Burr Ridge Police Officer Nominated to Place Stitch in National 9/11 Flag

When Burr Ridge Police Officer Angie Zucchero placed a stitch on a flag damaged during the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, she was humbled and without words.

"Knowing where this flag was, what it endured and all the lives that were lost just left me speechless," she said, adding that she’s normally a talkative person. "My very first feeling was that I felt very undeserving, like I shouldn't be there..."

The flag, called the National 9/11 Flag, is traveling across the country with the New York Says Thank You Foundation and on Tuesday, it stopped at the Hines VA Hospital where Zucchero, along with Chicago and New York police and firefighters, placed a stitch in the tattered red and white stripes.

"It was quite an honor to be able to put that one stitch in the flag," said an emotional Zucchero, who was nominated by a friend to participate. She added that anyone is allowed to be nominated to place a stitch in the flag.

The flag, which measures 20 feet by 30.5 feet, is being repaired with retired state flags. Once completed, it will be on display at the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York City. 

As the flag tours the country at an historic time for our nation, Zucchero wants the public to know one of the purposes of the project —  to remember the days after 9/11 when America overcame a tragedy by working together. 

"Let's not think of it as representing 9/11, but as the days after. The recovery process, if we could focus on that, staying together as a nation and helping each other," said Zucchero.