Heroes walk dedicates Flight 93 overlook, launches new efforts

Sep. 10—SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — Standing in the newly enhanced Western Overlook on Saturday at Flight 93 National Memorial, Ken Nacke remembered his first visit to the very spot, just above the Flight 93 crash site.

He said it was about Sept. 14, 2001, just three days after his brother, Louis J. "Joey" Nacke and 39 other passengers and crew members were killed when terrorists crashed the United airliner as passengers tried to regain control of the cockpit.

Ken Nacke and other family members who had traveled to Shanksville were brought to what is now the overlook area of the crash site in buses.

"This is the first exposure that all family members that were here for those two occasions had when they brought people out here," Nacke said during Saturday's dedication ceremony. "This is the place that, for us, created the memories we are going to have — standing up here; having several hay bales standing behind us; volunteers' families handing us flowers.

"This is where we were able to say goodbye to our loved ones. It was hard for me."

The overlook site on the hillside below the park Visitors Center and above the Memorial Plaza was central to the initial response in the weeks following the crash. Located near a former Rollock Inc. scrapyard building, the surrounding area was taken over by the FBI to direct the investigation and conduct some initial testing.

Despite that metal building's historical significance, the structure was removed a few years ago because of safety concerns and its deteriorating appearance, said Steven Clark, superintendent of Western Pennsylvania parks for the National Park Service.

Donna Gibson, executive director of Friends of Flight 93, said the design for the overlook area was kept simple.

Macadam from temporary roadways around the investigation site was recycled for the surface and block benches cut from sandstone provide visitors a place to rest and reflect on the historic event. The area will be surrounded by pollinator gardens, Gibson said.

Park rangers will walk with groups from the Visitors Center to the overlook for programs, discussing how the location was associated with the investigation.

The park service is not done with the development of the original "footprint" of the 9-11 response, Clark said during the dedication program.

Since the Memorial Plaza was dedicated in 2010, the Park Service and other organizations in the Flight 93 Partnership dedicated the Visitor Center and Education Center in 2011 and the Tower of Voices in 2015.

"All the while, this footprint has been on my mind," Clark said. "It's always been a vision to transform this space into something special."

With the Western Overlook completed, the partnership has decided to add another memorial area to honor the first responders who came to the crash site and worked through the investigation and recovery, he said.

"We had thousands of first responders and investigators, along with clergy, priests, rabbis, Red Cross and others," Clark said.

A roadway into the area has already been redesigned as a loop to represent the traffic traveling to and from the site during the initial investigation.

Clark said the design and scope of the first responders memorial is still under discussion. It may be as simple as a statue recognizing the response.

Saturday's dedication culminated in the annual Heroes Walk, raising money for the Friends of Flight 93 organization.

About 150 people took part in the walk, including 130 who registered in advance.

Proceeds from last year's walk funded the overlook enhancements. This year's funds will launch the Friends' new effort to replace damaged or dead trees in the 40 memorial groves of 40 trees each.

Planted over the past 11 years, some of the trees have been damaged by Somerset County's unpredictable weather, Gibson said. That led the group to make arboriculture its next focus area.

Saturday's program included family members of those who died in the attack on Flight 93.

Louis Nacke's cousin, Patrick White, said he was not surprised to learn his cousin was among those who led the attack on terrorists in the plane's cockpit. Earlier on Sept. 11, before he knew his cousin was on the plane, White said he told his secretary his family members would not just sit still during a hijacking.

"We now know that's what Joey did," White said, noting that Nacke's remains were found about 100 yards beyond the main crash site.

"He was in the cockpit, the nose of of the plane; His brother and sister heard his voice on the cabin voice recorder. He didn't ask somebody else to do it. He stood up and took care of business.

Ken Nacke added that he was amazed the passengers acted so quickly. It was just over 30 minutes after the hijackers turned the jet toward Washington that it crashed in a field near Shanksville.

"They were able to get over that initial shock," he said. "They weren't soldiers; they weren't policemen; they weren't firemen. They were moms and dads, brothers and sisters. husband and wives. They were able to formulate a plan, vote on a plan and execute a plan — in 30 minutes."

Debby Bodley, whose 20-year-old daughter, Deora Borzo, was the youngest passenger, said she is inspired by seeing how other young people from the time have found success, dedication and passion over the past 22 years.

"It has me wondering what would she really be up to, Bodley said. "I guess the closest I'll ever get is how we live our lives — what we've accomplished over the last 22 years. It gives me the opportunity to see Deora in all of you.

"Whatever it is that you are passionate about; whatever you are committed to, that is something that Deora was definitely up to engaging in. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of what Deora may have been doing 22 years later."