September 11, 2021 -- Mayor Sylvester Turner joined the Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) and the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation this morning at a special ceremony recognizing the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
"The City of Houston will never forget the tragic circumstances of September 11, and we continue to mourn the people who died inside the World Trade Center, in a Pennsylvania field, and at the Pentagon," said Mayor Turner. "On this 20th anniversary, we honor the lives of all who sacrificed, and we lift the families they left behind. We also pay tribute to the brave first responders who ran towards disaster while everyone else ran from it. The commemoration ceremony was a time for unity, prayer, and reflection."
Market Square Park in Downtown Houston is home to Lauren's Garden, a memorial that honors Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas—a Houstonian and passenger on United Airlines Flight 93—and all who were lost in the September 11 attacks. This beautiful, serene garden was a gift to the City of Houston from the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation, established by Barbara and Lawrence Catuzzi in honor of their daughter. It features a fountain designed by Lauren Griffin, a cast-bronze statue by Ketria Bastion Scott, and bountiful yellow Forty Heroes Roses, planted in memory of the victims of Flight 93.
"In the 20 years that have passed since the September 11 attacks, the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation has honored Lauren's memory by undertaking charitable programs and contributions in areas that were of interest to her, including women and children's health, education and welfare," said Frank Stowell, a Foundation board member. "While the Foundation funded this garden to memorialize Lauren and the other victims of Flight 93 and 9/11, we hope that the space continues to provide a space for tranquility and reflection for park visitors of all ages and walks of life."
The commemoration ceremony included remarks from Mayor Turner; Bob Eury, executive director, Downtown District; Frank Stowell, board member, Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation; Chief Troy Finner, Houston Police Department (HPD); and Chief Samuel Pena, Houston Fire Department (HFD), with performances by the HPD and HFD Honor Guard and HFD soloist Jason Beasley. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, who was with President George W. Bush when he was informed that a second plane had struck the World Trade Center, also attended the ceremony.
"We will not forget the innocence lost. We will not forget the brave acts of everyday Americans," said Mayor Turner. "I ask all Houstonians to join our fellow Americans in unity today so that we as a nation will stop and remember each life lost on 9/11."