The state of Iowa will honor and remember the victims of September 11th, 2001.

On this day 23 years ago, nearly 3,000 innocent Americans died from multiple terroristic attacks. Today, Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered all Iowa flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Patriot Day.

According to KCRG, Kim Reynolds remembers this day, 23 years ago, and she says this is a day we will never forget.

"We will never forget the attack on our country and our freedom 23 years ago. Nearly 3,000 Americans died in the national tragedy, including hundreds of first responders who ran in to save the victims of an evil, unspeakable attack on innocent people.

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I stand with every American on Patriot Day to honor and forever remember the thousands who senselessly lost their lives and their families who will always long for their loved ones. You will never be forgotten."

Remembering 9/11/2001

Like many other Americans, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I first heard about the twin towers.

I was 10 years old, sitting at the end of my driveway, waiting for the school bus to pick me up and take me to school. We used to have the same garbage man come to our house every week, so we would wave and say hi whenever he stopped on Tuesday mornings as we waited for the bus. When he pulled up to collect the garbage he asked me, my sister, and 2 neighbor kids who were also waiting for the bus if we heard anything unusual on the news this morning.

We all responded with no, we'd just been waiting at the bus stop. He let us know there was a plane that flew into a tall building in New York and we might have a different/strange day at school. He was right.

When we got to school that day, all I did, along with my 5th-grade classmates was keep an eye on the news. Our teacher turned the classroom TV on, explained what had happened, and if we had any questions. We still went to gym class, we still went to recess, and we still had our normal lunch schedule, but for 90% of our day, we learned about what happened and what this could potentially mean for Americans moving forward.

I don't remember my school day nearly as well as I remember the garbage man stopping by to talk to us. Normally, we'd wave and he'd wave back and say have a good day at school but when he walked over to talk to us, I remember feeling like something was off.

I could almost feel like something terrible had happened. I didn't know what at the time, but it just seemed strange that he didn't collect the garbage bin, wave, and continue with his day. Something horrendous and unforgivable did happen that day. That moment with our weekly garbage man is still vivid in my memory 23 years later.

Even though I was only 10 years old, it was a day that I, along with millions of other Americans, will never forget.

Where were you when you found out about the attack/s? How did you find out? What was your day like? Share your story in the comments.