Poppies made of scallop shells honour 9/11 victims

September 7, 2026

The Veterans Charity in Hayle, Cornwall, organized a community project to create 2,977 poppies from approximately 6,000 scallop shells donated by Newlyn fishermen, with each poppy representing a victim of the September 11 attacks that occurred 25 years ago. The tribute specifically honors Rick Rescorla, a Hayle native and security worker who helped evacuate over 2,500 people from the World Trade Center's South Tower before perishing when he returned inside to save more lives. The memorial poppies include mostly red shells, along with 70 blue ones for fallen law enforcement officers and one purple poppy for a police dog named Sirius who also died in the attacks.

Who is affected

The 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks, including Rick Rescorla
Rick Rescorla's family, including his cousin Jon Daniels
The 70 law enforcement workers who died in the attacks
Sirius, a Port Authority Police Department dog who died in the attacks
The over 2,500 people Rescorla helped evacuate from the South Tower
Community members in Hayle, Cornwall who participated in creating the poppies
Fishermen in Newlyn who donated the scallop shells

What action is being taken

The Veterans Charity is displaying the 2,977 scallop shell poppies along a footpath in Hayle for a month
A separate scallop shell wreath is being sent to New York to be laid during a 9/11 memorial event on Friday

Why it matters

This tribute marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and honors all victims, particularly Rick Rescorla, whose prior security planning and courageous evacuation efforts saved over 2,500 lives. The community-driven project brought together people of all ages in Hayle to create a meaningful memorial that celebrates local heroism while remembering a national tragedy. Rescorla's actions demonstrate how his military training, foresight about building vulnerabilities, and personal courage during the crisis exemplified extraordinary sacrifice, as he died attempting to save more people after successfully evacuating thousands.

What's next

The scallop shell wreath will be laid during a 9/11 memorial event in New York on Friday (the 25th anniversary date).

Read full article from source: BBC