Corona plants nearly 3,000 flags to honor and remember 9/11 victims

Nearly 3,000 flags representing the people killed during 9/11 are planted outside of Corona's Historic Civic Center to honor and remember the victims.

For Lilian Davis and her two boys, it's an opportunity to teach. 

"It's a sad memory, but it's important to me that they learn about it," Davis said. 

Volunteers read aloud the names of all 2,998 victims at 5 a.m. on Friday to mark the 25 years that have passed since the attack. Rosa Ramirez read her own brother's name. 

"So much has changed," Ramirez said. "He has two grandchildren that he never got to meet. It's just very nice to be able to celebrate him."

Each flag carries a card with a name, an age and a location of where the person died. 

"You should never forget. Always remember. It's important," said Charles Thomas from American Legion Post 216, Corona. 

Thomas is a retired Marine from New York and plans to stand watch among the flags on Saturday. He said his wife worked in the World Trade Center until 2000. His brother Jason helped pull two police officers from the rubble, saving their lives. 

"Remember that day and examine it, and know that we've become a better country because of it," Thomas said. 

For Davis' 5-year-old son Rhys, it's lessons like these that he'll take into first grade with one wish.

"The wish is that I hope this never happens again," he said. 

The flags will remain in the lawn until 4 p.m. on Sunday.