Cranberry Firefighters to Hold Dedication of Memorial With 9/11 Wreckage

The public is invited to attend the formal dedication of the 9/11 memorial in front the Park Fire Station on Route 19. Plus, where were you and what were you doing on Sept. 11, 2001? Share your memories in the comment section below.

Most everyone who is old enough can remember where they were and what they were doing when the first of two planes struck the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Now they can touch a piece from the day’s wreckage. Just in time for Patriot Day, the 11th anniversary of the attacks, the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company is holding a formal dedication of its 9/11 Memorial at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Park Station on Route 19. The public is welcome to attend the event, which also will feature the area’s other first responders.  The memorial itself is structured around an 832-pound piece of twisted steel that fell from one of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11. Two slabs of granite shaped like the Twin Towers …

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Where Were You on Sept. 11?

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001?

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the U.S. Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? I remember the morning of 9/11/01 as a sunny Tuesday—quick to turn dismal. A student at J.E. Harrison Middle School in Whitehall, I was in eighth grade, first period social studies with Mr. Housteau. The day began like any other, until our teacher was notified of "a second World Trade Center bombing." Soon after, we had all figured out what really happened, increasingly confused, shocked and saddened.  The rest of the morning, into the afternoon, was much of a blur. Little did I know, 19 terrorists from the Islamist militant group al-Qaida had hijacked four passenger jets—one, United Airlines …

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Remembering Sept. 11 and Telling the Story

I remember everything I did on Sept. 11, 2001, but telling the story isn’t easy.

Sept. 11, 2001 is the day that marks the difference between when I was a kid, and when I started growing up. I was 15 years old in the fall of 2001, a sophomore in high school, and an aspiring … something-or-other. It happened on a Tuesday, and I wasn’t thinking much beyond Friday. But when I remember that day, I don’t just remember what happened. I remember everything. The clothes I wore to school, what I ate for lunch, my class schedule and who I sat next to are still clear in my mind, as though I’m about to wake up tomorrow and do it again. It’s the uneasy feeling I remember most, because I knew my teachers—the people we looked to for stability and explanation—were scared. Worse, I remember the indescribable feeling of realizing it wasn…

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Touched By Terror: Patch Remembers 9/11 in 911 Snapshots

A powerful mosaic that captures sentiments across the country.

Wexford Firefighters Create '343' Memorial Out of Flags for Sept. 11

The number notes how many firefighters died in the line of duty Sept. 11.

Firefighters at Wexford Volunteer Fire Co. are remembering their brethren with a display of American flags that honors the number who died on Sept. 11.  The "343" temporary display is on the hillside by the fire hall on North Chapel Drive, just north of Route 910. Volunteer Mike Nosal said the firefighters started brainstorming about a week ago about what they could do to remember the first responders who lost their lives that day.  "We really like the way it turned out and even though we didn't know any of those 343 firefighters personally, they were still our brothers, and this is our way, Wexford's way, of remembering them," said Graham Maxwell, a volunteer who lives at the fire station and is 2005 graduate of Pine-Richland High School…

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Simply From Scratch

On the Anniversary of Sept. 11, Learn to Celebrate the 'Every Day'

Looking back 10 years brings memories both bitter and sweet.

When people find out that my birthday falls on 9/11 they invariably ask me, "How can you even celebrate on that day?" Well, I didn't on that particular day. A neighbor called just after the first plane hit, knowing I would be at my desk working. Our thoughts were that it was an accident, a plane off course. I was watching TV when the second plane hit, and I remember thinking, "Uh-oh. This is really bad." After that, I spent most of the morning on the phone with my mother. Two family members were supposed to be flying that day — my brother and brother-in-law. In fact, my brother-in-law was flying from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, and at the end of his trip he was going to take a commuter flight to Pittsburgh to visit us. He never got on his…

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Cindi Lash

4:59 pm on Sunday, September 11, 2011

You are so right, Kelly. Thank you for a thought-provoking column, and yes — happy, happy birthday.   more ›