Sept. 11. By Dave Yochum. The Cornelius 9/11 Remembrance Vigil, which ends at 11 am with a bell tolling for line of duty deaths among North Carolina first responders, drew dozens of residents and elected officials to the Cornelius Never Forget Monument which stands in front of Fire Station No. 1.

‘NEVER FORGET’

Community leaders and residents reflected on the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The 9/11 monument contains a scarred 8-foot long steel beam from the Twin Towers. Efforts to build the monument were driven by Cornelius resident Harry Saake, former Town Manager Anthony Roberts and Public Works Director Ricky Overcash.

Saake said Sept. 11 is a day of “somber reflection, thinking about the two friends I went to high school with, who both perished 9/11, and thinking how lucky I was to be a part of this memorial that will stand forever.”

The ceremony at the Never Forget monument was emotional. At 8:46 am, the flag was lowered to half-staff. At the same time 17 years ago, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.

There was a single bell toll at 9:03 am in honor of United Airlines Flight 175 which crashed into the South Tower, and another single bell toll at 9:37 am for American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.

At 9:59 am there was a single bell toll recognizing the South Tower collapse; another single bell toll at 10:03 am honoring United Airlines 93 in Shanksville, PA.; and at 10:28 am a single bell toll for the North Tower collapse.

MAYOR WOODY WASHAM WITH RICKY OVERCASH