Legacies of Courage: The Children of 9/11

Meet a resilient young woman who, having lost her firefighter father on 9/11 at the age of seven, navigates the complexities of growing up with courage and strength, shaping a powerful narrative of the children left behind by the tragedy.

Douglas Miller was working with Rescue 5 in Staten Island, while his wife Laurie looked after their three daughters on the crisp and clear weather that greeted the late summer sunrise on the morning of September 11th twenty-two years ago. 

He was one of 2,977 people who woke up that day with blood coursing his veins, air fueling through his lungs and possibility laid ahead of him – all which were stolen from their grasp beginning at 8:19 a.m. that day.

Elizabeth Miller was just shy of seven years old that day.

“I remember a lot about him for having only been with him for a short six years. I remember him being very outgoing and friendly and helpful. I remember him tickling my mom while making breakfast in the kitchen. He used to put one of us girls in his workbag and pretend he was taking us to work while singing the theme song to “Bear in the Big Blue House” as he left. We used to have family fire drills and he would hang us over the staircase and out the window,” she recalls.

However, what most would view as a debilitating reality shift that crushed their life into crumbles of speckled dust, actually turned into a powerful that shaped Miller’s future.

“Losing my father has created a drive for me, and I’m sure many others, to try to understand the terroristic acts, to try to wrap my head around why this happened and how one day it can stop.” Miller continued, “My whole life has been shaped by the events of 9/11. I am an Arabic and history [graduate] with a minor in Middle East studies. [I’ve researched] Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism, specifically Sayyid Qutb, an Islamic fundamentalist who helped inspire al Qaeda, and of course Osama bin Laden.”

While most around the nation regard this historical event with unforgivable contempt for those responsible, Miller attempts to dissect the entirety of the incident, in an attempt to understand how to prevent its future replication.

“By doing research on bin Laden specifically, I have attempted to understand why; according to him 9/11 was necessary. By no means do I agree with him or any terrorists, but if one doesn’t forgive they will never be able to move on. 9/11 has shaped my actions toward Muslims and Arabs around the world in a positive way. My two favorite professors come from overseas [and] one of my best friends from Morocco is a Muslim.” Miller said, “I think it is beyond important to look past the fear and misunderstandings and learn from what this attack does to all of us, to rise above it.”

But Elizabeth was just one member of the Miller family who was profoundly impacted by the rippling effects of September 11th. 

Douglas’ wife, Laurie, reflects lovingly on her husband, “[He] was a man born with great concern for others. Every individual who had the chance to meet Doug fell in love with his spirit. [He] was warm‚ sincere‚ and full of life‚ and gave fully of that life to save others.”

Elizabeth echoes her mother’s sentiment. “[Sometimes] I wish he were here to talk to and to share with, to ask advice and direction.” She continued, “I have met many people who have lost a parent. My best friend lost her father and it created an unbreakable bond between us. But I think all 9/11 victims’ experiences are different.”

The children of the heroes and victims whose lives were treated as collateral consequence by terrorists, honor their parents in their own ways, all which are unique to their experiences.

But – it seems there’s a common factor among these legacies of courage: the inherited bravery to step up and do what is right in the face of fear. 

Elizabeth recalls, “Every year my father’s picture is on the television as they go through the firefighters who gave their lives. We don’t get to mourn in private. It is something that everyone knows and will always know. But it makes me proud to know that my father, like many other people that day, is a hero.”

Elizabeth is now a Port Jervis City Council Member running for mayor of her hometown, hoping to give back to the city that supported her family during the wake of losing her father.

References

Basu, Blake, Drash, and Morales. (2016). “The 9/11 children: What can they teach us?” https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2016/09/us/911-children-age-of-terror/ CNN. (2023). *Source of Elizabeth’s quotes.

Ferrell, Jesse. (2019). “The weather of 9/11” https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/weathermatrix/the-weather-of-9-11/532534#:~:text=On%20the%20morning%20of%20September,Virginia%2C%20including%20New%20York%20City. AccuWeather.  (2023). 

Miller, Laurie. (6 September 2014). “Douglas C. Miller” https://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/douglas-c-miller/ National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. (2023). *Source of Laurie’s quotes.

Unknown Author. (9 January 2020). “9/11 FAQs” https://www.911memorial.org/911-faqs 9/11 Memorial & Museum. (2023).
Unknown Author. (Date Unknown). “Commemoration” https://www.911memorial.org/connect/commemoration 9/11 Memorial & Museum. (2023).

CanvaPro. (Date Unknown) “Children Happy in Sunset.” (Image #1) Canva Pro Stock Images. (2023).

Cuevas, Eduardo. (11 September 2023). “For a woman who lost her father at age 6, remembering 9/11 has meant seeking understanding” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/11/girl-whose-father-died-911-attacks-studied-terrorism/70824009007/ USA Today. (2023). *Image #2.

Ding, Cara. (13 September 2023). “Democratic Councilwoman Elizabeth Miller Runs for Port Jervis Mayor” https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/democratic-councilwoman-elizabeth-miller-runs-for-port-jervis-mayor-5490750 The Epoch Times. (2023). *Image #3.