In Westerville an 18-foot-long remnant of the World Trade Center was the focal point of the Day of Remembrance ceremony in that city.
The crumpled remnant from the World Trade Center was driven through town aboard a flatbed trailer before stopping at Westerville's Fire Station 1-11. Barbara Crawford who reached out to touch the piece of metal says she was moved by the experience.
"I just can't imagine what it was like on that day," Crawford said. The heat from that building being so hot to make the steel turn and look like this."
During the ceremonies which honored those who died on September 11th, various speakers from the city's fire and police departments made mention of the twisted steel beam.
"The community of Westerville is now home to its own piece of history that represents the strength and determination of our great nation. We have recently acquired a piece of steel from the north face of World Trade Center Tower One. This twisted and tortured piece of steel is known as C40. C40 spanned floors 98 through 101 as stamped in the base of one of the remaining columns. C40 was directly above the impact site where Flight 11 struck on this day 8 years ago." "Fellow citizens of the beautiful city of Westerville, that is a reminder of what took place on 9/11 in New York City. And it could happen here. I don't speak that on us, but I believe that we should never forget. God bless America. God bless America."
The crowd of several hundred was led in several prayers by chaplains from the city's fire and police departments. But even before the ceremony started, Karen Paneth, held her hand to the beam and bowed her head.
"I'm Jewish," Paneth said. "I was saying the prayer for the dead. And it says peace on all and peace in the world."
The remnant from the World Trade Center will be installed in a park dedicated to first responders next to the fire station.