Photo: Photo by Rafa Elias / Moment / Getty Images
(Waukee, IA) -- At 9:11 this morning, people in the Des Moines metro began a 21-mile march to the Iowa State Capitol to commemorate the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"It was a tragic day. It was a day that will live in our history as a very sad day that had a lot of loss of life," said Michael Dunkin, organizer of the March to the Capitol. "So the 9/11 march is about Patriot Day. It's about 9/11, of course, but Patriot Day is that people will always come to the rescue. Good men and women will come, whether it's police, fire department, law enforcement, etc."
2,977 people died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93 during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and even more have died due to the effects of smoke inhalation from that day.
The 21-mile distance represents the 21-gun salute. Marchers will stop at seven different fire stations along the way.
Dunkin began the march with the ringing of the Four Fives, to honor the over 300 firefighters who died that day.
This is the ninth year for the march. The march is expected to end at the Iowa State Capitol around 7 tonight and will conclude with a performance from the Young Patriots Club.