Heroes every one!

Sometimes whilst travelling you come across something by accident that can change you. Today was one such day, we were sailing up the i 219 when I spotted a small sign for the Flight93 memorial.

I have to admit despite being alive, watching and horrified at the atrocities of 9:11, I knew remarkably little about the Flight93 story.

On entering the memorial you drive a long road from the main highway to the beautiful visitor centre. There were quite a number of visitors including a Harley Davison club but the site is large and well organised so the whole experience remains dignified.

Once inside there is a walk around information section outlining in some detail the events of the day. There is one section where you can listen to the final phone conversations of some on board. I couldn’t bring myself to listen in but I have since spoken to an American friend who says he found that the most moving part of the whole experience. The story of how the passengers realising they were a flying weapon banded together armed only with jugs of boiling water and bags full of courage to prevent disaster is nothing short of astounding. This aeroplane was headed for the Capitol Building in DC and doubtless would have killed and injured thousands of innocent people.

With tears in your eyes there is a mile walk (you can drive) down to the actual crash site fittingly now marked by a large boulder and flanked by a beautiful marble memorial naming all of the passengers and crew who were lost that day.

The sight is structured with a gap through the visitor centre aligned down to the crash site showing the path of the aeroplane. This seems to emphasise the enormity of the actions on the day.

I believe the site was originally a spoil site from nearby coal mining activity but now has been restored and planted to allow nature to thrive.

Before leaving you are encouraged to visit the Tower of Voices a fitting tribute in the form of a 93 ft wind chime echoing forever the voices of the heroes lost that day.

“Ordinary people, given no time at all to decide, did the right thing”

Bill Clinton