As our nation marks the anniversary of the 9/11 attack Sunday, people in the Tri-State have a unique opportunity to see a traveling tribute to the fallen in the War on Terror that followed.
The “Remembering the Fallen” memorial will be available for viewing for two hours at “The Manor House” in Mason from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The “towers” featuring thousands of pictures provided by families of those who have died in these last 21 years was created by Patriot Productions.
“What we do is we ask each family that has lost a loved one to give us a picture of their hero in a military uniform and then also an inset picture of them loving life,” said Gold Star mother Noala Fritz, who travels with the memorial.
Keith Maupin with the “Yellow Ribbon Foundation” in Clermont County is spreading the word to families he knows will want to see this. He lost in son, Army Sgt. Matt Maupin, after Matt’s convoy was attacked and taken hostage near Baghdad in 2004.
“And I guarantee that each one of them is going to be looking for their boy or their girl,” said Maupin. His son’s remains were found and brought back to the Tri-State four years after Matt was taken hostage. Maupin said it feels like it was yesterday, the grief still fresh.
Fran Wesseling, the founder of the Greater Cincinnati chapter of the Green Beret Foundation arranged to bring the memorial here over a year ago as part of the foundation’s fundraising gala this Sunday night. At the time she first inquired about the memorial she did not know her son, Ret. Maj. Darren Baldwin, would be included on it.
Baldwin died last year, following years of steady decline from a traumatic brain injury suffered in 2005 when his unit was hit with an IED.
The “Manor House” has agreed to open its doors to all of the public for two hours this Sunday, September 11th, so that everyone has a chance to see it. It will be open from 1:00-3:00pm.
“And we hope that those in our community who will remember the fall and the tragedy of the 9-11 towers and all those that perished will not only remember that day…those people…but come and honor these soldiers who have served and sacrificed,” Wesseling said.
Wesseling and Maupin said the semi trucks carrying the memorial will arrive in Mason late morning Sunday and are asking anyone willing to help unload and set up the memorial to come to the Manor House around 11:00am.
“Yes we’ve been dealt a loss, but as long as we work in our own capacity to keep their legacy and honoring them alive it is bittersweet but also very reassuring for us as families…that our heroes fell but are not forgotten,” said Wesseling.
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