Shanksville: Stories are shared and respects are paid at Flight 93 Memorial
Two women walked alongside the tall, stone walls engraved with dozens of names.
All of a sudden, they stopped. They had reached the name they searched for.
Georgine Rose Corrigan.
On this day, Judi Hasselkus and Shere Lichtenwald were reunited. For the first time in years.
Just over 15 years ago, they were a trio. Best friends since high school, the group tried their best to always see one another.
”We went to school together, graduated together. The three of us were like the three musketeers, or Larry Moe and Curly,” said Shere. “We’ve been friends forever.”
All three, originally from Woodville, Ohio, went their separate ways but always stayed in touch.
Today, however, the trio is finally together once more — well, almost.
Judi and Shere bent over and placed bouquets of flowers underneath the name of their beloved friend.
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As people Sunday reminisce about what happened, the sky was just as blue as it was all those years ago, white puffy clouds filling in the baby blue skyline.
On September 11, 2001, hijackers overtook Flight 93 with intentions of harming innocent American lives. However, passengers on the plane overpowered them, crashing the plane into a Pennsylvania field outside of Shanksville.
Georgine was one of 40 passengers on that United Airlines flight that became part of the terrorist attack.
OnSunday, hundreds congregated in that Shanksville field for a ceremony that took place early in the morning on the anniversary of one of the nation’s most devastating terrorist attacks. Family members and friends of the victims, state representatives and Boy Scouts, flight attendants and bikers came out to pay tribute.
As the ceremony progressed, the names of those lives that were lost were read aloud, accompanied by the ringing of a bell to symbolize their silenced voices.
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To be here, Judi and Shere made long trips to honor their friend. Judi traveled in from California, and Shere made the trip from just south of Toledo, Ohio.
Georgine was 55 years old when she passed away, and well into her prime, said Shere.
”Her future looked bright,” said Shere. “Brighter than it had been in a long time.”
Emotions were flowing as the friends gathered around the name of their missing third.
”Its very hard,” Judi said as tears poured from her eyes. Fifteen years had not dulled the pain. “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten over it–[it] doesn’t get any easier.”
Judi and Shere have both experienced the loss of loved ones due to sickness and age. This was incompara ble to those, however.
”Its not like when someone dies of an illness. This was so quick and unexpected,” said Shere. “Nobody in the world would have thought anything like this could have happened.”
Judi agreed.
”Its harder than losing a loved one in the family if they were sick,” said Judi. “You know, you kind of expect it – but this you never did.”
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Among the crowd were members from the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group. More than 20 members from Chapter Two out of Akron Ohio made their way to Pennsylvania. The organization is dedicated to helping veterans, according to Vice President Jim Jarrett.
The group of bikers escorted two busloads of children to Shanksville so they could learn about and understand the sacrifices that were made on this day all those years ago. The kids came out to learn about an event that wasn’t even part of their life, Jarrett said, surrounded by people who lived through this tragedy.
”Fifteen years ago, some of these kids weren’t even alive,” said Jarrett. “There’s not much in the textbooks. It’s up to organizations like us to teach them.”
The group wants to make sure that no one forgets what happened, as well as the emotions that are tied to it.
”I tear up,” said Jarrett, wiping his eye. “Its very heartfelt what was going on here — we don’t want anyone to forget.”
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Each year, United Airlines sends representatives to the memorial to pay their respects.
One of them, Lezlee Sims, stood in the family area right after the anniversary ceremony. In her hand she held a rose, which she said represents her fallen comrades.
”They’re heroes, and ‘she-roes,'” said Sims.
At her side were at least 10 other flight attendants who were there for the same reason as her: to remember what happened.
”It’s important for me to be here,” said Sims. “They sacrificed the ultimate and it’s important that they are remembered.”
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The youngest passenger on the plane, Deora Bodley, was only 20 years old; her whole life was ahead of her. Gregory Linden, the boyfriend of her mother, recounts that she was recently engaged. She had hopes and dreams. She had so much to offer.
”That’ll never happen now,” he said.
Deora was idealistic and was very active in her community. Linden, however, never got to meet Deora, as he started dating her mother after the tragedy. He’s heard about her and the impact she made on those around her. He’s a firm believer that she helped take out the terrorists on the plane.
Linden made sure that he was able to make it the memorial on Sunday, as he traveled from Annapolis, Maryland.
This isn’t his first time, however, as he has come here a number of times to honor the daughter of his girlfriend.
”We’re here on the 15th anniversary to see what’s going on and sustain the memory,” he said.
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Most Americans can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the world stopped turning on Sept. 11, 2001.
For Carl Watson, he remembers being in jail.
He was a corrections officer working in the control tower when he received a phone call telling him a plane flew into the World Trade Center. At first he thought nothing of it. That changed later on that day when he learned the full scope of the attack on American soil.
”At that point, I knew that someone was assaulting America,” he said.
Watson is an Air Force veteran who served for 18 years and six months, opting for early retirement.
Three weeks before the attacks, his son enlisted in the Army. He served for eight years, doing two tours in Iraq because of the events of Sept. 11.
Today, Watson and his wife made the seven-hour trip from Rome, New York, for the second time to honor those who passed away in the attacks.
”It’s a good way to remember what happened, especially what these individuals at Flight 93 did on that day,” said Watson. “It honors them for their sacrifice.”
Having a strong military background, Watson realized that too many people don’t appreciate the things that people have to do so others can sleep peacefully at night.
”Too many people take too many freedoms in this country for granted,” said Watson. “A lot of people don’t understand, they don’t discuss the sacrifices that people make here in America.”
Watson hopes to see more people recognize the sacrifices that are made, and seeing the youth that were present at the event helped him believe that more.
”We came here to show honor and respect to the families — to show them that people even 15 years later, wont forget the sacrifice of their family members,” said Watson. “To let them know that they died just as bravely as any hero on the battlefield.”
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Chaplain Colonel John Laing, the senior Army chaplain for the state of Texas, brought his wife and children with him to the anniversary ceremony.
Just like Watson, Laing is a military man. Fifteen years ago, Laing was waiting for a group of soldiers to arrive home by plane. At the time, he didn’t know another airplane had hit the World Trade Center
The mother of one of the soldiers he was waiting for called Laing – “Was my baby on that plane?” she asked. Confused, Laing turned on the TV and learned of the destruction.
Laing contacted the military unit to find out that they were coming home the following day, and let the soldier’s mother know. He hung up. Then he called his then-fiancé to tell her what was happening. Three weeks later, he shipped out to serve.
Today, Laing is doing work in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for a year. He and his family made the short trip out to pay their respects.
“We thought it was a good opportunity since we were so close to come to the memorial and [can] honor the families and reflect upon the prices that are paid for the freedoms that we have in this country,” said Laing.
”Whether it’s the heroes on the plane, or the military members or the public service personnel, this was a good opportunity to help our kids understand something about sacrifice and some of the great things about this country that we enjoy that others in the world don’t.”
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No one’s reason for visiting the Flight 93 memorial is the same – but their reason for remembering is.
Fifteen years later, a community mourns the loss of that fateful day — just as they did in 2001, just as they will fifteen years from now, just as the nation will forever.