Born on 9-11

USA WEEKEND introduced you to six children, first as babies and then as 5-year-olds, who shared one birthday: Sept. 11, 2001.

Now, as they turn 10, we revisit these children who represent rebirth for a nation in mourning.

Much has changed since that sunny day in September turned dark with smoke and dust and tragedy. Yet, these children remind us what has remained constant: our resilience and our ability to move forward in the face of uncertainty.

In celebrating these 10-year-olds, we celebrate hope.

We are also reminded of another child born that day: Christina-Taylor Green, the girl who was killed in the Jan. 8 mass shooting that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona.

She, and all these children — the first members of what has become known as the post-9/11 generation — will continue to inspire us and help us to remember a day when our losses were matched by our strengths.

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We invited readers to submit photos of loved ones born on 9/11 (of any year). View the gallery here.
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Charlotte Emily McDermott

Lansdowne, Pa.

“I would like to stay at 10 for the rest of my life,” Charlotte declares in anticipation of her big birthday.

A terrific runner who loves track and softball, she spent the first part of the year in a cast after a sledding accident. The upside: She was so impressed by one of the physicians who treated her that she decided to be a doctor.

Charlotte, the baby in her family with eight siblings, already helps care for her autistic brother. She calls him one of her heroes “because he goes through so much and just deals with it.” Her mom, Monica, calls Charlotte “amazingly empathetic and compassionate.”

William "Rhett" Wombles

Wrightsville, Ga.

“Rhett always wants to make sure everybody’s taken care of,” says his father, Shawn. It’s no wonder his hero is his cousin, a Marine who has served in Iraq. “He fought to keep our country safe,” Rhett says.

He also loves baseball and dreams of playing professionally. He scoops up grounders as a second baseman and shortstop on the recreation department’s championship and all-star teams.

Anne-Sophie Labossiere

Chicago

Anne-Sophie “has a wonderful imagination,” says her mother, Florence. It’s no wonder, then, that she has a knack for writing and a love of reading. Her latest literary inspiration is the world of the fictional Percy Jackson of the children’s adventure series. Anne-Sophie’s own creations are detail-packed fantasy fiction stories about fairies and wizards, ninjas and warriors. Her goal: to study “the arts and writing” at Stanford.

Anastasya "Anya" Mikal Cermak

Goodyear, Ariz.

Anya will celebrate her birthday in the city she was born in: New York. She and her mom make the trip to visit family and to pay their respects at Ground Zero every year. They talk about what happened on Sept. 11 and remember those who died. Then, they dedicate the rest of the day to Anya. After all, it’s her birthday.

One of her best friends was also born on Sept. 11, and they met after the girl’s mother saw a USA WEEKEND article about the kids turning 5. The mother called Anya’s mother, and the two girls have been fast friends ever since. Some of Anya’s other favorite pals are right under her roof: her three hamsters, Teddy, Hammy and Ryan; her Cavalier King Charles spaniel; and two cats named Sissy and Lily.

Kaitlyn Nguyen

Irvine, Calif.

Kaitlyn hopes to celebrate entering double-digits with “a piñata and all my friends and family.” A talented artist, she sketches people in scenic settings. She’s a busy girl: studying math to boost her skills, taking piano and singing in Vietnamese in her church choir. “I’m so proud of her,” says her mother, Vivian. “She’s responsible, sweet and gentle.”

John "Jack" Victor Corrales

Dallas

Jack plans on helping his dad hang the family flag on the front porch the morning of his birthday. “My mom says that one joyful thing happened on one sad day,” he says. That joyful spirit is evident. “He’s a great kid” who gets along with everyone and is always in a good mood, says his mother, Cathy. Other kids like to be around him because he’s funny and can talk about athletics or books. (He has read each of the Harry Potter books twice and likes Greek mythology, too.) Even his teachers say Jack is “a pleasure to be around,” says his father, Joe.