Huntley Man Donates Special Flag For 9/11 Memorial

A year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Fred Leznek stood at Ground Zero to pay tribute to the souls lost that day.

He and his family visited a church located across the street from the rubble. Leznek learned the church had not been badly damaged during the attacks, despite the devastation up and down the block.

“It was surprising this church wasn’t touched,” said Leznek, of Huntley. “I don’t know if that can be called a miracle.”

Inside the church, Leznek purchased a huge American flag with the words “We Will Not Forget” emblazoned on the front. Leznek has hung the flag outside his home every September since then.

This year, he donated the flag to the 9/11 American Flag Memorial Project, which is holding a memorial ceremony Sunday at Sun City Huntley. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. with a color guard and includes a narrative read by Orion Samuelson, a WGN-radio host.

Visiting Ground Zero with his wife, Eileen and children was “very somber, very sad,” Leznek said. “Certainly, it’s hallowed ground now. Naturally, when someone approaches that area. It’s a very touching scene.”

The 9/11 terrorist attacks were like “the second day of infamy,” to him, he said. “The first day of infamy was the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. This was the second day of infamy in the United States.”

Leznek was home when the attacks occurred. His wife was a teacher at the time and called him from work. “She said, ‘Fred, you better turn on the television because something terrible has happened in New York,’” he recalled.

He watched the tragedy unfold. It was overwhelming, he said.

“I sat there in total shock just like everyone in the nation did,” Leznek said.

“Of course, we heard about the plane crashing into the Pentagon and the other plane crashing into the hills of Pennsylvania. I said to myself, ‘How can this happen?’ ”

“It left a very indelible mark on my brain, something that cannot be erased.”