The town has acquired an eight foot long, 1,500 pound beam from the World Trade Center, from the New York City Port Authority. Gilbert is among a few municipalities in Arizona that received an artifact from the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center tragedy. With the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist act that killed almost 3,000 people rapidly approaching, a community committee has been formed to help raise funds to build a Gilbert 9/11 Memorial to hold this precious steel beam.
9/11 Memorial in Photos
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Wow, what can we say about that date? Used to be that I remembered it for my grandfather’s birthday. But that one morning, I decided to come to work early and I did not have the want or need to turn on the TV since all the news is so depressing. Right? So I am sitting at work and I get an email from my sister and she’s asking me, “So what do you think our brothers will do?” In oblivion I respond, “probably nothing, you know.” She returns an email “No, do you think they will be deployed?” I respond, “Nah, they are too old, even though they have that capability since they are in the guard after serving the Marines.” I hit send, my phone rings and it’s my sister. I cheerfully respond to her “good morning!” She says to me, “did you crawl out from under a rock? Go turn on a T.V. or radio!” The World Trade Center’s just got hit by two planes!” I was so shocked at this point I don’t think I even hung up. I ran to the break room turned on the T.V. and what I saw took my breath away! I thought about my brothers in FULL memory at this point.
That day had everyone glued to T.V.’s, radios, and the internet. The days following were so somber, everyone was walking and working in a dazed, confused state. I cannot remember a day when no planes flew in the sky until this happened.
Since then my brothers have been on what they call “tours”, I call “torture” to Iraq & Afghanistan twice. One is getting ready for deployment again the end of the year. I have a niece who also has answered the call to serve and will be deployed shortly for parts unknown. My heart still cries for all the innocent lives lost because of the fanatical, psychopathic, thoughts someone attempted to force on the world. I age about 20 years when my brothers go away. I always ask, “will this be the last time?” September 11, 2001 changed the lives of Americans forever. I am glad that we have brave men and women willing to stand up in front of us and our country for our freedom and safety. There is no way to thank them because saying “thank you,” does not measure up for the atrocities they experience and anguish their families feel.
Rachel Lopez-Delgado