PENNSYLVANIA (WHP) — On Friday, the nation commemorated 25 years since Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
At 10:03 a.m. on September 11, 2001, the aircraft went down after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control from four al-Qaeda hijackers. All 33 passengers, seven crew members, and four hijackers were killed in the incident.
Multiple agencies, including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, responded to the scene in the aftermath. Patti Anewalt, a grief counselor and Red Cross volunteer, arrived in Shanksville on September 12 and remained for two weeks to provide support to families and emergency workers.
“By the time I got there, there was this huge main area with phones and computers and rental cars,” Anewalt recalled. She assisted families who visited the crash site, some seeking closure while others chose not to attend.
In community efforts, a prayer service took place on the courthouse steps in Somerset County, inviting families to mourn together. Anewalt noted that children expressed their grief through letters to workers and families, with one letter highlighting the heroism of Flight 93 passengers in preventing further attacks.
Anewalt emphasized the importance of discussing the events of 9/11 with children, encouraging open conversations about grief. “We don't get over loss. We learn how to live with it,” she stated.
As the nation remembers the tragedy, the legacy of those aboard Flight 93 continues to resonate.