Remembering 9/11: Utahns pay tribute to 3,000 victims at Healing Field in Sandy
(KUTV) — Every year since the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks a special tribute has been put up in Utah.
This stunning display of more than 3,000 flags is known as the Utah Healing Field in Sandy.
It represents the lives lost, and those we continue to lose from the September 11, 2001 attacks. Each flag represents a victim.
“They didn’t know that morning that this was all going to happen,” said Natalie Isaacson, who is new to Sandy. It was her first time visiting the Healing Field this year.
She was with her mother-in-law, Sandy Isaacson.
They wandered through the flags, looking at each of the bios of the lives lost on September 11, and many after.
“There is so many peoples' lives who’s obviously been affected for the rest of their lives,” Natalie said.
The fields are one way Utahns can pay their respects to the victims.
“We have been looking at the names, and we are just so touched by those who were affected, even after the actual day,” said Lynn Isaacson.
It’s also a good way to reflect.
“It just makes you think about taking the time to cherish one another and forget politics — just trying to be good citizens,” Natalie said.
Paul Swenson is the founder of the Healing Field. He said each year, more flags are being added.
This year, flags for 15 FBI agents who investigated the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero were added to the field.
“More people have died since the terrorist attacks that actual day because of complications from the toxicity and different things,” he said.
Swenson said he’s now helped start healing fields in dozens of cities across the U.S.
“People connect with something bigger than themselves,” he said.
Swenson said he does it so as the years pass, the memories of lives lost will never fade.
“Some people are just learning, part of never forgetting is also teaching it to the next generation, so they learn it and not forget," he said.
More information about the Healing Fields can be found online here.
