TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — September 11th remains more than a date in history for the people that lived through it. At Troy, faculty members shared their memories of the attacks- from the Pentagon, to the military, even from a college campus.

For students, it was an opportunity to hear what happened through the voices of people who were there.

“One thing that I definitely felt in my heart was when the gentleman in the middle talked about how people had to make that hard decision about whether to burn or to jump and really in my heart knowing that that would be hardest decision of my life,” said Messiah Jones, a student in attendance at the event.

“I can’t begin to image or fathom people who had to make that decision.”

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For Dr. Duane Gunn, the memories are not something he learned from a textbook. Gunn was at the Pentagon when the attacks happened. He experienced the uncertainty and devastation firsthand.

“It’s just trying to know and understand and continue to learn what happened that day and coming to terms with the emotion of that day, being able to appreciate the emotions from that day,” said Gunn.

“You can’t take things for granted, something like this will happen again. I don’t know if it’ll be in your lifetime, I don’t know if it’ll be in your children’s lifetime but you have to take responsibility and take seriously what we have, the blessings we have here as a nation.”

The panel ended with students asking questions, not just about what happened that day, but about what September 11th means for the generations who came after it.

For those who experienced it, the memories remain personal. For those who didn’t, the panel served as a reminder for remembering 9/11 means more that remembering a date, it means remembering the people who were there and the lives forever changed.