Sept. 11 families remember fateful day

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - For the eleventh year in a row, Hampton held its Day of Remembrance and Hope. Many came to Gosnold's Hope Park Tuesday morning to commemorate September 11, 2001.

Sitting front row at the ceremony were three parents who have been deeply affected by Sept. 11.  Gloria Murray, of Hampton, lost her daughter Sandra Murray White in the Pentagon.  Murray clutched the picture of her daughter through out the ceremony.

Murray told WAVY.com, she waited for a phone call from Sandra after she heard about the plane crashing into the Pentagon.

"She never did get out," said Murray.  "She never did get out of the building.  So I sit there all day. All day waiting for the call."

Another family, Donn and Jeanne Weaver, sat next to Murray at Tuesday's ceremony.  The Weaver's son, 1LT Todd William Weaver, died on September 9, 2010.

Donn and Jeanne Weaver will always connect Sept. 11 to their son's death.  Not only did Todd die two days before the anniversary, the Sept. 11 attacks are what made him enlist.

Donn remembers the day in 2001 well.  Todd was a senior in high school. 

"He literally said, that this is a moment that he must respond," said Donn.  "He doesn't know how or when, but he will respond."

Jeanne said about losing her son at war, "I think that over time you begin to develop peace and a little understanding. But really, no, it doesn't get any easier."

At the ceremony, there were readings, music played, and special tributes the families who lost loved ones on Sept. 11 or in the wars following. After the ceremony, 9,000 names were simultaneously read aloud. The names were of the people who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, and the service members who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan war since then.

Gosnold's Hope Park, where the ceremony happened, has become a place to remember Sept. 11. At the park, you can find the 11 Trees of Hope. The City of Hampton planted the 11 evergreens in December 2001, in honor of those who died. The trees were planted with soil mixed in from the three terrorist attack sites.  This Tuesday, and every Sept. 11 anniversary, the names are read next to these trees.

"It's a very distinctive, honorable display of patriotism and compassion and concern for our service members, for those who have died in our nation's battles since September 11, 2001," said John Gately, the Chairman of Hampton Military Affairs Committee.  "As well as those who died on Sept. 11 in those attacks."

Reading a selection of names was available to anyone who wanted to volunteer.