WASHINGTON — It was supposed to be a temporary memorial marking the resiliency of New York and the nation six months after 9/11. But for the first time, towers of light are now in place outside the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa. – poignant symmetry seen across all three sites, 19 years after the devastating attacks.
The beacon at the Pentagon will be illuminated for a final night Friday, from sunset until 1 a.m. Saturday.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation organized both displays in Northern Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“We are increasing the tributes this year to ensure all of the 9/11 sites are remembered across this country,” Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the foundation, said. “Light will always triumph over darkness, and with this tribute, we are signaling that to America.”
The foundation said the expansion began when the 9/11 Memorial & Museum initially canceled the 2020 “Tribute in Light” display in New York City. The museum cited coronavirus concerns, but later reversed its decision.
Tunnel to Towers then directed its resources towards including both Shanksville and Arlington for three nights of illumination, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 9.
The foundation commemorates the sacrifice of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center before the towers collapsed.
