The family of Alan G. Brunelis, a Pittsburgh 24M member, had their mini-vacation highlighted by a visit to the Flight 93 crash site, where heroes on board forced down an aircraft commandeered by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001.

Brunelis wrote to the Graphic Communicator that he and his family went to Hershey, Pa., for a mini-vacation. His wife Vida suggested that the family visit the Flight 93 site on the way home.

"Upon arrival," Brunelis wrote, "the kids–Andrius, 6, and Vilija, 3–got suddenly quiet. I explained . . . what had happened there. We looked over all the different objects left by other visitors. I put [Andrius] on my shoulders to view the top of the fence (lots of Firefighters stuff). And to my amazement, he took off my hat and said: 'This would fit right there!' and pointed to an empty spot. It hangs there now.

"We signed the guest book and one hour later headed for home. Thirty minutes of silence was broken by [Andrius] saying: 'Dad, can we come back? I have some stuff I want to put there for the angels to play with or other kids who come here to play with.' Vilija said: 'Me, too.' Out of the mouths of babes . . . I pulled over at a [fast food shop] and gave them a five-minute hug.

"The problems I went on vacation with," Brunelis wrote, "are now non-existent."

And Brunelis plans to take his family back to the Flight 93 crash site next summer.

Photo by Vida Brunelis

Pittsburgh 24M member Alan G. Brunelis pauses at the Flight 93 crash site with daughter Vilija, left, and son Andrius.