The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum hosted 23 tons of steel from the World Trade Center on Saturday, as well as a way for Yorba Linda residents to remember the 20th anniversary and teach their children about the horrors of the day.
One speaker, Tom Frost, an Orange County resident, lost his daughter in the attack.
“She was 22 years old,” Frost said. “She was a passenger aboard United Airlines flight 175 on September 11, 2001. That was the second plane that was flown into the World Trade towers, or the south tower.”
Hearing from those who lost a loved one had a profound effect on those in attendance, Yorba Linda resident Anne Monterosso said.
“I think that it’s very hard for the families that have had to go through all this. They’ve gone through a lot, and always having to repeat year after year, must be very trying for them,” Monterosso said. “So it’s very important that we keep things up like this and to remember what happened and let our children know so that we can learn from it and hopefully never do it again.”
Kristen Chamberland wanted her 5-year-old daughter to learn that lesson as well, as her child wants to be a firefighter when she grows up.
“We just wanted to remember the 20 years since 9/11 and teach my daughter about the 343 firefighters that died,” Chamberland said.
Frost, who lost his daughter in the attacks, was appreciative that other parents are ensuring that people never forget.
“God bless you for remembering,” he said.