World Trade Center I-beam Tops 911 Memorial at Kennedy Space Center

>> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. BEFORE WE BEGIN, PLEASE TAKE A
MOMENT TO TURN OFF YOUR CELL. PHONES TO SILENT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW. ME.
I'M LIEUTENANT JAMES DUMONT, A.

MEMBER OF THE FIRE RESCUE AND
COMMANDER OF THE HONOR GUARD. HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE GATHERED HERE TO. MEMORIALIZE A DEFINING MOMENT IN
AMERICAN HISTORY. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS
VIVID MEMORIES OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001.
LOOKING BACK ON THAT DAY EVOKES.

A VARIETY OF EMOTIONS WITHIN ALL
OF US. OUR OWN FEELINGS AND MEMORIES
ARE PERSONAL, BUT WE ARE UNIFIED. BY A SHARED SENSE OF HONOR AND
RESPECT AND REMEMBRANCE. IT IS MY HONOR TO WELCOME ALL OF
YOU TO OUR STATION TODAY AS WE.

REFLECT ON THE MEANING OF THIS
DAY AND HONOR THOSE WE LOST AND. DEDICATE THIS MEMORIAL FOR
GENERATIONS AFTER US WILL NEVER. FORGET.
PLEASE STAND IN SILENCE FOR THE. POSTING OF
THE COLORS.

>> DETAIL.
>> EVERY ELEMENT MEMORIAL IS. SYMBOLIC.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE. SIT.
THANK YOU. EVERY ELEMENT OF THE MEMORIAL IS
SYMBOLIC.

THE FLAG POLE SERVES A REMINDER
OF OUR NATION'S ENDURING. COMMITMENTS TO FREEDOM, JUSTICE
AND LIBERTY. THE SHIELD RECALLS THE 343 FIRE
RESCUE PERSONNEL WHO MADE THE. ULTIMATE SACRIFICE GIVING THEIR
LIVES TRYING TO SPARE THE LIVES.

OF OTHERS.
THE TWIN CONCRETE BASES. REPRESENT THE TWIN TOWERS OF THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THOSE. FORM THE FOUNDATION THAT A
MEMORIAL CENTERPIECE, A STEEL. BEAM FROM THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER.

CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT THE JOB
THE BEAM ONCE HAD AND THE WEIGHT. IT BORE.
IT HELPED STRENGTHEN A PILLAR OF. COMMERCE AND A WORKPLACE FOR
THOUSANDS. THERE WERE LITERALLY HUNDREDS
WHO CONTRIBUTED TO BRINGING THIS.

PIECE OF HISTORY TO KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER AND I WOULD LIKE TO. THANK A FEW BY NAME.
NASA LEADERS DIRECTOR BOB CABANA. AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR KELVIN
MANNING AND SPACE BOARD. INTEGRATION AND SERVICES
DIRECTOR NANCY GRAY.

SHAWN DOYLE TRANSPORT WORKER'S
UNION OF AMERICA, VICE PRESIDENT. KEVIN SMITH, PRESIDENT OF LOCAL
525 HERE LOCALLY AND ANGELO. KOKUZO, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
OF 501 IN NEW YORK. THE CENTERA GROUP THAT SUPPORTS
SOLUTIONS AND OUR OWN MINUTES OF.

OUR ESCORT TEAM.
MYSELF, FIRE CHIEF RICK. ANDERSON, LIEUTENANT DANNY RAY
SEA WRIGHT, DRIVER TOM VAN HORN. AND LIEUTENANT.
THERE WERE MANY, MANY OTHER WHO. IS MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND WE ARE
FOREVER GRATEFUL.

THANK YOU TO THE AMERICAN
AIRLINES CARGO TEAM AND THE. CREWS AT JFK, PHILADELPHIA, AND
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS. TO ALL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTER
FIREFIGHTERS WHO MET US ALONG. THE INTERSTATE AND THE HUNDREDS
OF MOTORCYCLISTS FROM.

FIREFIGHTER AND VETERAN CLUBS
AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA. TO SHERIFF WAYNE IVY AND
DEPUTIES WHOSE ESCORT PROVIDED. SAFE PASSAGE ON THE FINAL LEG OF
THE JOURNEY. TO MARY MATTHEWS FOR SUPPORT AND
DEDICATION AS SHE RECORDED THE.

JOURNEY WITH HER PHOTOGRAPHY AND
VIDEO FOOTAGE AND A HUGE THANK. YOU TO THE INTERNATIONAL
TRANSPORT WORKER'S UNION AND TW. LOCAL 525 FOR OUTSTANDING
SUPPORT FROM THE VERY START OF. THIS ENDEAVOR.
THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR.

MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO. INTRODUCE KELVIN MANNING,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF KENNEDY. SPACE CENTER.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANKS, JIM.
GOOD MORNING. ON SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001, HERE AT
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, I.

REMEMBER THE DAY BEGINNING LIKE
MANY OTHERS BEFORE. IT WAS VERY BUSY.
WE WERE DOING ALL THE THINGS TO. SUPPORT FLYING THE SPACE SHUTTLE
AND LAUNCHING INTO SPACE. THEN AS THE TRAGIC EVENTS
UNFOLDED, WE GATHERED TO WATCH.

AND LISTEN AS THE NEWS REPORTS
STARTED COMING IN. PHYSICALLY WE WERE STILL HERE IN
FLORIDA, BUT EMOTIONALLY, WE. WERE THERE.
WE WERE ABOARD THE PLANES. WE WERE NEW YORKERS.
WE WERE IN THE PENTAGON.

AND YES, WE WERE THERE IN
SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. THIS WAS AN ATTACK ON AMERICA,
ON US, OUR PEOPLE, OUR COUNTRY, OUR WAY OF LIFE.
AT THE TIME IF YOU RECALL WE. DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHO WAS
ATTACKING US. IT WAS HARD TO KNOW WHOM TO
DIRECT OUR ANGER OR POTENTIALLY.

FEAR.
ONE THING WAS FOR SURE, PEOPLE. HERE WERE DISTRACTED.
COULD WE BE A TARGET? SO WITH A FOCUS ON SAFETY, THE
SPACE SCHULTZ ORBITERS WERE. POWERED DOWN AND FACILITIES
SECURE AND MOST OF THE WORKFORCE. SENT HOME.
REMAINING ON CENTER WERE.

PRODUCTIVE SERVICES PERSONNEL,
MEANING THE FIREFIGHTERS AND. SECURITY OFFICERS, READY TO
RESPOND IF NECESSARY TO WHATEVER. WOULD HAPPEN HERE.
SIMILAR TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS. IN NEW YORK CITY, 14 YEARS AGO
TODAY WHO REPORTED TO WORK READY.

TO GO AND READY TO FACE WHATEVER
THE DAY WOULD BRING. OUR COUNTRY'S FIRST RESPONDERS
ARE HEROES LIKE ASTRONAUTS. BECAUSE EVERY TIME THEY SUIT UP
OR PUT ON THE UNIFORM TO GO OUT. ON THE MISSION, THEY ACCEPT THE
FACT THAT THEIR LIFE COULD BE.

PUT AT RISK.
WE NOW KNOW THAT OVER 400 FIREFIGHTERS LOST THEIR LIVES IN
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER COMPLEX. INCLUDED IN THE NEARLY 3,000
PEOPLE MURDERED IN THE FOUR. TERRORIST ATTACKS.
TODAY WE'RE HUMBLED TO HAVE AN I. BEAM FROM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
AND ALL IT REPRESENTS HERE.

IT ALLOWS ALL OF US TO HAVE A
STRONGER, EVERLASTING CONNECTION. TO THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11th,
2001. IMAGES NOW ENGRAVED INTO OUR
PSYCHE. IMAGES OF BRAVE MEN, BRAVE
WOMEN, AND BRAVE CHILDREN.

IMAGES OF A DAY WE WILL NEVER
FORGET. NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. AND WILL BE EVEN MORE SO AFTER
TODAY'S DEDICATION. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE AND ALSO WANT TO GIVE A.

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN
AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM FOR WHAT DO. YOU EVERY DAY TO PROTECT US FROM
HARM AND KEEP US SAFE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE
MR.KEVIN SMITH, PRESIDENT, TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION LOCAL
525. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD MORNING.

LET ME FIRST BEGIN BY THANKING
NASA AND KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. DIRECTOR FOR HIS ADMINISTRATION
FOR PROVIDING THE TRANSPORT. WORKERS AND MANY OF THE OFFICERS
AND MEMBER TO JOIN HERE DURING. THIS SOLEMN EVENT.
WITHOUT THE COOPERATION AND.

EFFORTS OF MANY, THIS DAY WOULD
NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
EXECUTIVE WORKERS AND ALL THE TW. LOCALS DURING THIS ENTIRE
PROCESS OF OBTAINING AND. BRINGING THIS ARTIFACT TO THE
SPACE CENTER.

WHEN WE BEGAN THE JOURNEY, WE
HAD NO IDEA OF THE IMPACT THIS. ARTIFACT BRINGING TO FLORIDA
WOULD HAVE ON EACH OF US. OUR TEAM, CHIEF RICK ANDERSON,
TOM VAN HORN, JIM DUMONT AND. DANNY SEA WRIGHT, SHAWN DOYLE
AND ANGELA RETURNED HOME FOREVER.

CHANGED.
ALONG THE WAY WE WITNESSED THOSE. STILL IN MOURNING AND THOSE WHO
ALSO USE THIS AS A CHANCE TO. CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO
MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE ON. THAT FATEFUL SEPTEMBER DAY.
14 YEARS AGO, I STOOD IN THE.

BREAK ROOM OF COMPLEX 40 AT CAPE
CANAVERAL WATCHING A SMALL. PLAQUE AND WHITE TELEVISION OF
THOSE DAYS OF 9/11 UNFOLDED. LEVER REALIZING THAT 14 YEARS
LATER, I WOULD BE ADDRESSING. THIS CROWD ON A DAY LIKE TODAY.
WE WILL MEMORIALIZE THE HEROES.

LIKE NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER
PATRICK BROWN WHO GAVE HIS LIFE. SO OTHERS MAY LIVE.
HIS SISTER CAROLYN AND. BROTHER-IN-LAW RICHARD ARE HERE
WITH US TODAY. TIM BROWN, ANOTHER NEW YORK
FIREFIGHTER IS HERE WITH US.

TODAY AS WELL.
TIM AND PATTY, ALONGSIDE OF. THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT DAY
CHARGED THEIR WAY UP THE. BUILDING WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE
WAS RUNNING DOWN. FOR MYSELF, THERE NO OTHER WORDS
TO DESCRIBE THE EFFORTS OTHER.

THAN PLAIN AND SIMPLE HEROISM.
THIS IS THE REASON WE ARE HERE. TODAY TO HONOR THOSE.
I LEFT ON AUGUST 11th TO TRAVEL. ALONGSIDE FIREFIGHTERS TO BRING
HOME A PIECE OF AMERICAN. HISTORY.
FULLY AWARE I WAS NOT ONE OF.

THEM.
TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND. PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND THE
MEMBER WHO IS WORK HERE AND. PROTECT THE SPACE PROGRAM, I
CAME HOME A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. PERSON.
PART OF A BROTHERHOOD.

I CAME HOME WITH A NEW
UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEY DO. WHAT THEY DO.
WHY THEY CARE LIKE THEY CARE. GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
THOSE MEN AND WOMEN. THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO NOW ANNOUNCE.

THE HONORABLE WAYNE IVY.
>> KEVIN SOME. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO START AND FIRST THANK. EVERYONE THAT WAS A PART OF
MAKING TODAY HAPPEN. THERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WORK
BEHIND THE SCENES AND SO MANY.

VOLUNTEERS AND LEADERS AND
PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT ACTUALLY. DOING THE WORK OF PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER. I WANT TO START BY THANKING EACH
AND EVERY PERSON INVOLVED IN. THIS.
WHEN KEVIN FIRST CALLED AND.

ASKED US COULD WE DO THE ESCORT
FOR THE ARTIFACT AS IT WAS BEING. BROUGHT IN, WE SAID ABSOLUTELY.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD AN IDEA AT. THAT POINT HOW BIG IT WAS GOING
TO BE AS THIS THING STARTED TO. UNFOLD.
I'M SITTING ON THE FRONT ROW AND.

LISTENING TO OTHER SPEAKERS AND
I LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE. MEMORIAL THAT IS HERE AND IT
SAID NOT ONLY TEARS, BUT TEARS. OF PRIDE AS WELL.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT OUR PRIDE AS A
NATION.

IT'S ABOUT NEVER FORGETTING
THOSE THAT WE LOST AND NEVER. FORGETTING THOSE THAT RAN
TOWARDS DANGER THAT DAY AND. TRYING TO HELP OTHERS.
AND MADE CERTAIN THAT THEY WERE. DOING THEIR JOBS.
WE LOST HEROES THAT DAY.

WE LOST GREAT MEN AND WOMEN,
AMERICAN PATRIOTS THAT PUT THEIR. LIVES ON THE LINE AND NOT JUST
SAID THEY WOULD DO IT, BUT DID. IT.
THAT DAY IS EACH ONE OF US STOOD. WATCHING THEM TAKE PLACE.
EVERYONE REMEMBERS WHERE THEY.

WERE AND WHERE THEY WERE
STANDING AT THAT TIME. WE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT.
I REMEMBER STANDING THERE THAT. DAY WATCHING OUR HEROES AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND. FIREFIGHTERS.
THEY WERE RUNNING INTO THE.

BUILDING.
THERE WAS NOT A LOOK OF WHAT TO. DO.
EVERY ONE KNEW WHAT TO DO. SAVE EVERYONE THEY COULD.
THAT'S A HERO. WE STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE
GREAT HEROES GAVE THEIR LIVES.

THAT DAY AND IT'S OUR JOB TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NEVER. FORGOTTEN AS HEROES.
IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT. DECADES AND GENERATIONS TO COME,
STAND ON THIS SAME PLATFORM WE. ARE TODAY, RECOGNIZING OUR
HEROES.

I REMEMBER THAT DAY THINKING I
WAS PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY
AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. I AM PROUD AND I LOVE THIS
COUNTRY. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT TODAY IS THE
VOLUMES OF PEOPLE THAT TURNED.

OUT TO SAY WE LOVE OUR HEROES.
NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE. WORLD AROUND US.
NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE. COUNTRY WHERE SOME PEOPLE FOUND
IT OKAY TO TARGET PUBLIC SAFETY. OFFICER, WE STAND HERE TODAY AND
WE REMEMBER THOSE WE LOST.

WE REMEMBER THOSE THAT SAID I'M
A HERO. AND I'M GOING TO GO SAVE
SOMEBODY'S LIFE. OUR JOB IS TO NEVER FORGET THEM
AND I'M PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY. ONE OF YOU THAT SHOWED UP TODAY
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR MEMORY.

LIVES ON FOREVER.
AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, EVERYONE THAT HAD A PART IN
BRINGING THIS GREAT MEMORIAL TO. LIFE, BRINGING IT HERE AND
MAKING IT A PART OF OUR. COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PROUD OF
THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY HOLD A. PART OF HISTORY IN REMEMBERING
OUR HEROES.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[ APPLAUSE ] \M\M
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\M\M. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COULD I
PLEASE HAVE YOU STAND IN SILENCE.

FOR THE FIREFIGHTER'S LAST CALL.
>> IN OBSERVANCE OF SEPTEMBER. 11Th, 2001 ANNIVERSARY, WE WILL
NOW PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF. SILENCE.
AS A MEMORIAL TO UNDER ARREST. FALLEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
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>> PERSONNEL--
>> UNIFORMED PERSONNEL-- >> OUR HEALTH COMES FROM THE
LORD, THE MAKER OF HECHE AND. EARTH.
WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME. GRACIOUS GOD, EVERLASTING
FATHER, WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE. INJURED BECAUSE OF GRIEF AND
PAIN AT THE DEATH OF LOVED ONES.

AND THINGS HAPPEN THAT WE DON'T
FULLY UNDERSTAND, HELP US TO. BELIEVE AND TO TRUST THAT YOU
ARE THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND. THE LIFE AND HELP US TO BELIEVE
IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, THE. FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THE
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY AND THE.

LIFE EVERLASTING.
WE THANK YOU FOR OUR COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
AND THE FREEDOM WE ENJOY. GRANT WE PRAY YOUR PROTECTION TO
OUR COUNTRY ESPECIALLY FROM. FURTHER ATTACKS.
WE THANK YOU TODAY ESPECIALLY. FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO ON
SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001, HEARD THE.

CALL OF DUTY AND DID NOT SHRINK
BACK OR HESITATE TO RESPOND. SOME OF THEM PAID THE SUPREME
SACRIFICE IN THAT THEY GAVE. THEIR LIVES.
IT WAS JESUS WHO SAID GREATER. LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN THIS THAN
TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS.

FRIENDS.
SO WE HONOR THOSE FIREFIGHTERS. FOR THEIR LOVE FOR GOD AND FOR
COUNTRY AND FOR THEIR FAMILY, FOR THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS OF
THIS GREAT COUNTRY. WE ASK TODAY THAT YOU GIVE
SPECIAL COMFORT TO THEIR. FAMILIES AS THEY ARE REMINDED OF
THE DEATH OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

TODAY.
WE DEDICATE THIS 24 BEAM AS A. LASTING MEMORIAL TO THEIR
SACRIFICE AND ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT. REPAY THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICE,
WE CAN HONOR THEM BY REMEMBERING. WHAT THEY DID AND BY DOING OUR
DUTY AS THEY DID TO THE BEST OF.

OUR ABILITY.
BLESS THIS MEMORIAL AS A SYMBOL. OF SACRIFICE, HONOR, SERVICE,
AND LOVE. AS A REMINDER ABOUT THE HEART OF
THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY. A REMINDER OF WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.

OF AMERICA.
IN THE NAME OF CHRIST I PRAY, AMEN.
>> UNIFORMED PERSONNEL-- >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU MAY
BE SEATED. I WANT TO PERSONALLY EXTEND A
SALUTE AND EXPRESS MY DEEPEST. GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE WHO MADE
THIS JOURNEY THE MOST MEMORABLE. AND HONABLE MOMENT IN MY 34-YEAR
CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL.

FIREFIGHTER.
THANKS TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND. COWORKERS FOR REMEMBERING AND
HONORING THOSE WHO PERISHED ON. SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001.
MAY WE NEVER FORGET. AFTER THE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTS
PRESENTATION, FEEL FREE TO.

ADJOURN TO THE OPEN RESCUE BAY
FOR WATER AND COOL DRINKS. THE MEMORIAL WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO INVITED GUESTS IN. ABOUT MINUTES AFTER THE MEDIA
HAD A VIEWING OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
ATTENDING TODAY.

THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ] \M\M
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>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN--.