Flight 93 Families Want End to Controversy
By Jennifer Reeger, Tribune-Review
Saturday, May 3, 2008 

Anticipating more protest against the Flight 93 National Memorial design during a meeting today in Somerset, family 
members of some of those aboard the flight held a news conference Friday in Pittsburgh defending the maligned memorial. 
"Rather than standing pat and being quiet, we're standing up and saying, 'Enough,'" said Patrick White, vice president of the 
Families of Flight 93. 

Family members, who will be attending today's quarterly meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission and Flight 93 
Memorial Task Force, said they wanted to set the record straight on the design controversy once and for all. 

Some contend that the design of the memorial at the crash site in Stonycreek, Somerset County, includes several Islamic 
elements, most notably a walkway lined with red maple trees that they believe is a red Islamic crescent. 

Those detractors, including Thomas Burnett Sr., whose son Thomas Burnett Jr. was among the 40 passengers and crew 
killed in the crash during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, also believe the memorial orients toward Mecca, where Muslims 
face to pray. 

Burnett, who is one of several sponsors of a petition against the memorial that has more than 5,000 signatures, said he's 
sending surrogates to today's meeting to speak on his behalf. 

White said he and other family members decided to hold the news conference so that there would be a "clear record going in" 
to the meeting where they stand. 

"We stand on the cusp of moving forward at a very rapid pace where progress will be seen on the site that hasn't changed in 
nearly seven years," said White, whose cousin Louis Nacke II was aboard the flight. 

In fact, the families were set to sign closing papers yesterday afternoon for 930 acres -- about 75 percent of the land needed to 
build the memorial, which will be a national park. 

The family members reiterated what they have said time and again -- that Islamic symbolism is present nowhere in the design. 
The "crescent" referred to in the original design was tweaked to become more of a circle with two breaks where the plane crashed 
into the ground. 

They added that the design fits with the topography of the land. 

The partners in the memorial process have even consulted academics in mathematics and religion who all agree there is nothing 
to the dissenters' claims. 

"Their findings all agree that people looking for controversy will find it if they look hard enough, regardless of the evidence," said 
Gordon Felt, presidentof the Families of Flight 93, whose brother Edward Felt died on the flight. 

More than 1,000 designs were whittled down to five by the first jury, made up of design professionals, family members and 
community members. 

A second jury selected the design from among those final five. 

Sandy Felt, Edward Felt's widow, was on the second jury. 

She said during yesterday's news conference that while not everyone voted for the design that was chosen, all of the jury 
members reached a "consensus" that it should move forward. 

Sandy Felt said that the issue of the crescent shape came up during discussions because of a public comment card 
submitted. 

Jurors were not willing to dismiss the design because of the name, "Crescent of Embrace," or the shape. 

"There's no particular ownership of this shape," she said. "...We felt confident with the notion that the void in the embrace 
was representative of loss." 

But Burnett, reached by phone in Minnesota, vehemently disagreed. He said a consensus was not reached, that he was 
among six people who voted against it and that he raised serious questions about Islamic symbolism. 

"I spoke out about the symbols and tried to explain to them that the Islamists had been using those symbols for hundreds 
and hundreds of years," Burnett said. "... It's very pretty, but it doesn't belong there where we lost 40 American heroes, 
including my son Tom." 

The family members said large changes to the design are out of the question, although alterations are expected as the 
conceptual drawings become schematic plans. 

"I would be wary of making major modifications to a memorial that was selected using the process that was used," 
Gordon Felt said. "We can't satisfy everybody all the time." 

He added the allegations are "quite hurtful to think we would want to create a memorial to those who murdered our loved 
ones." 

But Burnett said he's hurt, too. 

"I consider it an insult to my son Tom and the other 39 that died at the hands of those Islamists, and quite frankly I don't 
understand why people wouldn't want to figure out how and why this design got this far," he said. 

No other family members have publicly denounced the design as Burnett has. He believes others are out there but are afraid 
to speak. 

Burnett said he'll never give up. 

"I'm not going to give up this fight because these people don't think much beyond their noses and they've got their heads in 
the sand, and they feel that once it's going along they're going to let it keep going," he said. 

But the family members backing the design are just as steadfast. 

"The controversy has not had any impact on our moving forward," Gordon Felt said.

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Remember Me Roses Launches Its 2008 Rose, Forty Heroes

Remember Me Roses is a Portland Oregon-based not-for-profit that is developing nine new roses and three rose gardens to honour those killed on September 11, 2001.

The nine roses are being launched one each year. Each rose honours a different group of September 11th heroes. This year’s rose, Forty Heroes, the fourth of the nine, pays tribute to the 40 brave crew members and passengers on board United Flight 93. It is a golden yellow rose hybridized by Ping Lim of Bailey Nurseries. It should be available at local garden centers this year. Yellow is the colour of peace and of friendship, making it a suitable choice to honour these wonderful people.

Already in existence are: the pink, yellow and white climbing rose, Soaring Spirits, named for all those who died inside the Twin Towers, We Salute You, a pinkish orange hybrid tea that honours the 125 Pentagon workers and the red rose, Firefighter.

Next year’s rose is the all-white For the Finest, named for the police officers killed on the 11th. The other four roses yet to be developed will honour those aboard Flights 11, 175 and 77, and the Port Authority Police Department.

The three gardens will be located near the three attack sites. Test gardens in each community have been planted. A portion of the price of each rose goes to a fund to maintain the gardens.

For more information and photos of the roses, visit http://www.remember-me-rose.org/roses.asp.

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Family House Trailer at Gate 10

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA) has made a commitment to keep a small private area for the families of the September 11, 2001 victims. Many families wanted a space within the World Trade Center site. Originally that space was located on Liberty Street. Once construction began there, we were given another space at gate 10 behind the temporary PATH station entrance. Of late, we have still had that space but needed to gain access from Gate 4. Now construction is about to begin near that space, so the following accommodations have been made.

-The space now available from Gate 4 will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
May 2, 2008.

-This trailer (family room) will be moved in its entirety back to the Liberty Street area, with access through Gate 7. The "lower" family room will reopen on Monday, May 12, 2008 at 9:00am.

-The PA has arranged to have photographs taken of the current space, so that we can relocate anything that may get dislodged during the move.

-Before the move, a few family members will wrap and pack anything that might break during the move. Once the new location is established, we will put those articles back in their former location.

- If any family member wants to remove something before the May 2nd closing, please feel free to come in and do so.

This new location will only be available for about two months. During that time, a few family members and the PA will explore a new location. Again, the PA is very committed to supplying this on-site space as long as possible. I'll keep you posted on any new developments.

Questions? Write to: WTCFamiliesforProperBurial@comcast.net

Wishing you some peace,

Diane Horning, Matthew's mom

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE
Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, Commissioner

NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygenie: 
Benefits for New Yorkers Struggling with Mental Health & Substance Abuse Problems Related to 9-11

FACT SHEET

9/11 Benefit Program for Mental Health and Substance-Use Services

New York City’s New Program Provides Coverage for Those Who Need Help

The New York City Health Department is offering an insurance-like benefit to help cover mental health and substance-use treatment for NYC residents still affected by the terrorist events of September 11, 2001.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

If you’re still suffering psychological symptoms related to the events of 9/11, you may qualify for coverage under the NYC 9/11 Benefit Program. To find out, call 311 or visit http://www.nyc.gov/9-11mentalhealth. A benefit coordinator will work with you to establish whether you are eligible and explain the process for submitting claims.

If you are found eligible, you will receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs, up to the maximum amount allowed under the NYC 9/11 Benefit Program fee schedule for mental health or substance-use treatment.

If you have insurance, you must first apply your insurance benefit toward the cost of treatment. The NYC 9/11 Benefit Program will reimburse for the remaining out-of-pocket costs.

If you don’t have insurance, you can receive reimbursement for the fees you pay to providers, up to the maximum amount allowed under the NYC 9/11 Benefit Program’s fee schedule.

The Benefit Program will directly reimburse providers if they file claims for services they provide to eligible patients. If a provider’s fee exceeds the reimbursable amount for a given service, the patient will be responsible for the balance.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Two groups of NYC residents are eligible for the program.

Group A includes individuals or family members of those who:

• Lost a family member, were seriously injured, or lived below Canal Street
• Worked in the WTC area or at the Pentagon – whether or not they were at work that day. Or were evacuated from the WTC area or the Pentagon
• Attended a school near the WTC, or are the parent of a child who attended nearby
• Were a rescue, recovery, or reconstruction worker assigned to a “restricted site”
• Were an emergency dispatcher on 9/11 or worked in the morgues serving the attacks sites
• Worked south of Canal Street or at Ronald Reagan Airport, and before January 11, 2002 lost their job or earned less than 70% of their pre-9/11 income
• Have a family member, or shared a home with someone, who meets the criteria above
and
• Reside in NYC

Group B includes NYC residents who are not in Group A but who have psychological symptoms that are likely related to the attacks. Individuals in this category will be screened, and their treating providers will be asked to submit a letter affirming that their conditions are likely related to the events of 9/11.

WHAT SERVICES ARE COVERED?

The NYC 9/11 Benefit Program reserves the right to modify covered services at any time. Covered services include:

• Outpatient mental health and substance-use services: The benefit program covers out-of-pocket costs associated with outpatient treatment. There is no dollar cap on reimbursement for members of Group A. For members of Group B, reimbursement is limited to $3,000 over the lifetime of the benefit.

• Medication and laboratory work related to mental health and substance-use treatment: Additionally, the benefit covers reimbursement for medication and/or laboratory work up to $1,500 over the lifetime of the benefit.

• Psychological evaluations and testing: The benefit covers up to eight hours of evaluation and testing for children age 21 and under.

The benefit program does not cover the following:

• Inpatient services
• Emergency-room visits and related services
• Acupuncture
• Art therapy and other expressive therapies
• Missed appointments
• Non-related mental health/substance use medications

WHO CAN PROVIDE TREATMENT?

To receive reimbursement, you must receive services from a provider who is licensed/certified in New York State, or who works under the supervision of a New York State-licensed provider in the same field of practice.

Services delivered by the following licensed or certified professionals are covered under the NYC 9/11 Benefit Program:

• Physicians
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Nurse practitioners
• Certified alcoholism or substance-use counselors
• Mental health counselors
• Marriage and family counselors
• Licensed psychoanalysts (state license holders only; national certification is not sufficient)

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR THE BENEFIT?

Any eligible person can enroll by calling 877-737-1164 (877-SEP11MH) or (TTY) 212-982-5284. Group A enrollment is also available online, at http://www.nyc.gov/9-11mentalhealth.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• April 2008: Enrollment begins

• January 2, 2007: Coverage begins (retroactively)

• July 7, 2010: Enrollment ends

• January 7, 2011: Coverage ends

• March 31, 2011: Last day to submit claims

Note: Terms are subject to modification based on available resources and the success of the program. For more information, visit http://www.nyc.gov/9-11mentalhealth. This program is funded and overseen by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, with benefit access coordinated by the Mental Health Association of NYC.

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NEW ENTRANCE TO FAMILY TRAILER

Our mission is to help provide health care for the surviving rescue and recovery workers who rushed to Ground Zero 
after the 9-11 attacks, by raising a minimum of $10 Million. One day an idea came to George Martin, executive, 
humanitarian and former New York Football Giants star.  Many of those who had rushed to aid in the aftermath of 9-11 
are sick with respiratory and other diseases that can cause permanent  disability. Some have even lost their jobs  and 
had no insurance. Mr. Martin wanted to help.


Mr. Martin will walk from the George Washington Bridge (NY) to the Golden Gate Bridge (CA), stopping along the way to 
promote various events in support of the mission.


The goal is to raise several million dollars for the medical care of Ground Zero workers.  Mr. Martin is looking to raise 
funds and, in addition, whatever amount he raises, participating Hospitals and Medical Care partners will provide a 
dollar-for-dollar match in medical services essentially doubling the amount of help care available for The Heroes of 
Ground  Zero.


A Journey for 9/11 is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit public charity and your contributions are tax-deductible.


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