The Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America tour made a solemn stop in Boston on Wednesday, paying tribute to fallen heroes during a cross-country journey expected to conclude in New York City shortly after the Sept. 11 anniversary.
At the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston’s Seaport, organizers displayed a preserved 21-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center’s South Tower, a powerful 9/11 artifact that has been traveling across the country since May.
“For first responders and veterans, especially as we approach the 25th anniversary, this is deeply personal,” said Dan Magoon, executive director of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes. “It’s about teaching the next generation and making sure we never forget the sacrifices made on 9/11, as well as everything endured over the two decades that followed in combat zones around the world.”
Visitors paused Wednesday to honor the 21-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center’s South Tower as the Steel Across America tour arrived at the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston’s Seaport. (Jason Thiele Fotografik Memories)
Mike Eruzione, the captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team remembered for the legendary “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union, also took part in the tribute, remembering friends who were aboard one of the planes hijacked during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“It touched the heart of our country. It touched the souls of our country,” Eruzione said of Tunnel to Towers, which helps 9/11 families, first responders, and veterans rebuild in part from funds raised through nationwide charity runs.
Guests stand in front of the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston on Wednesday. (Jason Thiele Fotografik Memories)
The gathering brought together first responders from Massachusetts as well as law enforcement. Guests were allowed to approach the 16,900-pound beam and pay their respects.
“It’s just crazy to think about where it once stood, the people that worked inside the buildings, the people that rushed inside to save those people, and what happened when it all came down,” said Daniel McCarthy, a Bostonian whose parents are from New York.
American flags on a grassy area at the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston. (Jason Thiele Fotografik Memories)
The beam was brought to Fenway Park on Wednesday night after traveling to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Monday.
On Sept. 8, the tour will stop at the White House in Washington, D.C.