Click on this photo to view each step of this adventure chronologically. |
For those of you who follow my fishing
adventures, you know my passion for angling and the outdoors runs deep.
Well, this weeks story is not about fishing, it's about Passion, Honor
and Respect. Most of you only know me as a fishing guide; well there is
more to the story, so please join me on the journey of my lifetime.
Besides guiding anglers to the catch of their lives, I have also proudly
served as a professional fire fighter since October 1, 1974.
The story begins on the cool clear morning of
September 11, 2001. The cloudless skies of blue and bright morning
sunshine i
ronically set the stage for the
darkest days in American history. In the halls of the World Trade
Center's twin towers thousands of workers went about their business
tending to their daily jobs. That was until a band of heartless
terrorist flew hijacked aircraft into the towers murdering thousands of
innocent people as well as 343 brave FDNY fire fighters.
As fire fighters and Americans we were
deeply touched by the losses suffered in these cowardly attacks, so on
the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks the fire fighters
at Kennedy Space Center Fire Department made the decision to build a
September 11th Memorial at Fire Station 1.
Shortly
thereafter we submitted a proposal to NASA for the development and
construction of our memorial site, which was denied due to budget
restraints. Although this was a setback, we made the decision to move
forward with the project by developing a funding it on our own. Slowly
but surely we redeveloped an abandoned satellite television
dish site on the north side of KSC Fire Station 1, and on September 11,
2012, our memorial site was dedicated by KSC Center Director and
veteran astronaut Robert Cabana. Although we had reached the goal of
establishing a memorial site, we were still missing a key element, a
World Trade Center Artifact.
With the memorial site dedication behind
us, our efforts soon shifted to acquiring a WTC Artifact to complete
the project. The following year we made numerous attempts to reach out
to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to no avail. No return
messages or emails. Our hopes of acquiring an artifact more than a
decade after the attacks seemed hopeless. Another year passed, and
after our second September 11th Memorial Ceremony at Fire Station 1,
Center Director Cabana and KSC Fire Chief Anderson agreed to write
letters to the Port Authority on our behalf.
Again, another six months passed with no
response, and our endeavors seemed hopeless. Then on a Friday afternoon
I received an email from Chief Anderson containing an image and
description of WTC Artifact G-0063, a seven foot long 16" X 16" I-beam
weighing just under 2000 pounds. With wind in our sails once again we
began reaching out to our friends at KSC for assistance, and our project
moved forward.
Monument Towers and Tops |
In addition to the unbelievable
response received by TWU International, other in-kind donations of
assistance began rolling in: David Harrison from
Hensel Phelps Construction Company
specifically designed, engineered and constructed the twin pedestals
needed to support the I-beam. David specifically designed the monument
base as a scaled version of the twin towers not only in dimensions but
also orientation. Renowned NASA artist Tim Gagnon designed two images to be used in the production mission patches and medallions for fund raising and commemorative
purposes. Pat Brown from Boat Outfitters in Orlando designed and manufactured black Corian tops for the monument. All donated to the project at no cost.
One of the highlights of our journey for me was receiving the WTC artifact from the hanger at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Seeing it in real life for the first time took my breath away as it rolled out on a freshly painted red, white and blue American Airlines tug. Its unique character expresses a charisma of its own, and the reality and importance of our mission touch my heart. During this reception, an American Airlines employee asked permission to place a photo of his brother-in-law who was lost his life in the attacks , Captain Patrick Brown, on the artifact for the trip back to KSC, and I'm proud to say we were deeply touch and honored to have Paddy join us on our incredible journey.
Right to left, Kevin Smith, President of TWU Local 525, Angelo Cucuzza Executive Vice President of Local 501 and Sean Doyle International Vice President of TWU Air Transportation Division |
In closing, I would like to thank the
three TWU Executives above for making this journey possible, and helping
us honor this hallowed WTC Artifact in the most respectful and
dignified manner. They not only covered our travel expenses, they
accompanied us as members of the escort team on every step of our
journey to remember those lost in the attacks of September 11, 2001. I
love each and every one of you as through you were my brother, again
thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This story is too long to tell in an
article, but through the photo links above provided by Mary Matthews who
chronologically documented every step of our journey from our arrival
in New York to the final placement of the artifact. From the lens of
her camera, you will see and feel the passion, horror and respect of all
who crossed paths with this artifact. Yes, it is just a piece of steel;
a piece of steel in its final resting place serving as a hallowed and
constant reminder of this tragic event, those we lost and the extensive
pride we all share in our hearts for our country and our freedom.
As these fire fighters hurried up the stairwells of the WTC on that faithful day they
shook hands and
said goodbye to each other as they knew
their fate was waiting in those burning towers. It is with my highest
regard and respect I salute them and shed my tears of pride.
So, the next time you hear a siren
approaching, please say a prayer fire fighters safety and courage and
for those we lost on September 11th.
We Will Never Forget!
Captain Tom Van Horn