Everyone from my age group and older remembers where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001.  For someone who really never watched much TV, especially in college, it was a crazy coincidence that my roommate and I were getting ready for class that morning and she just happened to turn on her TV as news coverage relayed that shocking account of the world trade center on fire due to a plane flying into it.

The buildings were so big that, however tragic the accident was, the majority of the people would be evacuated and the damage wouldn’t be too extreme.  Then we witnessed the second plane hit the other tower.  

Stunned, I left my room and made my way to class.  It wasn’t until a bit later after my teacher canceled class and I returned to the dorm that I heard reports and saw footage of the Pentagon being hit, the towers collapsing and learning that Flight 93 crashed not that far from where I went to school.

18 years later I finally made the trip to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial, and all the emotions from that day came flooding.  I knew it would be a somber place and a somber experience, but I was very happy to see the memorial was made with such elegance.

The visitor center had many displays highlighting the brave men and women on the flight that was probably headed for the White House.  It showed pieces of wreckage, very few personal items that were recovered and a model of the crash site.  Upon leaving the visitor center, you can continue on the stone path, mimicking the flight path, that leads to an overlook where off in the distance a huge boulder marks the crash site as the burial ground for the victims.

A trail leads to the stone walkway skirting the burial area, and that is as close as the public can get.  Only family members are allowed to approach the final resting place, through a separate entrance.

The first thing you see upon entering the memorial is the Tower of Voices.  We decided to go directly to the visitor center first and visit the tower on the way out.

It’s an impressive structure that stands 93 feet tall.  Forty chimes will represent the 40 courageous passengers and crew who fought terrorism in the final moments of their lives.

The chimes are still in the testing and fabrication phase but will be implemented when testing is finished to ensure the wind-activated system appropriately honors every member.

This was a truly beautiful memorial, so if anyone out there is able to visit this site, please do so.  Keep their memory alive and spread the inspiration of their bravery.