It was a peaceful morning in upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania. My wife Janny and I had just finished praying together in the kitchen before I realized that our 10 year-old son Michael left his fifth grade homework behind on the countertop. My current construction project was only five miles down the road on the Delaware River in Bucks County, where it borders the state of New Jersey. Tinicum Elementary was right on my way to work. I knew if I hurried, I could make it to Michael’s school before 9 a.m.

As I rushed to leave the house, I remember looking up and noticing the beautiful, perfect sky. It was a deep blue hue, not a cloud in sight. Being a restoration contractor that works with colors, you take notice of the vibrant colors of nature and hope to somehow re-create them. I reminded myself that nothing can be perfectly replicated that was created by the hands of God. I smiled at that thought, still grateful for the day to come.
The birds seemed absent on that September 11th morning. The air stood still as the earth held her breath for a moment. It felt as if the world had completely stopped in motion.

On the way to my son’s school, my wife called me on my new cell phone. I felt the concern and confusion in her voice. “Tom, a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center. I don’t know what’s going on.” My initial response was to ask, was it a big plane or a small plane? She only knew that there were unconfirmed reports that a plane hit the World Trade Center.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., I arrived at Tinicum Elementary and immediately requested to view the current events in New York on the television monitor. There were five teachers attentively watching the television screen in the school library.

At precisely 9:03 a.m., we watched American Airlines Flight #175 crash and explode into the side of the South Tower. Everyone was in complete shock.
Never before was there an event that simultaneously stunned the entire world on live television. Americans across our great nation and citizens around the world watched the terror of the assault on the American people. I believe everyone remembers that September 11th day with shock and great sadness.

Later that morning it was confirmed, terrorism hit American soil. A deliberate terrorist attack was made on our home front. At the time it was an inconceivable thought. For most Americans, the hours and days to follow were spent watching repetitive television footage of the planes crashing, towers burning, suicide jumps and updates of the increasing death tolls.

As more information was shared with the general public, my thoughts reflected upon the victims and their families. The children lost without preparation and the devastated parents left behind weighed deeply on my mind. What about the children survivors? Would they ever know how much their parents loved them? I thought of my kids and how much I loved them.

I prayed for the unfortunate employees of the Trade Center not ever expecting that September day to be their last. All this senseless death. I prayed more. These were my brothers and sisters. My heart ached for all of them.

According to the 2015 CNN report, a total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington DC and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Included in those numbers are 343 New York firefighters, 23 New York City Police Officers and 37 Port Authority officers. USA Today estimates at least 200 victims jumped to their deaths from the sides of the building.

It was the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. America was shaken and devastated.
In the days following September 11th, patriotism was at an all-time high. American Flags were displayed across our town. Every home waved their American Flag in remembrance of the victims.

The Red Cross gathered financial support for the 9/11 victims from around the globe. Citizens across the world sent heartfelt condolences and monetary support. Every American felt the tremendous loss and wanted to find a way to help their fellow Americans.
On September 12th, my family and I flew the American Flag at half-staff. We prayed for our countries great loss and the souls that were taken unexpectedly. We prayed for the families of the fallen victims, that they may find peace.

Terrorists hit our home front and I would not succumb to terror. My thoughts of despair turned into immediate action. I knew something had to be done. I made a distinct choice to do something, to begin the process of healing. But, how could I help heal the loss that America and the citizens of the world felt? How could I honor the heroism of the emergency personal? And what about the innocent children? How could I honor them? The faces of terrified children plagued my mind and tore at my heart.

I wanted to display the largest American flag I could buy, but none could be found. As I drove through my town, I noticed all the homes had their Flags proudly waving. I slowed down to admire the community display of strength, support and love. I realized we, the American people are all in this together. At that moment, I felt a real sense of community. A great surge of pride struck through my entire body. At that very moment every stitch of my being knew what it meant to be an American… Community.

That’s what inspired the idea of the patchwork flag. A flag sewn together by members of the community, representing each victim lost on that tragic September day. I was inspired to create a Flag that would be sewn into one huge Memorial Flag, each patch representing an individual and together it would represent that America is strong, America can heal and America will prevail.

The United We Stand/United We Sew project was initiated. Community members from Bucks County, PA and Hunterdon County, NJ were summoned. Volunteers participating in the project included senior citizens, students, church members, and scouts, totaling over 500 participants. Citizens joined together to create a symbol of peace and healing.

To watch the United We Stand, United We Sew video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bccXg1Ebg2Q The 9/11 International Memorial Flag took over 5 months to create. The patchwork quilt flag is 22′ x 32’ and has over 2983 miniature 4″ x 6″ American flags representing each victim from the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and flight #93, which have been sewn together into one Huge Memorial Flag. The project also contains flags representing the service organizations that participated in the recovery and rescue efforts, and national flags from all the countries that also lost citizens. In the center of the Memorial Flag are “The Praying Hands” as a message of hope and salvation for all.

The Memorial Flag pays tribute to the first responders and government officials including the FBI, USFWS, NYFD, Port Authority Police, NYPD, NJPD, paramedics, NYC Department of Sanitation, City of New York Department of Correction, New York State National Guard, Air National Guard, United States Coast Guard and all states contributing in support and recovery.

Initially, the 9/11 International Memorial Flag was to be presented and displayed at four significant locations. The Flag was unfurled at a ceremony on the USS Intrepid on March 11, 2002. It was officially presented to New York City Mayor Bloomberg at Bellevue, the official Medical Examiner’s site of Ground Zero. It then traveled to the Pentagon and Harrisburg, PA, the state capitol. Its final location for display was to have been in Bucks County, PA, where 19 county residents perished as a result of the terrorists attack. But, due to public interest and requests, the Flag has been traveling worldwide. Since that time, over 6 million people have viewed the Flag as it has traveled to over 100 locations worldwide, including the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad, Iraq and Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.

Thirteen years later, the Flag finished its long journey in San Diego, our nations “Finest City”, where it was proudly displayed at the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center (VMMC) during the May 9th San Diego Ride for Vets. Hundreds of people have signed the Flag from around the world, including San Diego Mayor Faulconer, other dignitaries, service personnel and survivors. Many people signing have found their loved ones stitched into its history. The Flag has come to represent the healing of the American people. Its proposed permanent location is the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City.

“The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park was privileged to display the 9-11 flag on its last cross country trip. Participating in ‘Operation Never Forget’ was a true honor for the Museum, and a lead in to ‘Remembering Our Fallen’, the traveling exhibit of photographs of the young men and women who have died in combat since that day. It is key to our future generations that we continue to remember those who have given all to preserve our freedoms and this country.” -Sheldon Margolis, Executive Director, The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park

The 9/11 International Memorial Flag/“Operation Never Forget” represents one of America’s finest examples of remembrance of history because it was sewn by the hands of our citizens. This traveling tribute flag belongs to all of us and it holds the memories of the people lost that September day. May we never forget. The International Flag is dedicated to all the people of our global community as a reminder that Good will overcome Evil and that we are all in this together.
Let us never forget our veterans and service members that courageously ensure our freedom and secure our democracy at home and abroad.

God Bless our Veterans. God Bless our Troops and may God Bless

By, CJ Machado & Tom McBrien