It’s been almost seventeen years since hundreds of people lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and in 2013 a mobile exhibit was created as a tribute to all those that lost their lives. This exhibit is free to walk into however there are donation buckets set up to collect money for veterans coming home from the war.
A 53-foot long semi unfolds into 1,000 square feet of a reminder. This semi has been turned into the 9/11 never forget mobile exhibit. It has traveled across the country and landed at the Bakersfield Home and Garden Show at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Jack Carter a retired New York firefighter remembers being in Connecticut the day 9/11 happened. He was already retired at the time but went to New York the next day to help clean up for 16 days. “I was digging in piles and you see body parts and you start to cry but you keep working and you keep digging looking for survivors,” said Carter.
This is the fourth time Carter has been a part of this exhibit tour and says that the Stephen Silller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the one that created the exhibit, does more than just provide a reminder. “We build smart homes for these severely handicapped veterans that come home. Some of them have no arms and no legs, maybe one arm, maybe one leg only and we build these smart homes so everything is automated by the push of a button on a smart phone or tablet that operates everything,” said Carter.
And Carter says no matter where he is in the country when people step inside he sees similar emotions. “People believe it or not and come in here and start crying ya know even 16 years later.”
The Home and Garden Show is going on all weekend long and you can see this trailer any time this weekend. The home and garden show started Friday, February 23rd and ends Sunday, February 25th at 5 p.m. Doors open on Sunday at 10 a.m.
