Forged in Memory

For many New Yorkers, September 11, 2001 remains a day permanently etched into memory.

But beyond the tragedy itself, many also remember what followed: an extraordinary sense of unity as first responders, ironworkers, tradesmen, and ordinary citizens came together during one of America’s darkest moments. Bro. Jerry Boertzel, Worshipful Master of Glen Cove Lodge No. 580, Oyster Bay, New York, hopes to capture that spirit through craftsmanship.

This September, Brother Boertzel will participate in the Fabricator Olympics in Kempton, Pennsylvania. This event is one of the nation’s premier skilled trades competitions featuring welding, fabrication, and metal art challenges. This year’s event carries special significance as it takes place during the 25th anniversary of September 11th.

After competing in last year’s event, Brother Boertzel said he immediately felt connected to the fabrication community.”It felt like a piece of me — a home type of feeling,” he shared. When he learned this year’s event would take place on September 11th and 12th, inspiration struck.”I immediately thought it would be incredible to have a memorial sculpture at the event,” Bro. Boertzel stated. That vision became a large-scale memorial sculpture that incorporates authentic steel recovered from Ground Zero.

The official Fabricator Olympics website describes the piece as “a piece of history on display,” noting that it honors those lost on September 11th while preserving that history through craftsmanship.Brother Boertzel explained that the sculpture will not be a literal replica of the Twin Towers. “The towers will be very clean, standing tall. The piece will essentially exist in the time after the collapse—and these are the spirits of the towers standing where they once did.”

The memorial also honors groups whose sacrifices are sometimes overlooked.

“The idea is to bring remembrance to those who were lost and also honor the iron workers and other craft workers who came together with the fire and police first responders to help with the recovery.” He noted that many workers faced physical illness, emotional trauma, and long-term consequences from their service at Ground Zero. “This is our way to say thank you for the sacrifice.”

For Brother Boertzel, the project is also about preserving the unity many Americans felt in the days following the attacks.

“9/12 has often been described as a day of unity for all Americans and we want to recapture that and connect those who were too young—or not yet born—to this piece of history.” He credits Freemasonry for reinforcing those values in his own life. “Masonry showed me what it’s like to be connected to a community and helped me connect to other communities as well. It’s reinforced my belief that helping each other and standing together is how we can make a difference in this world.”

In many ways, this project reflects the values of our fraternity: service, remembrance, labor, and building something that outlives ourselves. Brother Boertzel’s work reminds us that skilled hands do more than build structures—they preserve memory.

And in this case, they ensure we never forget.

Support the Project

Those who wish to support Brother Boertzel’s memorial project can contribute here:

Support the Memorial Project