Honor365
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus is hosting Honor365’s travelling World Trade Center Exhibit to commemorate and honor the heroes of 9/11 during its 20th anniversary year.
The exhibit includes a replica model of the World Trade Center plaza. The travelling exhibit started its journey in Utah this January and will be wrapping up in New York City during September, right on time for the anniversary. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum will feature it Aug. 4-Sept. 1.
A 20-year-old from the Netherlands, Daan Van Der Steijn, created the replica model. He paid particular attention in detail to the first responders and the sacrifices they made that day.
Steijn’s passion began when he was ten. He and his family watched the documentary 102 Minutes That Changed America. The documentary and its emphasis on the heroic efforts by the first responders felt personal to him, as four of his family members are firefighters.
When he was 14, Steijn had found that he was talented in art and woodwork. He began planning to create a replica of the World Trade Center Plaza. Thus began a four-year project.
“The tragedy touched me deeply, and it seemed unreal to see two passenger airplanes fly into the World Trade Center and kill that many people. I wanted to create a project as a memorial to all that passed away,” he says.
At age 19, Steijn finally completed his artwork. With the assistance of partners in the Netherlands and Europe, he began showcasing the exhibit across the continent.
Steijn is now following the family tradition and is training to become a volunteer firefighter in his hometown Deurne. He says he is motivated “to do his part to serve his community, to be able to help people and animals in emergency situations and to help fight big fires,” according to Honor365. At the moment, Steijn is in the Dutch Firefighter Academy and is set to graduate in 2022.
Sarah Grace Smith is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
