PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla -- For many families who lost loved ones in the September 11th attacks, the heartache is just as real today as it was over a decade ago. One local aunt is still feeling that day's pain.
She has mangled wreckage from the Twin Towers in a corner of her garage. She has pictures all over her house, flowers she's been given, even a music box playing a song that reminds Lenora Frisi-Spiess of her nephew -- a 25-year-old man with the world at his fingertips and now, a mere memory.
19 Al Qaeda terrorists. Four American jets. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost. Christopher Traina was one of them.
"For the time we did have him, he was such a joy. Just loved him to pieces," said Frisi-Spiess.
Chris was living out his dream inside the World Trade Center Twin Towers. He died doing what he loved. It's been 11 years. But for his aunt, this anniversary is just as painful.
"To have people that dislike us or hate us that much that they would inflict so much pain on so many people," she said shaking her head.
Frisi-Spiess worked just across the river from the towers. For days, she had to watch the site smolder. She's goes back to visit sometimes on the anniversary. It isn't easy.
"When you're there for the reading of the names it takes longer to read the names than it did for those buildings to fall. And that always...sorry...that always is difficult for me."
While today, Lenora is now hundreds of miles away from the place his memory lives, she can feel him in her own backyard. He loved the ocean and its become her special place to talk to him.
"I was having a particularly bad day and I like to collect shark teeth and beach glass and I came to find a piece of beach glass that looked like it had a cross on it. And I keep that in my bedroom next to a picture of him because its just so special. Its a direct link of him coming to me and saying its OK. I'm here. I'm always with you."
This year Frisi-Spiess and Chris's mom did things differently. They stayed away from the television because watching the tragedy unfold every year has been too painful. Instead, they're focusing on his memory and the good times.
