This week, as America commemorates the 18th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York, a man spotted a spectacle in the clouds—one that is bringing social media users a sense of comfort during a time of remembrance and mourning.
Matt Snow, a teacher in Oakleaf, Florida, near Jacksonville, noticed the unusual cloud formation during his morning commute to work Wednesday morning. In the clouds, he spotted the silhouette of a firefighter carrying a firehose who appeared to be running towards a winged angel—who was illuminated and backlit by the rising sun.
Snow couldn’t resist taking a snapshot of the heavenly scene, which he shared on Facebook. Alongside the photo, he wrote: “It might be because today is 9/11 but this is the cloud formation I saw driving into work today. Doesn’t it look a firefighter running with a hose and an angel with the sun perfectly behind it?”
He told Fox 35 that he had to do a double-take when he first saw the scene.
“I couldn’t believe what I just saw. My wife and I are both teachers and we drive that road every morning with our kids. Out of all days, today it looked like that,” he said.
Along with the post, Snow also added the hashtags #neverforget and #patriotday—tags used by thousands to denote 9/11 memorial and tribute posts on social media. News outlets have since shared his photo across social media platforms, as have other internet users who were moved by the seemingly symbolic cloud formation.
An Inspiring Response
In the comments section of Snow’s post, another Facebook user, DeAnna Colvin, explained that she had also noticed the unique cloud formation on Wednesday.
“I saw this also on my drive into OP from Middleburg and couldn’t get the pic. I’m SO happy someone other than myself ‘saw’ the same thing. Had to wipe the tears and say another prayer for those who were lost that day and for the family’s that still deal with loss,” she commented.
Other users also found comfort in the post, while a chorus of comments calling the photo breathtaking, unbelievable, and amazing streamed in.
One commenter, Peggy Nowacki, said she believes the occurrence was: “one of God’s awesome ways to say all the brave people who died that day and because of it are at peace in His arms.”
While another, Lee Oliver, wrote: “Wow! That gave me chills. Even looks smoky.”
Snow’s photo also drew responses from people who had taken note of their own sunrises that morning, believing that they also witnessed something special.
A fellow Facebook user, Michelle Carlascio, shared a photo she took of her view of the sky that day, and wrote: “Mine wasn’t as cool but it was kind of a symbol the cloud hugging the sky like a hand reaching out for comfort.”
The Promise to Never Forget
This week marked the 18th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. On September 11, 2001, nineteen al-Qaeda extremists hijacked four planes, which they weaponized against major landmarks and symbols of Americanism.
Two planes were flown into New York’s World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, while another crashed into the western side of the Pentagon in Washington. The last plane—United Airlines flight 93—was headed for downtown DC before its passengers-turned-heroes thwarted the attack, taking the plane off course before it crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
Family members of those who lost their lives returned to ground zero on Wednesday, while people across the US honored their promise to never forget. The sound of bagpipes playing America the Beautiful rang out as the clock struck 8:46 a.m., the time when the first plane hit the north tower.
Additional services were held in Washington, where President Donald Trump gave remarks and took part, with the First Lady, in a wreath-laying ceremony.
