A 21-foot steel beam recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center arrived at the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston's Seaport on Wednesday as part of the Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America tour. The tour, which began in May, is making its way to New York City in advance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
First responders and veterans gathered to honor the beam and reflect on the sacrifices made on 9/11 and in the subsequent years of conflict. Dan Magoon, executive director of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, emphasized the importance of educating younger generations about these events.
"For us as first responders and veterans, what this means as we come up on the 25th anniversary is personal. It's all about educating the next generation and not forgetting the sacrifices, not only made on 9/11 but what we've endured in the 20 years after in all theaters of combat," Magoon said.
Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, was also present, honoring friends who were passengers on one of the planes used in the attacks. He described the Tunnel to Towers foundation's work, which supports 9/11 families, first responders, and veterans through charitable events.
Attendees were able to approach the 16,900-pound beam to 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 Boston resident.
The beam's journey continued after its Boston stop, with a planned visit to Fenway Park that evening. Previously, the beam had been at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Monday. The Steel Across America tour is scheduled to stop at the White House in Washington, D.C., on September 8.