SHANKSVILLE -- Across the nation, Americans paused to remember 13 years since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001.
There were ceremonies at Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, and a field in western Pennsylvania.
We were in Shanksville this morning to experience how Pennsylvania pays tribute to its connection to 9/11 and we found others from our area felt the need to be there, too.
For 13 years now, family members have come emotionally to remember the day their loved one died at this spot in western Pennsylvania.
Hundreds of others from all over the state show up each year in Shanksville to support those families, remember those victims, and honor their sacrifice.
That included Tony Valenty from the Hazleton area.
"If you don't get emotional, you're not too much of an American, I guess, because they gave all they had so we could be here today," Valenty.
Forty names were read, forty times the bells rang for each victim credited with bringing down Flight 93 in an old strip mine, thwarting the terrorists.
"If it wasn't for those heroes on that plane, that are consecrated in this hillside, the United States Capitol would have been the target and destroyed," said former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert
Dennis Hastert was Speaker of the House on that day. He helped present the Flight 93 National Memorial with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor from Congress.
Children of the victims, too young to remember their mom or dad, read the inscription.
"The medal is inscribed with these words: a common field one day, a field of honor forever."
A wall bears the names of the 40 victims of Flight 93, but for the families, this spot means a lot more than just where they lost their loved ones. This has become a place like home.
"This is a place of comfort for me and I'm surrounded by people, a community, and they've been outstanding," said Philomena Nacke, the mother of a victim.
Philomena Nacke has now lived 13 years without her son.
She thanks the people of Pennsylvania and especially Somerset County for being caretakers to the spot she lost her boy.
Rescuers who were in this field on that horrific day say that's been their mission from day one.
"It's never been about the community. It's been about the family and their loss and whatever we can do to make it better for them is what we try to do," said retired Shanksville Fire Chief Terry Shaffer.
For family members of the Flight 93 victims, the draw to be in Shanksville on September 11is obvious but many others across the state feel almost as strong a need to come here each year, even 13 years later.
That includes Rafael Acosta Miranda from Scranton.
"The reason why we come here is to honor those who gave their lives and because especially this is the first place where Americans fought back."
They come for the formal tribute to the passengers and crew credited with stopping the terrorists plan to attack the nation's capital.
But there's more of a connection for many Pennsylvanians visiting.
This old strip mine is just like other rural parts of our state, except terror fell from the sky here.
"When you get here and see the memorial and see how it's laid out and see the trajectory of how the plane went down, and where it fell, you can kind of feel the last moments of that day," Miranda said.
Looking at the field, it's hard to tell the horrors that happened 13 years ago. But a lot is being done to make sure that is never forgotten. a wall stands in memory of the victims and there's a lot more to come here.
"It is wonderful, it's wonderful, it's so heartwarming."
Ilsa Homer's son was one of the pilots.
Family members of the victims are the only ones allowed on the actual spot the plane crashed. The memorial wall is here for everyone else.
And construction is underway on a visitors center full of information opening next year.
"I'll try to come back every year as long as the Good Lord lets me," Valenty added.
Shanksville is about a three to four hour drive from much of our viewing area.