When asked about the death toll from the September 11th attacks, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani stated simply and eloquently that the number would likely be more than any of us can bear. He was right, of course. Yet often obscured in that inconceivable number is the fact that among those who died, as well as those who lived and continue to live, were many thousands of aviation professionals with names, families, lives, and individual experiences that are an important part of the 9/11 story. Some five years later, these stories are being told for the first time in Reclaiming the Sky. In the pages of this book, you will meet some of the people whose hard work propels a critical social and economic force – the aviation industry – and who on the morning of September 11th, were suddenly thrust into front-line positions in the battle to put our nation back on its feet. For many of these men and women and their families, the pain and after-effects of 9/11 are exceptionally acute, but their stories will serve as touchpoints for the thousands of people whose journey to closure is still ongoing. This powerful and ultimately uplifting book not only honors the heroes of September 11th, it also offers common ground to those in search of meaning and purpose in a changed world – both in and outside of the air travel industry – and gives Americans in all walks of life something they still seek five years after 9/11: the courage and strength to move forward.