Westlake Porter Public Library Director Andrew Mangels, left, and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough unveil a likeness of the New York City skyline with the Twin Towers in the center as they touch a heavy piece of steel from the wreckage of the two towers, which collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001. (Linda Gandee, special to cleveland.com)

WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Westlake Porter Public Library commemorated Sept. 11 this year in a distinctive way.

On Saturday (Sept. 10), Library Director Andrew Mangels, along with Mayor Dennis Clough, unveiled a wall installation featuring a piece of steel from the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, which collapsed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001.

The steel fragment was gifted to the library, which already had one remembrance wall. The new one is in th library’s front lobby.

About 50 people attended the unveiling, and many eyes were filled with tears.

The new 9/11 wall at Westlake Porter Public Library also features information and a photo of Westlake resident Christina Ryook, a World Trade Center victim. (Linda Gandee, special to cleveland.com)

The other wall is “Christina’s Corner” in the Youth Services Department, which honors Westlake resident Christina Ryook, who died in the towers in 2001. She is also remembered, with her photo, on the new wall. Many members of her family attended the unveiling.

Inscribed on the new wall is a special thanks to Commander Mark Bobal, U.S. Coast Guard Retired, and Carole Bobal, who “arranged for the library to receive the piece of World Trade Center steel to be available for all to see and touch,” according to the library’s information.

Let it be known that both walls in the Westlake library will always telegraph the message that Americans will never forget Sept. 11, 2001.

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