KEWASKUM, Wis., (SPECTRUM NEWS)— The main streets of Kewaskum, Wis., seem a world away from the chaos of September 11th, 2001. However, in this town there are always reminders of what happened in New York City nineteen years ago. 

For instance, there's a steel beam from the World Trade Center displayed at the new Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial

But perhaps the most prominent reminder is in Gordon Haberman’s heart 

“Today of course was the day my daughter Andrea was murdered out in New York City nineteen years ago,” Haberman says.

Andrea Haberman was traveling to New York on a business trip. The 25-year-old arrived to work at the World Trade Center at around 8:05 in the morning. The first plane struck the tower at 8:28 a.m.

It is a memory that will be forever painful for the Haberman family, but with the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial inching closer to completion, Gordon Haberman says he is in awe of just how much support the people of Kewaskum and Wisconsin have shown in making the memorial a reality. 

“I feel proud that the little community of Kewaskum is going to have one of the premier 9/11 memorials and education centers in the country. Isn’t that amazing? But it is deserving," says Haberman.

Friday, a small ceremony was held outside the new memorial to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. This year's event was significantly scaled back from past years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As work continues on the memorial, donations are still needed. If you would like to learn how you can contribute, you can visit the Wisconsin 9/11 Memorial’s website.