Your Guide to Today's 9/11 Stories

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9/11: A DECADE AFTER
How Life Has Changed

10 Years After 9/11, Patrick Murphy's Life Continues to Be Celebrated

The memory of the Marian Catholic High School grad who died in the attack on the Pentagon is kept alive by his family, friends and alma mater.

'We Live it Every Day': Mothers of Soldiers Find Solace in Other Families with Deployed Loved Ones

Two Orland Park mothers saw all of their children sent overseas to fight at once, and they've found comfort in each others' similar experiences.

Carrying On: Two Generations of Orland Firefighters Reflect on the Changing Service Needs Since 9/11

Since 9/11, firefighter training has evolved to face new scenarios: HAZMAT, weapons of mass destruction and building collapses.

Helping, Not Fighting: Sept. 11 Pushed Frankfort Firefighter to Join the Guard

'It was more important to me help people get home to their families than just the guy kicking in doors,' says Dave Scanlan, who has served in Iraq with the National Guard as a medic.

When New Lenox resident Kevin Kwiecinski decided to enlist in the Army, his parents begged him to reconsider. It was seven years after 9/11, with two wars going on, and he demanded to be on the front lines.

Oak Forest Veteran Remembers 9/11, Cousin Who Died in Action

Each year, on the third Saturday in June, Craig Miller joins hundreds of family members, friends and motorcyclists in the Illinois Freedom Run in remembrance of the names on the state's war memorial.

Wounded Iraq Veteran: 'Military Formed Who I Am Today'

New Lenox resident Brian Wilhelm enlisted in the Army just before 9/11, and then lost his leg in Iraq. But he's taken the experience to move forward in life by becoming a paralympic athlete and standout student.

Patriotic Pillow Project Brings Comfort to Wounded Veterans

Oak Lawn's Christina Finn uses her hand-stitched pillows as a show of support and compassion, and her grass-roots organization now features volunteers in 40 states.

Local Welders Handle 9/11 Steel With Respect

Welders volunteer to help in final stages of 9/11 First Responders Monument in Oak Lawn using beams from fallen World Trade Center.

After 9/11, Decorated Marine Mike Mendoza Knows We Are Not Untouchable

Mike Mendoza’s Harley-Davidson Road King Classic sports a custom paint job that honors his time in the Corps. Every Sept. 11, the Tinley Park man is reminded that freedom isn’t free.

A Look Back at the Palos Heights Sept. 11 Memorial

They all remember where they were when they heard the news.  They all knew that they had to find a way to memorialize the moment for generations to come.

Chicago Heights Pastor Leading 9/11 Prayer Group in South Suburbs

Pastor Arthur Guice is the Cook County Coordinator for a nationwide prayer gathering called Cry Out America!

An Officer With A Rough Exterior and A Big Heart

An Evergreen Park police officer for 10 years, a fallen comrade encourages Officer Luciano Valdez Jr. to give back to the community.

Watch a special photo slideshow featuring portraits of 20 south suburban residents whose lives have been affected by 9/11 and its aftermath.

Patch Remembers 911 in 911 Snapshots: A Patch Media National Report

This photo gallery, produced by Patch Media journalists from around the nation, features stories about Americans whose lives were affected by 9/11, including Chicago-area and Southland natives.

ON FAITH:
Dealing with the Anti-Arab Backlash

Building a Mosque After 9/11: A Tale of Two Cities

Muslim leaders recall differing community reaction to the approval and building of two Southland mosques, one in Frankfort and another in Orland Park, in a post-9/11 environment.

Area Interfaith Group Born Out of Tragedy and Charity

A donation of food from a Frankfort mosque and a Tinley church's outreach of compassion after 9/11 created the SouthWest Interfaith Team that strives to build bridges between religious communities.

Part Palestinian, part Scotch-Irish, Nabeha Zegar offers a unique perspective of the tragic event and what followed.

TERRORISM FEARS:
The Feds and the South Suburbs

Sabri Samirah's family left Orland Park in 2003 when the government tagged him as a "risk to national security." Eight years later, he's won a legal battle and plans to return.

At least half a dozen men who lived in the south suburbs were caught up in the federal government's intensified scrutiny after 9/11. Ten years later, here's a look at the results.

NEWS OF THE DAY:
2011's Timely Reports

Retired Firefighters Share 9/11 Rescue Mission Experience with Evergreen Park Students

Firefighters Joan “Bunny” Butler and Captain George Rabiela spoke to Evergreen Park Community High School students Friday in a commemorative assembly about their contributions in a search and recovery effort in the weeks after 9/11.

Palos Hills Church That Is Home to 9/11 Artifacts Will Host Memorial Ceremony

St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church in Palos hills is in possession of a World Trade Center beam and rubble from the Pentagon and Pennsylvania crash sites.

New York Firefighter Pulled From the Rubble at Ground Zero Captivates Stagg Students

Retired Fire Captain Alfredo Fuentes recounted his memories of 9/11 to Stagg High School students.

Moving History: Tinley Park to be Honored With Piece of the World Trade Center

Tinley Park will soon have its own piece of history — a beam from the World Trade Center.

9/11 First Responders Monument Taking Shape

The deadline is tight, but sculptor Erik Blome is confident that the 'Heralds of 9/11' monument will be finished in time for its dedication in Oak Lawn on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

Lemont Family Remembers Cousin Killed on 9/11

Amy Kelly's cousin, Shari Kandell, was among the 2,600 people who died in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

The Joliet American Legion Band will perform a selection of patriotic music to honor police and firefighters Sunday at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort.

In Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Frankfort, Palos Hills and hundreds of other communities, chunks of steel from the Twin Towers beget memories of a day to mourn and prayers for a future of peace.

WORTH A READ:
By Local News Media

Southland Firefighters Recall Trip to Ground Zero

Many Southland firefighters went to New York to attend funerals for their fallen NYFD brothers.

A Ride to New York

South suburban native and 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Konkol travels with local firefighters to the attack sites. Read the coverage on his blog.

Phil Kadner: Fear Was the Weapon on 9/11

"As speeches are made commemorating the anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday, few, if any, will mention the terrible toll it has taken on this nation’s sense of itself," Phil writes.