John Laidler Boston Globe
East Bridgewater [Massachusetts] has found a new way to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The town has a direct connection to the tragedy because one of those killed in the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center was Craig Miller, a Secret Service agent who grew up in East Bridgewater.
Joel Thomas, a town resident and a member of the East Bridgewater Kiwanis Club, was recently able to obtain a piece of a metal beam from one of the former World Trade Center towers from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. With support from selectmen, Thomas is spearheading a plan to house the beam in a planned memorial on the town common that will honor the memories of Miller and the other 9/11 victims. Thomas successfully applied to the Port Authority to obtain the artifact in a 2½-year process in which he was assisted by town officials.
The beam, which Thomas transported from New York in his pickup truck, is being kept in safe storage pending completion of the project.
