Thousands remember 25 years since 9/11 at Flight 93 memorial in Somerset County
SHANKSVILLE, Pa. —
Everyone remembers where they were 25 years ago.
“I was in Alabama in high school,” said Steve Bennett, who visited the Flight 93 memorial for the first time Friday. “It was my ninth grade reading class.”
“I was sitting at Mellon Bank on the fifth floor,” said Mike Konodor, of the Glassport Fire Department. “I looked outside and it was a crystal clear day.”
“I was in Africa,” said Stanley Friesen, of Fort Worth, Texas. “Somebody in the country had to tell me New York was under attack.”
On Sept. 11, 2026, thousands came to Somerset County. A number of people visited the hallowed ground for the first time. Marc King, from Philadelphia, was one of them.
“I knew everything was going on today, it’s a good time to visit, and learn about this area,” he said. “It’s very sad here. It’s the memories it brings back from that day and time.”
Friesen was surprised by how many people found their way to Shanksville.
“People are here from all around the world,” he said. “Some of the people from our hotel were from Japan.”
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The heroes of Flight 93
Some visitors who paid respects are closer to the tragedies than others.
“I got a text from the fire station saying there’s a confirmed hijacking in Westmoreland County,” Komondor said. “Five guys were called a few weeks after to do a sweep through. We crawled on our hands and knees on a Saturday past the tree line.”
“I had a lot of my buddies, including myself, who were deployed to Afghanistan,” said Barrett, who is still in the U.S. Air Force. “This day means a lot to me during my time of service.”
Of the thousands that came from afar, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was one of them. He spoke during the afternoon memorial ceremony.
“It’s a reminder, to me, of the goodness that exists in every person, and the goodness that is inherent in this nation,” Shapiro said.
Those efforts made for a silver lining for what is a difficult day for the families of the 40 victims on board.
“I’ve never had to walk through a metal detector to see a loved one’s grave site,” said Jason Yorel Wilson, the nephew of Flight 93 co-pilot Leroy Homer. “It lets me know that the whole country honors those who gave their lives to be the first defense of a nation.”
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Ringing the bell at Flight 93 memorial
As the memorial bells ring again to never forget the heroes on Flight 93, the people take their stories, and courage, back home with them.
“It puts everything in perspective across the board,” Bennett said. “Life is fragile. Life is short.”
“It’s good to see,” King said. “People don’t forget. We’re still coming out and remembering those who were lost.”