Born on 9/11: Canadians turning 25 mark a day of both happiness and mourning

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The Spoletini twins, who had planned to visit the site some years ago, were delayed when COVID struck. Now that they lead independent lives, coordination is a bit of challenge, Monica Spoletini admits, adding that “it definitely is something that the two of us want to do together.”

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The challenge of being born on 9/11 has been difficult for some.

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For instance, “My family pretends it isn’t a thing. My birthday, I mean,” one person wrote on Reddit. “I was born in NYC, actually between the time the first and second towers were hit. My parents were pretty scarred (sic) by it so we just pretend I don’t have a birthday.”

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Another posted: “My best friend was born on the date. She gets a lot of sympathy aww’s and, “Oh, honey” comments. She does joke that our high school has an assembly for her birthday every year though so … ”

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“My daughter was born on 9/11/2001 a few hours before the 1st plane hit. First few birthdays were rough for the family and we didn’t celebrate day of but by now we do. I think it makes her feel kind of special being born that day. But she shows respect and knows the significance of the tragedy,” wrote one mom.

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For his part, Rutkowski believes in balancing both aspects of the date — taking joy at being born, yet honouring the victims of the tragedy: “It’s a double-edged sword in a sense.”

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Spoletini feels the sadness too. But she also believes in a purpose: “I was raised religious, so normally… my parents would say: ‘there was a reason God brought you into the world on that day.’ I also believe in God, but I also do believe in the universe as well.

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“I do think, you know, the universe or God, or whoever’s outside of us, brought us here on that day too. To… teach us.”

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Both have major plans for their birthdays.

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For the Spoletinis, it is the time for a family reunion, and, says Monica, “I’m planning … to realize that I’m actually 25 years old and that my brain is fully developed and that I’m grown up.”

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Rutkowski, on his third visit to the site last month, stopped in at Fire Engine Company No. 65, which was among the first to respond to the disaster. Rutkowski met New York firefighters at the station during one of his earlier visits too.

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He is also training to run a 5K obstacle course to honour the victims of 9/11 and demonstrate resilience: “(T)his will be my first year doing it.”

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And he concludes: “If things are going bad or I’m having a bad day, you know, people have had a lot worse days or the bad doesn’t last forever or there’s always going to be some sort of good in something bad that happens.

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“And so, it’s taught me to be patient and full of gratitude.”

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