VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — An “Honor Log” began its journey on Friday morning in Virginia Beach for an honor walk commemorating those who contributed and sacrificed in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001.
The event by nonprofit Carry On is co-hosted with Scott Flansbaum of Unbreakable and Dynamis Alliance. In addition, a small group of active and retired military, law enforcement, and fire and rescue personnel will dedicate a 3.5-mile “carry” of the log in honor of the fallen.
Virginia Beach Fire Task Force 2 is set to transport the 9/11 Honor Log to the start point at the Navy SEAL Memorial located at Oceanfront Bike Path, Virginia Beach at 8 a.m. Friday.
The 700-pound honor log will then be carried to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial located at 100 35th St, Virginia Beach and back.
Carry On is a nonprofit organization with a mission to honor the sacrifices of fallen military, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS through national advocacy, support, and empowerment of surviving family members.
To create awareness and in the recognition of the contributions and the sacrifices made by the fallen heroes who participated, Carry On said they have developed the 9/11 Honor Log with the objective of being on display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum at Ground Zero in New York City later this year.
“The burden caused by the evil tragedies of September 11, 2001, stay with us and remind us of all that was lost on that fateful day in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania,” said Jeremy Soles, executive director of Carry On.
“At the same time, the men and women who responded then, and in the years since, have carried that burden with honor and pride – and willingly. The ‘Honor Log’ is a testament to their spirit of dedication, service, and constant remembrance of the lives lost and changed forever by forces that ultimately did not defeat us, but which themselves have since been defeated,” said Soles.
The 9/11 Honor Log memorial is an icon of remembrance for the fallen but also a tool that invokes cohesion and unity for the surviving family and fellow first responders.
The 9/11 Honor Log that Carry On has created as a memorial icon has the following details:
- Hand-carved artwork by Cameron Dockery that honors fallen first responders
- Approximately 650-700 pounds
- 7 feet in length representing the length of a casket
- 6 personnel to carry representing pallbearers
- 22 inches in diameter to bring awareness to the 22 veteran suicides a day
Carry On says, “within paramilitary organizations, logs are used for physical training that eliminates individualism and reinforces the concept of teamwork, and emphasizes the need for trainees to work in unison in order to carry the heavy log.”
Photo of the Honor Log, provided by the Virginia Beach Fire Department. 
Photo of the Honor Log, provided by the Virginia Beach Fire Department. 
Photo of the Honor Log, provided by the Virginia Beach Fire Department.
Throughout the course of the next several months, the 9/11 Honor Log will be featured by various agencies in their local communities.
Carry On says the goal is to coordinate with the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City to have the log be considered for exhibit during the 20th Anniversary in 2021.
For more information on the Carry On Foundation, click here.
