A nearly 17,000-pound steel beam from the World Trade Center's South Tower arrived at the Cincinnati Fire Museum as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s "Steel Across America" tour. The traveling memorial aims to honor the heroes and victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as the 25th anniversary approaches.
Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, stated that the tour is a generational promise to remember the sacrifices made. "Never Forgetting the sacrifice and bravery of our nation’s heroes, as well as our lost loved ones, is a generational promise that every American can help keep," Siller told Fox News Digital.
The 21-foot steel beam is traversing the country, providing communities far from Ground Zero an opportunity to connect with 9/11 history. In Cincinnati, former Marine infantryman Scott Nokes, a Tunnel to Towers ambassador and employee, joined local firefighters, FDNY members, veterans, first responders, and community members for the beam's arrival.
Nokes, who has benefited directly from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation after sustaining injuries in service that led to him becoming a double below-the-knee amputee, spoke about the importance of the foundation and the tour. "I know firsthand what it means to have the Tunnel to Towers Foundation show up for you when you need it most," Nokes said. "This foundation changes lives. It changed mine. When I stand before this steel and think about the men and women we lost on September 11, I feel an obligation to make sure their story keeps being told."
The ceremony at the Cincinnati Fire Museum included a color guard, bagpipes, the national anthem, a blessing of the beam, a moment of silence, remarks from fire and city leaders, and a Steel Flag presentation. The beam has been a focal point for pop-up events across 21 states.
Following its stop in Cincinnati, the "Steel Across America" tour is scheduled to visit the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on September 1, the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston on September 3, and the White House on September 8, before returning to New York City. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation also provides mortgage-free, accessible smart homes for catastrophically injured U.S. veterans and first responders, and this year is honoring the 343 FDNY firefighters who died on 9/11 by delivering 343 mortgage-free homes.