Friday will mark an anniversary most Americans will never forget.

The date of Sept. 11, 2001, shook the United States. It would change the country forever.

For one former local resident, she is often reminded of that day at the breakfast table of all places.

“It was hard to sit by Brady at breakfast,” said Camille Mortensen with a laugh, wife of Utah State University President Brad Mortensen. “Brady was like the noisiest eater.”

Mortensen still remembers him crunching loudly for the whole family to hear even 25 years after his death during the Sept. 11 attacks.

While that may sound like a negative memory, Mortensen clarified that her family was sensitive to sound. She said Brady “wasn’t slurping and burping,” and would eat “with his mouth closed.” It’s just a memory she has about eating breakfast together.

“He had impeccable manners,” Mortensen said of her brother.

Mortensen’s brother and former Sugar City resident Brady Kay Howell died while working at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, a firsthand loss unique to a family this far West.

Howell, who was 26 at the time, was working at the Pentagon in Naval Intelligence when he was killed — a role not often held by someone at that young age. Mortensen said her brother was inspired a lot by her husband and followed in his footsteps by going to Syracuse University to earn his master’s in public administration.

He earned his undergraduate degree in political science at Utah State University. He would not live to see his brother-in-law become president of the same institution he received his bachelor’s degree from.

Due to his character — which was shaped by his experiences as his high school student body president in Idaho, time as an Eagle Scout and his mission to the Canary Islands for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the family’s first thought when he wasn’t answering his phone was not that he had died, but that he was too busy helping others to answer.

“My siblings, my parents and I came from all different parts of the state and were gathered together waiting to get word,” Mortensen said. “The Navy officials came and found us there and told us that he was listed as missing. I had been trying to call him all day. I called all the hospitals. We kind of knew at that point we were holding out hope that he was helping somebody.”

The family was able to hold a memorial in both Washington, D.C., and his hometown of Sugar City after his death. Howell left behind a wife who has supported his family sharing his story since the attacks.

“As one of the few Utahns with a personal tie to Sept. 11, I’ve just kind of taken any opportunity, I don’t seek them out, but I will take the opportunity to share his story and share why it’s important to remember Sept. 11, because it is easy to feel disconnected on the West side of the country from those tragic events,” Mortensen said.

As the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches, Mortensen explained how she views the many sacrifices from that day, especially those working at the Pentagon “trying to make a difference.”

“I do think it’s really important to remember the sacrifices,” Mortensen said. “They were all there just trying to make a difference, just doing their job, and all those people died with such sacrifice, whether they were literally putting their life on the line, or just going to work trying to make a difference.”

The Mortensens plan to spend this year’s Sept. 11 doing service, participating in one of the many Days of Service events in northern Utah’s Cache Valley. This is something Mortensen feels is the best way to honor her brother.

“He just made everybody feel like they were his best friend,” Mortensen said. “That’s actually something I talk specifically to my kids about; for your service project for Brady today, find somebody who needs a friend.”

Utah State also honors Sept. 11, with its annual stair climb.

For Mortensen, remembering the attacks extends beyond commemorating those who died. She discussed how higher education institutions such as USU have a responsibility to foster peaceful discussion by giving students an environment where they can learn how to disagree.

“Make sure that you know outside of higher ed, where it’s not as moderated and supported, that you can talk about difficult things and find common ground,” Mortensen said.