01
THE START · NEW YORK CITY
GROUND ZERO
The journey began at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City.
487
THE 9/11 MEMORIAL WALK · 2021
487 MILES. THREE MEMORIALS.
Twenty years after September 11, Jesse Johnson-Brower set out on foot to connect America's three national 9/11 memorial locations. Ground Zero. Flight 93 National Memorial. The Pentagon. 487 miles through six states in 26 days.
START
Ground Zero · New York City
MEMORIAL 02
Flight 93 · Shanksville, Pennsylvania
FINISH
Pentagon · Arlington, Virginia
487
Miles walked
6
States crossed
26
Days
~20
Miles per day
487
THE MISSION
CONNECT ALL THREE.
This wasn't a race. It wasn't a symbolic lap around a memorial. It was a journey between them.
Jesse set out to physically connect the three places that forever define September 11 in America: Ground Zero in New York City, Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon in Virginia.
For 26 days, the mission was straightforward: wake up, put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving toward the next memorial.
By the end, Jesse had crossed six states and completed 487 miles on foot.
A FIRST
THREE NATIONAL MEMORIALS. CONNECTED ON FOOT.
Jesse became the first person in history to connect all three national 9/11 memorials on foot. The route physically joined Ground Zero, Flight 93 National Memorial, and the Pentagon in one continuous memorial journey.
THE ROUTE
WATCH THE JOURNEY UNFOLD.
Ground Zero →
Flight 93 National Memorial →
Pentagon.
Six states.
Twenty-six days.
487 completed miles.
9/11 MEMORIAL WALK
GROUND ZERO → FLIGHT 93 → PENTAGON
Follow the route connecting America's three national September 11 memorial locations.
ROUTE
STATE LINE
★
MEMORIAL
0
OF 487
MILES
MILES
Memorial locations are geographically plotted.
State boundaries use geographic boundary data.
The connecting route shown here is a visual reconstruction
rather than Jesse's original GPS track.
NY · NJ · PA · WV · MD · VA
THREE NATIONAL MEMORIALS
THREE PLACES. ONE STORY.
Each destination represents a different part of September 11. The walk connected them physically, one mile at a time.
02
SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA
FLIGHT 93
The second memorial marked the sacrifice of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93.
03
THE FINISH · ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
THE PENTAGON
The journey ended where Jesse's September 11 story began twenty years earlier: the Pentagon.
Reunited at the Pentagon with members of The Forgotten Band of Brothers.
BEFORE FLIGHT 93 · 2021
HE THOUGHT HE WAS WALKING IN ALONE.
As Jesse closed in on Flight 93 National Memorial, Tara had one more surprise waiting. She showed up before he reached the memorial. The moment was captured by LifeGR during the 487-mile journey.
A PERSONAL MOMENT FROM THE ROAD · VIDEO VIA LIFEGR ON INSTAGRAM
26 DAYS ON FOOT
THE MAP LOOKS SIMPLE. THE MILES WEREN'T.
Roads. Hills. Weather. Fatigue. Traffic. Pain.
The route was not a symbolic few miles around a memorial. It was a multi-state journey averaging roughly 20 miles every day.
Along the way, police, firefighters, veterans, and communities joined, escorted, supported, and followed the mission.
THE STORY TRAVELED TOO
COVERED ACROSS THE JOURNEY.
News outlets, local communities, law enforcement, businesses, and national organizations followed the walk as it moved from New York to Virginia.
THE FINISH
487 MILES LATER. BACK WHERE IT BEGAN.
Twenty years after Jesse's Army unit responded to the Pentagon, the walk ended there. Ground Zero had been connected to Flight 93. Flight 93 had been connected to the Pentagon. Three memorials. Six states. Twenty-six days. 487 miles on foot.