Remembering 9/11 Twenty Years Later
Tomorrow we commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, mourning the innocent lives lost that day and in the years that followed. We honor the countless examples, known and unknown, of individual sacrifice and true heroism. We remember the human toll, and we reflect on how the events of that day have reshaped our world.
We are eternally grateful that every Tradeweb employee made it home on a day when so many of our fellow New Yorkers did not. Some were in Tradeweb’s main office in the North Tower of the World Trade Center or in London keeping the company operating. Some worked for other companies in New York City or elsewhere. Many on our team were still children. Most of our colleagues have some connection to the horrific events of 9/11, and all of us share its history. To those of you who lost loved ones, please know that all of us grieve with you.
As we commemorate this 20-year anniversary, it is impossible to generalize a response to such a profoundly painful and personal memory. Some of us will immerse ourselves in the steady stream of news reports, documentaries, personal profiles and devastating images that play over and over again. Some of us will go through old photos or go for a quiet walk. Each of us will mark what happened that day in our own way, though hopefully not on our own.
As a company we have chosen to honor the victims of 9/11 by bringing people together in the service of others through our inaugural Tradeweb Week of Service. In addition to remembering all those who perished or were forever changed by the events of that day, we honor the intense bravery and selflessness of first responders and ordinary citizens. We would like to thank our partners in this week’s activities: Tuesday’s Children; Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County; The Hoboken Shelter; and Boys Hope Girls Hope of New York. Their service extends to every week, of every year.
Beyond the enormous human toll of 9/11, it is difficult to overstate how much the events of that day and its aftermath have profoundly molded our company and our world over the past 20 years. Tradeweb, barely three years into being an operating business, was based on the 51st floor of the North Tower. On September 11, 2001, 82 of our people came to work and, following days of frantic phone calls, we confirmed that all 82 had made it back home.
Many of those teammates still work together at Tradeweb today. They saved each other that day, and the bond they formed continued in the months and years that followed. Today, they are in many ways our standard bearers -- resilient, empathetic, unwavering and grateful.
This week and always, please join us in remembering September 11, 2001. As we’ve been reminded in more recent history, suffering is only magnified when it occurs in isolation. Please reach out to your HR Business Partner if you need some support, and know that you are not alone.
Lee Billy