What happened on Sept. 11, 2001, changed the way Americans think and ultimately the way they live. For some who had their lives affected by that act of terror, it became the starting point of a better way to live.
Yahoo Parenting reports that more than 3,000 children lost their parents from that event. Now, 14 years after the tragedy, many of those kids have entered maturity and are trying to live more than what the "Sept. 11 kid" label tells them to.
Terry Sears, executive director of Tuesday's Children, an organization founded to promote the healing of those directly affected by the attacks, told Yahoo Parenting: "We do a lot of work with young people in order to not have 9/11 define or limit them, but to provide a platform for growth and a vision for their future."
Robbie Pycior, 22, is a firefighter who lost his father, a Navy officer, while on duty at the Pentagon 14 years ago.
"Being a 9/11 family member, I have an experience that is invaluable to the work that I do," he said. "But on the flip side, if my friend introduces me to someone, do I want them to say 'This is Robbie, his dad was killed in a terrorist attack'? No, that's not who I want to be."
Pycior decided to get involved in helping others. "I am a big proponent of helping others to help yourself, so over the years it's become about turning this loss from a negative to a positive," he said. He is now reportedly working with Tuesday's Children's program, Project Common Bond.
Joey Graziano, 31, on the other hand, was grateful that he didn't lose his father, Joe Sr., a firefighter who was rescuing people at the Twin Towers on that day. However, his realization changed his life.
The night before Sept. 11, Graziano got into a verbal fight he had with his dad. Every day, he would think about that fight, and would be grateful that his dad came home after the attack.
"Because of that luck, I feel like I have a responsibility to get the best out of myself and out of others," he said.
Now he is the general counsel and director of talent at Headfirst Camps, the top provider of kids' summer camps.
"I think about my dad and those men who died in 9/11 and the responsibility I have to that 17-year-old kid who didn't get to tell his father he's sorry," he said. "And I'll be damned if I don't do everything I can to make the most out of the opportunities I've been given."
