Family of 9/11 Victim from Wayzata Reflects on Bin Laden Death

It’s been nearly ten years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but for one Wayzata family it can at times feel like yesterday. Today is one of those times.

Gordon “Gordy” Aamoth was just 32 and working on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower when it was struck by a hijacked passenger jet. He was among the nearly 3,000 people killed in the largest act of terrorism on American soil.

It has been a long and painful healing process for the family and many friends Aamoth left behind, and the news that arrived late Sunday served as a reminder of just how quickly the emotional wounds can reopen.

Aamoth’s brother, Erik, was at home watching a baseball game on television last night when the crowd at the ball park began chanting “USA.” The game was halted, and an announcer delivered the news that American special forces had killed Osama bin Laden.

“I was overcome,” said Erik Aamoth, who now lives in Plymouth. “It was a bigger deal than I thought it would be. It brings back all of the emotion of that day—all of those feelings.”

Gordon Aamoth was a native of Wayzata and a familiar face around town. He was a standout football and hockey player at The Blake School, which in 2002 dedicated its new football stadium in Aamoth's honor.

Saying he wasn’t “jubilant” about the death, Erik Aamoth said he understood why some Americans took to the nation’s streets to celebrate the news.

“Watching that, it brought back memories of unity and of American flags flying everywhere,” he said. “It’s definitely relief and closure. For me, though, I wanted him to be caught and held accountable, but I feel like I can move on now to the next chapter in this whole process.”

Doctor Gordon and Mary Aamoth have chosen to not publicly comment on 9/11 or the death of their son, and they continued that silence after Sunday's news. Erik Aamoth said he spoke with his mother and said she “seems fine.” The Aamoth family has been to Ground Zero twice since the 2001 attacks, and Erik said talks about visiting again this year were already ongoing before Sunday night’s news.

“I’ll probably go over tonight and visit with her,” he said of his mother. “For her, she appreciates the men that went in there and did it and that they weren’t harmed. That’s a big thing to her. She wants to thank them for their service.”