KAYSVILLE — For Kaysville resident Margaret Wahlstrom, a piece of steel from the World Trade Center symbolizes resilience. Wahlstrom believes the human spirit is stronger than the steel's physical weight.
On September 11, 2001, Margaret received a call from her brother-in-law, who delivered devastating news to her husband, Norm. His mother, Mary Alice Wahlstrom, and his sister, Carolyn Beug, were passengers on American Airlines Flight 11. Margaret recalled the initial shock felt by many, stating her husband reacted with tears, saying, "This is so evil" because he found the event incomprehensible.
Mary Alice and Carolyn had departed from Boston, having just helped Carolyn's twin daughters, who had recently turned 18, move into the Rhode Island School of Design. Carolyn had made a call from the plane just before takeoff, telling Margaret she had to talk her way onto the flight because they were late, and the door was closing.
Wahlstrom described both women as exceptional individuals. She remembered Mary Alice, Norm's mother, as the essence of a good grandmother, an intelligent, productive, and amazing person who had worked for hospice. Carolyn, Norm's sister, was characterized as dynamic and a formidable presence.
Margaret described that day as confusing and filled with grief. She recounted sitting with her husband later, after others had left, and his struggle with how to move forward without his mother and sister, noting their close bond. She emphasized that individuals find ways to honor those lost through their lives.
In remembrance, Margaret worked to ensure a 9/11 memorial was dedicated in Kaysville. She now regularly shares a piece of World Trade Center steel with local history classes, inviting students to pass it around and feel its weight. She noted that it has been 25 years since the event, yet it feels like yesterday, and she encourages students to experience the physical weight of the steel.
Despite the ongoing pain, Wahlstrom chooses to focus on the positive outcomes she has observed since the tragedy. She shared that while the pain, horror, and loss, along with how the world changed, are always present, she believes that the greater the difficulty of an event or trial, the more cherished the good things that emerge become.