Remember 9/11
During the Great Burgh Staycation, one of our goals was to travel two hours East of Pittsburgh and visit the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County. I personally had already been to the World Trade Center and Pentagon sites. They are not at all like the Flight 93 site.
The contrast between the bustling progress filled with constant subtle reminders of what happened at the World Trade Center and the stark lack of bustling progress at the Flight 93 site was disconcerting. While the World Trade Center site is bathed in political turmoil, the fact of the matter is that a fitting memorial is being constructed and every single person working at that site is aware of the magnitude of their efforts. At the Flight 93 site, a lone volunteer mans the site, providing periodic presentations and answering questions. Beyond that, it is a tiny little square of land amidst a huge open field, filled with trinkets, tokens of appreciation, and mementos left behind by site visitors.
My feelings about what happened to the people that died where that flag now flies are perfectly summed up by a letter hanging at the site:
In case you can't read it, the letter says:
This site is where Flight 93 crashed. Its real destination was the White House.If it weren't for four brave men who knows what would have happened to the government. This country honors those men as heroes. September 11, 2001 was a terrible day, but it could have been worse. I thank those men.
Joshua Phillips
7-01-05
Anderson, SC
There are plans to build a permanent memorial at the Flight 93 site. Fundraising efforts have, thus far, been somewhat lackluster. Awareness is certainly not what it should be. I feel like people are starting to forget the sacrifice the people aboard that plane knowingly made.
I refuse to forget.
Advertising revenues from this site are normally deposited in full to Alexis' savings account. It's her blog, so it's her money--every penny of it. However, this month we will be remembering all of the victims of 9/11, and specifically the Flight 93 heroes, by donating all September revenue to the Flight 93 Memorial Fund. Ad revenue is determined by page views, so if you would like to help us contribute a little more money, click around. You can also honor the Flight 93 passengers by donating directly here.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Reader Comments (69)
Well, I'm crying.
This is such a moving and perfect tribute.
Thank you for doing this.
Wow, I think that part of that horrible day does get forgotten. Thanks for the reminder.
Now I am off to click around this place! : )
p.s. the pics gave me chills
very exactly right.
Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing these pics.
I, too, refuse to forget.
This was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. And a perfect avenue for Alexis' pennies to go this month.
That's a day that I'll never forget... my ex's father was a Pentagon survivor.
What a beautiful tribute.
What a fantastic tribute. It saddens me that so many people do forget about the Flight 93 heroes. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.
This is the first that I have seen the memorial at the field.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Someone said "Let's Roll" the other day and I had to reflect on that statement and what it has come to mean to this country.
Thanks for sharing these pictures...
Thanks for sharing these pictures...
I heard a really moving story on NPR about the Shanksville site. One of the victims' mothers. She encountered two people there to visit, and their interaction was very moving. She said (I'm paraphrasing): I know people don't know what to say to me when they know I'm the mom of someone who died here. And I looked into myself so I would have something to offer them.
That really struck me, that a grieving mom sought out a way to help comfort others. I was definitely choked up.
I'm going to click around now to contribute. Thanks for the post.
Ciao,
rpm
Thank you for doing something real.
It's almost impossible for me to think about those brave people without feeling short of breath and panicky. I can't imagine what they must have felt, but they will always be heroes.
Well said. Thank you. I can only think that the real heroes of the day are forgotten only because their bravery ended in a field in Shanksville. It's too easy to forget when you don't see it. Just like any brave and heroic act.
That was truly a perfect post, Silly Billy Burgh. Love that you got Todd Beamer's bench. I read his wife's book - very inspirational. I doubt any of us will forget exactly where we were & what we were doing. Thanks for the reminder. Smooches.
I'll be sending FireDad over to this post today. Thank you.
We need to take the boys over one year. We just do. Thank you.
Beautiful babe. I may not comment every day but I will be here. Every day.
I have always thought that the towers and the Pentagon got all of the attention. There were THREE tradegies that day. Thank you for this tribute, for remembering the "forgotten" site.
Gut wrenchingly perfect.
I will never forget either.
Pregnancy hormones do NOT help with what today is. Beautiful tribute. Each trinket made my heart hurt. I hope to travel north to visit some time. Thank you for what you wrote. We will never forget!
This was very nice...I only hope whatever memorial they put in place in that field is reflective of the heroicism and the selflessness of those brave people on board, and "fits" with the countryside. I don't think it needs to be grand to be important - it *shouldn't* look like the memorial in NYC - but I hope they can construct something beautiful soon.
*cry*
this is just beautiful, sweetie. i will be clicking.
Thank you for posting this.
Thank you so much for these pics and the information as well.
Thank you.
Click. Click. Clickclickclickclick...
what a beautiful, moving post. The photos speak for themselves. Let's Roll...clicking away for you and those we lost.
Thank you for posting this.
Wonderful tribite, awesome pictures.
Great tribute, thank you and Alexis for doing this. Your photos are beautiful.
I woke up this morning with a lump in my throat. I have a really hard time with this day every year. And sometimes I think its lame that I do because I didn't know anyone who died that day.
Now my lump is bigger. And I am a little more overwhelmed. Your pictures and words are perfect.
I hope you raise a boatload.
Thank you for sharing pictures and the importance of this site. It's not right on the beaten path, so it does not get enough credit. And yet, like the letter said, these people knowingly gave their lives to save others and keep 9/11 from being even more tragic.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's that people have forgotten about Flight 93 or the incredible, unimaginable thing those passengers did. I've been to the crash site (thank you for posting about it), and I visited the display (in Somerset) of all the entries for the proposed memorial. The lack of support, I think, is because the design they ultimately chose is causing huge controversy because it is in the shape of a "crescent" -- an Islamic symbol -- and has other inappropriate (whether intentional or not) ties to Islam.
My husband made us watch the Flight 93 movie the other night (I didn't want to because I can't bear to remember that horror or see it visualized -- it made me cry just watching). I just can't believe and am so frustrated that controversy is keeping us from honoring those brave people and properly acknowledging that awful day. Of the hundreds of designs submitted, they had to choose that one?
It's amazing how many things like this haven't been memorialized in our country. Memorials seem to have become a bit passe in most communities since infrastructure can barely be maintained.
This is a beautiful post. Sad, but beautiful - like seeing all the people who remember these brave souls. It's true: 9/11 was horrible, but it could have been even worse, and we have them to thank if it wasn't. They deserve to be remembered with honor.
I have chills reading this. What a horrible day and one that will never be forgotten.
Beautiful pictures. Thanks for posting this.
An excellent tribute. Thank you . . .
Haunting photos. Thank you for these.
What an amazing post! Thank you!
Thank you for posting this. Those men were amazingly brave. Indeed. What might have happened?
Peace - D
Great post. I posted about 9-11 today too and I'm going to go link here.
Yeah, this post made my heart free fall to my feet.
I will never. ever. forget. either.
AMEN....
It's so horrible how people are forgetting. How can you forget? It was one of the worst days in American history.
Your pictures are beautiful. That one with Alexis is amazing.
Thanks for sharing that story!
Thank you for posting those photographs, it is perhaps something I will never see with my own eyes myself but would dearly love to. What an amazing photographic journey. I love you. :o)
You rock. What a fantastic person you are.
I second everything you say.
What an amazing tribute to the heroes on that flight.
Those pictures were awesome! Definately a reminder to all that we can not forget. I am thankful to all those aboard that flight my family lives close to DC and DH's family live just a stones throw away from the Camp David Compound in Maryland it was a very scary day for us when we heard there was another plane out there with an unknown destination headed for our Nations Capital, phones were down I couldnt get ahold of any of our family all I could do was watch the tv and pray none of our family was were ever that plane landed. The passengers of Flight 93 are heros and should have a proper memorial I will be doing some extra clicking and direct donating.
what great reminder, a great memorial post. The images were wonderful; very poignant. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for posting this! The pictures are amazing, as are the words and sentiments.