Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown community came together at the Heroes Memorial to remember those affected by the tragedy and reaffirm its commitment to never forget.
President Dr. Jem Spectar participated in the wreath-laying ceremony alongside students, faculty and staff. Admissions Counselor and Recruitment Specialist Sydney Petro performed “America the Beautiful” during the ceremony. The gathering concluded with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center.
Dedicated in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Pitt-Johnstown's Heroes Memorial serves as a place of remembrance for the victims of September 11 and members of the U.S. military who lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At the center of the memorial stands a 3,500-pound steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center in New York City. The memorial also includes more than 9,000 names, including more than 3,023 victims of the September 11 attacks.
Pitt-Johnstown's location carries an additional connection to the events of September 11. The campus is approximately 20 miles from the Flight 93 crash site in Somerset County and about 200 miles from the Pentagon, where another hijacked aircraft crashed.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, the Heroes Memorial remains a place on campus where the Pitt-Johnstown community can pause, reflect and remember.