Twisted, rusted piece of metal will stand as symbol of appreciation
Section of World Trade Center makes stop in Colchester County
A piece of history made a stop in Colchester County on its way to Newfoundland, where it will stand as an eternal symbol of gratitude.
A section of steel beam from the south tower of the World Trade Center will be set on an accompanying pedestal at the Gander, N.L., airport. It’s a gift from the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named for a firefighter killed while doing rescue work at the tower site during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The item made a stop at the Valley-Kemptown Fire Hall Friday afternoon, where firefighters and motorcyclists were waiting. Motorcycle clubs, in relay fashion, are escorting it to Gander and a change in motorcyclists was made in Valley.
“Being part of this is important to me because it’s about honour and respect,” said Marc Osmond, a Truro resident and member of the Defenders. “If we can have fun doing something like this and support a good cause at the same time it’s a win-win. If there’s a cause, there’s a group of motorcyclists who will ride for it.”
Osmond was a submariner in the navy and feels there is a strong connection between veterans. He has taken part in honourary escort events in the past and planned to travel as far as the causeway on this trip.
Being part of the escort is also special for Fred Rideout, of Windsor, who travelled up especially to join in.
He was a member of the air force when the towers were toppled after two jetliners were flown into them by terrorists. When he first saw clips of what had happened he thought it was scenes filmed for a movie.
“The next day, when we took off, there was nothing in the skies,” he recalled. “The radios were dead silent and the skies were empty. It was the loneliest feeling.”
Rideout, originally from Newfoundland, was also a firefighter and visited the World Trade Center site.
“With all of those connections it’s very important for me to be here,” he said. “This really represents what every province did.”
He plans to escort the steel as far as North Sydney.
Residents of Gander provided shelter and provisions to about 7,000 travellers who were stranded there for three days after the attack on the WTC in 2001, due to passenger airliners being grounded.