Memorials were held across the country on Thursday to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks, which occurred 24 years ago. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when 19 men hijacked four U.S. commercial airplanes, crashing them in New York, Washington, D.C., and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
In New Bern, people gathered at the fire station at 8:46 a.m., the exact time the first plane hit. First responders, police, and locals came together to hear personal stories and speeches from officials who were at Ground Zero and the Pentagon. The ceremony included the laying of a wreath, the ringing of a bell, and bagpipes to remember those who were lost.
In Havelock, dozens gathered for a brief but powerful ceremony in front of the Havelock Police Station. This 9/11 memorial features items from all three crash sites, including a steel beam from one of the World Trade Center buildings, a chunk of concrete from the Pentagon, and a rock from the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the fourth plane crashed. Firefighters presented a wreath, and Havelock Commissioner Brenda Wilson brought a book detailing each victim’s story. Several attendees shed tears remembering the events of 24 years ago. The city of Havelock has had their memorial display since it was dedicated in 2012…