’s now-famous final words—”Let’s roll”—became a rallying cry for American resilience. The passengers stormed the cockpit, forced the hijackers to crash the plane in a Pennsylvania field, and saved countless lives in the process. Every person aboard perished, but they died fighting, not surrendering.
Their actions were not the result of military training or professional duty. These were regular Americans—business travelers, grandparents, students—who showed in their final moments what courage under impossible odds looks like. They embodied the very essence of American resilience: the refusal to be passive in the face of evil, the instinct to protect others, and the belief that even in death, you can still win.
American Grit Through History
The bravery on Flight 93 wasn’t an isolated event—it was part of a long tradition of American perseverance. History is filled with moments when the nation, and its people, could have buckled but instead dug in.
The Winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778): The Continental Army, under George Washington, faced starvation, disease, and exposure during the harsh winter. Outnumbered, underfunded, and poorly equipped, they endured unspeakable suffering. But they didn’t dissolve. They trained, reorganized, and emerged as a more disciplined force, eventually securing independence. Valley Forge stands as an early symbol of resilience—of suffering transformed into strength.
The Civil War (1861–1865): The bloodiest conflict on American soil nearly tore the nation apart. Yet even amidst staggering casualties and deep ideological divides, Americans on both sides fought with relentless conviction. For the Union, the war was a test of whether the nation “conceived in liberty” could endure. After four years of brutal conflict, the country emerged—scarred, but still standing—and began the painful process of reconstruction.
The Great Depression (1930s): When the stock market crashed and economic despair spread, it would have been easy for the American dream to die. Yet citizens scraped by, innovated, supported one another, and rallied behind national projects like the New Deal. Out of the Depression came new infrastructure, a reformed financial system, and a deeper understanding of collective responsibility.
World War II (1941–1945): After the attack on Pearl Harbor, America mobilized like never before. Civilians rationed, factories retooled, and soldiers fought across two oceans. The unity, sacrifice, and determination displayed during those years set a gold standard for national response to adversity. Once again, resilience wasn’t just surviving—it was stepping up and changing the course of history.
Post-9/11 Resilience
Unity, Service, and Sacrifice. The days following 9/11 echoed many of these historic moments. In the face of devastation, Americans came together. Blood banks were overwhelmed by volunteers. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and community centers became places of collective mourning and solidarity. Flags flew from porches, business windows, bridges, schools and skyscrapers. The divisions that usually mark American political and social life faded into a shared sense of grief, pride, and defiance. We were united in our love of country.
First responders became symbols of national heroism. Firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and volunteers worked tirelessly at Ground Zero, risking their health to search for survivors and clear rubble. Many would suffer long-term health effects and some would later die from toxic exposure. They didn’t ask for praise—they acted because it was their duty, their community, their country.
The military response followed swiftly. Young men and women enlisted in droves, many citing 9/11 as the reason. Over the next two decades, American service members would fight in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. Whether or not one agrees with the policies that followed, the individual courage and sacrifice of those who served cannot be questioned.
What Makes Us Unique?
Every nation has endured hard times, but American resilience has a distinctive character shaped by its ideals. The United States was founded on a radical proposition: that all people are created equal, with rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When adversity hits, these ideals serve as both a foundation as well a compass.
Resilience in America isn’t just about surviving—it’s about affirming freedom, dignity, and possibility in the face of threats. Whether the threat comes from without (terrorism or war) or within (economic collapse or political strife), Americans tend to respond with a mix of pragmatism and idealism. They organize, innovate, speak out, rebuild and move forward.
That path is often messy, the politics contentious, and the recovery uneven. But the persistence is real. Even when divided, Americans have a pattern of coming together when the stakes are highest.
Lessons Learned
Today, the challenges facing America are different in nature but no less daunting: political polarization, corruption in high places, cyber threats, pandemics, and assaults on democratic norms. The memory of 9/11—and the heroism of those like the passengers on Flight 93—serves as both a warning and a guide.
It warns of what happens when complacency leaves the door open to catastrophe. But it also reminds us of what is possible when people act with clarity, unity, and courage. The same spirit that fueled Valley Forge, Omaha Beach, and the towers of the World Trade Center still exists today.
Our nation and its ideals are stronger than all of that. But resilience must be nurtured. It doesn’t just come from patriotism—it comes from action. From building stronger communities, investing in preparedness, teaching history honestly, and upholding the values that make resistance to tyranny possible. The next test will not look like the last. But the American character—the defiant, determined, unified spirit—can endure, if we choose to cultivate it.
Our Legacy
American resilience is not a myth. It’s not blind optimism or nationalistic pride. It’s a legacy written in blood, sweat, and sacrifice. It’s the refusal to let tragedy define us or fear paralyze us. It’s the courage to face chaos and fight for something better—even if the odds are grim.
The passengers of Flight 93 didn’t have time for strategy or speeches. They had minutes. And in those minutes, they chose action.
They chose each other. That choice—echoed across centuries by soldiers, workers, teachers, parents, and citizens—defines what it means to be resilient in America.
In the face of insurmountable odds, America bends—but it does not break, often rising even stronger from the ashes.