Talking with kids about what happened on September 11 is emotional and challenging. Often it is helpful to have a backdrop of a monument or book to start the subject.
If you are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, check out the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial in Grapevine.
9/11 Flight Crew Memorial
A touching tribute to the horrific events that occurred on
September 11, 2001 lies in the heart of the metroplex. The
9/11 Flight Crew Memorial in
Grapevine, Texas lies right underneath the north flight path of the DFW International Airport. It’s the perfect place for it really.
My children and I visited this memorial this summer and it was a great place to talk to the children about what happened on September 11.
Dedicated to the professionals who crewed the 2 American Airlines flights and 2 United Airlines flights, the bronze sculpture that sits in the center of the memorial has 2 pilots, 2 flight attendants, and one child (who represents the traveling public). The names of the 33 crew members are engraved on the base.
The memorial also features a piece of steel girder that was from one of the World Trade Center towers and a stone from the crash site at Shanksville, PA and the Pentagon.
But the most interesting thing about the memorial for my children was learning the meaning of the sculpture. We enjoyed reading about all the details, such as the flight attendant placing the blanket around the shoulders of the child, representing a commitment to passenger care and service. Also, the crew is situated all facing a different direction, North, South, East, & West – representing a compass rose.
It is a beautiful and touching tribute and a great place to visit with your family this upcoming September 11.
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