'I'm Just Never Going To Forget': Families Gather At Flight 93 Memorial To Pay Tribute To 9/11 Victims
SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- Families of the victims gathered inside the Flight 93 National Memorial on the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
"Every year, it's like a fresh reminder. What can I do to honor or make myself better?" said Camal Wilson.
Wilson was 10 years old when his uncle, First Officer Leroy Homer, died in the Flight 93 crash.
"Nineteen years later, it's incredible. I mean, look where we are. This is a national park. You can't go inside the Pentagon or the World Trade Towers," Wilson said.
Alongside his family, Wilson remembered his uncle's sacrifice and love for flying. But as the years go on, he said each of the victims has become part of him.
"It's a sad time, but it's a time for us to be together and remind yourself there are 40 strangers and they made a family," Wilson said.
Wilson encourages everyone to not just honor the victims on the anniversary, but every day.
"We have the opportunity to remind ourselves, we are all American. We are all human. We can come together, hopefully, not just for one day, but for something bigger than ourselves," Wilson said.
Among the hundreds of people at the memorial on the 19th anniversary was Therese Garafalo.
"I served with the New York City Police Department. And for one year, this year, I wanted to do something different," Garafalo said.
She made the trip to Shanksville to pay tribute to the Flight 93 victims.
"I can't even tell you the feelings I have. It means so much, it's just memories I'm going to have forever and I'm just never going to forget, just brings back a lot of memories," Garafalo said.
Memories from her time at Ground Zero. She hopes memorials like the one in Somerset County continue to teach future generations.
"We just can't forget those people that we lost," Garafalo said.
The Flight 93 National Memorial Park is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.