Twenty-Five Years Later: Fort Worth Remembers

Twenty-five years ago, a single morning changed our country forever. We remember where we were. We remember what we saw. And above all, we remember the people we lost, and the people who ran toward danger when everyone else was running away.

Those were the words I opened with this week, welcoming a room full of neighbors, first responders, elected officials, and students to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History for our city's commemoration of the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Standing before us all morning was something more than a piece of steel. It was a witness to history. The N-101 beam once supported floors 101 through 103 of the World Trade Center's North Tower, above the impact zone. Three steel columns, bolted together and standing three stories tall, it is now the largest World Trade Center artifact anywhere in the state of Texas. Today it stands in the Museum's Lantern as a permanent reminder of the lives lost, the courage displayed, and the extraordinary acts of service and sacrifice that followed.

We began by asking our first responders in the room to stand so we could thank them directly. Then the Joint Honor Guard of the Fort Worth Fire and Police Departments presented the colors, and the Singing Girls of Texas, who joined us for the ceremony, led us through the Star-Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Mattie Parker addressed the crowd, and Secretary Pete Geren offered something rarer: a personal account of where he was and what that day meant to him. September 11 is part of our shared national history, but it is also a collection of deeply personal stories, of where people were, what they witnessed, whom they lost, and how that day changed their lives. Hearing Secretary Geren's story reminded everyone in the room that history is made of individual people, not just dates.

From there, we turned from words to remembrance. A Fort Worth Police Commander came forward to place a wreath in memory of those we lost on September 11, and in honor of the courage and sacrifice of the first responders who answered the call that day, as well as the passengers and crews aboard all four aircraft, including the crews of American Airlines Flights 11 and 77.

A moment of silence followed, marked by the tolling of a bell, and then the Fort Worth Police Pipe and Drums played Amazing Grace. It is hard to describe what that sounded like echoing through the Museum's Lantern. The Singing Girls of Texas closed the musical portion of the morning with God Bless America.

Dr. Regina Faden, President of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, brought the ceremony to a close, reminding everyone that twenty-five years later, the significance of September 11 remains with us, and that the N-101 beam will continue to stand here as a lasting reminder of the lives lost, the courage of those who responded, and the strength and resilience that followed.

It was an honor to help lead this morning's commemoration. Fort Worth has always shown up for moments like this, and this one was no exception. If you have not yet seen the N-101 beam in person, I would encourage you to visit the exhibit in the Museum's Lantern and take a moment with it. Some things are better understood standing in front of them than read about afterward.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.