An unsung hero of the 9/11 attacks E
Muslim engineer rebuilt the Pentagon crash site as a chapel
ighteen years ago on a September morning she’ll never forget, Manal Ezzat fled from the burning Pentagon building in such a panicked rush that her hijab fell off.
The next day, when the fires were still burning, Ezzat set to her task of rebuilding. Her vision, and the work of a huge team of public servants, led to what arose from the ashes: a new use for a site forever marked by tragedy.
Today, at the very spot where the plane piloted by terrorists crashed into the Pentagon, there is a chapel. Eighteen years after the mass murder of 184 people here, US military employees of every faith gather daily to pray.
‘United in Memory’
“There was a lot of emotion built into that effort,” Ezzat said this year. “We just wanted to make it a peaceful place that could help wipe away the tragedy.”
What emerged was a quiet sanctuary with cushioned blue seats and prayer books from several denominations. ■ Stained glass windows pay tribute to those who died here: ‘United in Memory, September 11, 2001’.
A schedule posted on the wall shows Episcopal and Lutheran services every Wednesday, Hindu services and Jewish study sessions every Thursday, Greek Orthodox services every Friday, Buddhist prayers twice a month, and more.
For Ezzat — who is Muslim and who was bothered by those who blamed her entire religion because the terrorists who attacked the Pentagon were Muslim extremists — seeing Muslims who are devoted US military employees at prayer in the chapel is fulfilling.