Remembering Flight 93 heroes: Chalk artists create hand-drawn images of passengers, crew

SHANKSVILLE, Pa. — It’s been 20 years since a quiet September day became one that no one can forget. As people look back at the events of 9/11 and the lives that were lost, artists are creating a touching tribute to the heroes who died onboard United Flight 93 when it crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania.

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Chalk artists, including one known as The Chalking Dad, a Pittsburgh-based chalk artist named Erik Greenawalt, have been creating 40 portraits, one for each person who gave their lives on Flight 93.

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Images of the haunting works of art were shared by the Flight 93 National Memorial before Saturday’s remembrance events.

Memorial officials invited visitors to stop at the park’s visitor’s center to see the sidewalk canvasses.

One Facebook response was from the mother of Mark Bingham, who was one of the people killed. She wrote that she hoped the sidewalk displays would still be around when she arrived at the crash site so she could see the creations.

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On Friday, luminaria will be lit by the group “Friends of Flight 93″ with 40 candle lanterns carried by family members and guests to the wall of names.

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The public observance of the anniversary on Saturday is limited to family members but will be livestreamed on Facebook with the park’s grounds open to the public after the ceremony is finished. President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden are expected to visit the site, The Washington Post reported.

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