It’s a dramatic part of one of the darkest events in America’s modern history. Sitting on a huge truck parked outside of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is a massive steel beam. It’s an artifact from the 9/11 attacks, recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center.
"It's emotional. Maybe it's not meant to be described with words," said library visitor David Garrett. He admitted that he wasn’t prepared to see this sobering reminder of the 9/11 attacks.
"It brings me back to that day. It also brings me back to thinking about all the sacrifices that men and women have made for this nation, to make it great."
The 9/11 artifact is in Simi Valley as part of a nationwide tour put together by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
"What we're looking at here is a 21-foot piece of steel, 17,000 pounds, that was recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center," said Brad Blakeman, who is with the non-profit foundation. "We're taking this around the country as part of the Tunnel to Towers 25-year remembrance of the 9/11 attacks. We'll visit 40 stops in 21 states. We'll visit the White House. We'll visit Mt. Rushmore. We were at the Florida school where President Bush was on the day of the attacks. We were at where Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, when passengers took the hijacked plane down. This is a very iconic tour."
He talked about what they hope people get from the experience. "Our primary purpose in doing this is so people will never forget what happened on that day. "For younger people, this is their first experience. For those alive on that day, this is remembrance."
9/11 is a very personal thing for Blakeman. He was involved in the nation’s response to it, and lost a relative.
"On 9/11, I was at the White House," said Blakeman. "I was a member of George W. Bush's senior White House staff. I was the gatekeeper for people to talk to him. He was in Florida that day, speaking to a group of elementary school students, and reading with them when the attacks happened. I was back at the White House, and we were evacuated because Flight 93 was coming for us. The passengers took it down. But, we continued our work on behalf of the President."
Then, his family got some terrible news.
"My sister was calling me because her son, a New York State court officer and combat-trained Army medic, was killed, saving others in the South Tower."
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was created in 2001 to honor Steven Siller, an off-duty New York City firefighter who responded anyway, and gave his life trying to save others.
The foundation gives mortgage-free homes to the families of fallen first responders, awards scholarships to kids in their families, and works to find housing for homeless veterans. It’s sponsoring this 40-stop tour of the steel beam as we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
But, Blakeman said the tour isn’t a fundraiser. It’s intended to give people a chance of experience this 9/11 reminder. "Our mission at Tunnel to Towers is to never forget, and to remind America of the greatness of our heroes."
There’s no charge to view the artifact. The touring steel beam will be displayed outside of the presidential library until July 7.
