TAMPA, Fla. — September 11 is a somber anniversary, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost in terrorist attacks 22 years ago.
For many, the day is spent remembering the people who went to work in the Twin Towers, who boarded a flight not knowing it wouldn't safely land or head into the Pentagon.
The day is also recognized as National Patriot's Day of Service, where organizations across the country invite people to give back.
Nearly 900 volunteers joined the Yeungling Center for Feeding Tampa Bay’s Meal Pack for 9/11 Day of Service.
As volunteers filled boxes, many shared stories of what they were doing during the moments the Twin Towers fell.
"I was working that day, I was sitting at my computer actually typing when the first plane hit and knocked my computer monitor out," Candiace Baker said.
Baker was working as a detective with the New York Police Department in 2001, just blocks away from the World Trade Center.
"When it blew up, I realized what had happened, and realized that somebody was doing this to us," Baker said.
Baker was a first responder during 9/11. She answered calls for NYPD's missing persons hotline.
"All we could do was listen and cry," she said. "And had as much compassion as we could. But we cried a lot."
She also sifted through the Twin Towers debris in the months following the attacks searching for any human remains to identify victims.
She, like many others, fell ill following 9/11. Baker suffered from respiratory conditions, cardiac conditions, Gastro conditions and then cancer, which led her to retire early.
"I think that we're a dark place in the world right now, that day like this, that we have organizations like this, that have unity, and we bring people together to do positive things and do good things and get to know each other and laugh and talk," she said.
Baker shares her story every year on this day, connecting with others on what this day means.
Of the hundreds of volunteers who lent a helping, several were born after 9/11 took place, learning about the devastating day through textbooks, family members and documentaries.
"I'm 21. So I was born in August of 2002," Corey Shizvr said. "So almost a full year after that."
Shizvr grew up in a military family, seeing the impacts of the terrorist attacks on those who served.
"It means a lot, you know, I mean, I wasn't there for it," he said. "So it's good to hear other people's experiences. You know, every year I get to learn a new story of somebody that was a part of 9/11 or was affected by it."
While honoring the lives lost on this day 22 years ago, so many are giving back. These food boxes put together will be sent out across the Tampa Bay area in the next 24 hours.
So many took a devastating day and boxed it up into helping others.
"[It] shows us that we can rise from the ashes," Baker said. "And that we're better. Like, we're so much more than what they ever thought we were. And that's huge. That's what makes people strong."
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.