September 11, 2001, is a day that nobody in America will ever forget. The fear on that day, combined with the reminder that life can be tragically unpredictable, changed us in so many ways. But nobody was affected more than those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
Plenty of moms were pregnant, awaiting the excitement of starting families, or adding to their families, with their spouses. But based on the number of fatalities that day — among office workers who worked in the twin towers and the Pentagon, passengers on the four planes, and firefighters and police officers who lost their lives while trying to save others — many of those children grew up without fathers.
People magazine partnered with Talos Films to follow those children throughout their lives, in a documentary titled Rebuilding Hope: The Children of 9/11. Now the children they followed are 19 and 20 years old, and their lives continue to be impacted by that day.
The documentary will begin streaming on September 7 on the Magnolia Network. It'll focus on four of the children who were born not knowing their dads but learning of their fathers' heroic acts that day as they grew older. According to People, there were approximately 100 children who suffered a similar fate that day.
The film was put together thanks to Oscar- and Emmy-winning director Ellen Goosenberg Kent. The stories are all unique in their own ways. And knowing that these subjects have been followed for two decades makes the documentary even more personal.
"These children are what comes after 9/11," said Jenna Jacobs, who lost her partner, Ariel, in 9/11. Their son, Gabriel, was born just six days later. He was a bright spot among overwhelming grief. "They are the joy, the salve, the ointment," she continued. "They're the love." Back in 2016, Gabriel — who goes by Gabi — explained the situation from his point of view.
"I see my dad walking into the building," Gabi said back when he was 14. "I see him on the top floor and then I think he knows he's gonna die, but he's at peace and he's just hoping my mom and I are gonna be okay." His father was attending a conference at the World Trade Center in the north tower.
"I'm very lucky that I had Gabi so soon after Ari died, because I had somewhere to put my love and someone who needed me to be well," his mom stated. "Because I don't think I would have been well by myself, but my baby needed me to be well." In a way, all of these children served a similar purpose. While solo parenting in a time of grief is difficult, children are often the light in the darkness.
Gabi also resembles his father, which is a reminder that his presence is still felt. "Some people believe in God or the greater power, but I believe in the people that loved you or would have loved you sticking around after they die and guiding you through whatever troubles you have in life," Gabi said. "But I also know he's out there – somewhere, guiding me along my path in life."
It's an extraordinary way to process things, and Gabi reached that conclusion at the age of 14. But thinking about his father is still a haunting experience at times. "I get anxious, mostly kinda when I’m reliving my father’s last steps," he said. "So getting on an elevator I'll have a panic attack, getting on an airplane I'll freak out and I'll scream and I won't care what anyone else thinks because it's my experience."
Gabi and many of the other children who lost a family member have attended therapy to help process the feelings. "I always thought it was the bad guys from The Incredibles that shot the building down, and later I learned from stories and magazines and TV coverage that a plane had hit the building," he stated. Figuring it all out piece by piece has been, hopefully, a good way for him to cope.
On the anniversary of the day, Gabi and his mom send balloons to Ariel. "It's how we communicate with him," he said. "I've tried telepathy and it doesn't work. But I guess the sky opens and lets these balloons up with the notes. It's a mail system that he gets our little notes – that's what we like to think at least."
What these young adults have faced is unique. They've heard about their fathers based on stories, and they have had to piece together parts of the unknown. This documentary will help many of them grieve.
"I find that I'm constantly reminding myself of the balance between grieving, but still moving on and moving forward," says Nicole Gartenberg Pila in the documentary's trailer.
Each story is special, and it's incredible that People stayed in touch with the children. The documentary will be a wonderful ode to a few of the many fallen on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The documentary will be available on September 7 on Discovery+ and the Magnolia app.
