Everyone’s birthday seems to carry a special air to, how can one not put it high up on a pedestal. Senior Aidan Hearty has a more peculiar birthday that’s hard to carry air about. “September 11th, 2001” Hearty said, when asked about the date of his birth. 

    As Hearty can recall, the situation of his birth went down as follows: “I was born at 4:30 am, four hours before the first attack,” Hearty said, “Within four hours after the attack happened I believe the nurses came in and turned the T.V. on and showed my mom, like anyone in the country, she was terrified seeing a plane run into the world trade center”

   The event has gone down in history, on September 11th 2001 four planes were hijacked with two of them being flown into the twin towers of the world trade center killing almost 3,000 people. Of course, the reactions of many to hearing his birthday falls on this day is very striking,  “Even up to this day people are still really surprised when I tell them my birthday is 9/11, It gets a little more attention for the reason that it happened on a national travesty,” Hearty said. 

     Although it is on such a controversial date Hearty celebrates it all the same, he doesn’t celebrate the next day, “no we do it on the day of”, and it’s celebrated, “all the same, every once in awhile with the documentaries that come out we watch one of those,” Hearty said. With such a contrasting idea of most people think of when they think of 9/11 it is certainly harder to celebrate, “Once you get a little older you start to realize the impact that it had”

     Many are more reminded of the tragic events that happened all those years ago than Hearty’s big celebration. “It’s more of the national tragedy everyone focuses on and I guess my birthday is after.” 

     Although his birthday doesn’t come first he doesn’t think it’s all bad. “We had those men and women out there risking their lives and many of them died to go save the lives of others, so they deserve their recognition.” With the somber atmosphere of this day, Hearty still celebrates “like anyone else’s birthday, go out to dinner, cake, presents.” 

    Some would wish they could change this situation, but he has a different view. Hearty said, “I don’t at all, it was a special day I was born and it just so happened to be on a national day of tragedy and I wouldn’t change that” instead of wishing to change the day he’s aims to be happy regardless “I always have friends and family around to make me feel good and celebrate my birthday” and no matter what day one’s birthday is on, that’s what really matters.

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