Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, visitors to the George W. Bush Presidential Center can stand inches away from pieces of history that helped define one of the darkest days in American history. Inside the center’s permanent “Nation Under Attack” exhibit, twist ed steel from the World Trade Center, high-security communications received by President George W. Bush, the bullhorn used at Ground Zero and the baseball Bush threw during the 2001 World Series serve as reminders of a day that changed the nation forever. For Robert Favela, director of facility operations at the Bush Center, those artifacts tell a story he lived firsthand. “It was no time to kind of try to gather information,” Favela said while pointing to urgent messages and documents delivered to the president in the hours following the attacks. “Stuff was coming in, and we just had to deal with it.” Favela was serving in the U.S. Navy and assigned to the White House on Sept. 11, 2001. He had the late shift that morning and was at home near the Pentagon when he watched coverage of the first plane striking the World Trade Center. Like many Americans, he initially believed it was an accident. Then the second plane hit. Soon after, his pager alerted him to report to work. Robert Favela speaks with NBC 5’s Alanna Quillen. As he stopped to get gas on his way to the White House, he heard a massive explosion. It was American Airlines Flight 77 crashing into the Pentagon. “I saw the smoke as I was going into work,” Favela recalled. “It was just smoke, black smoke everywhere.” At the White House, operations quickly shifted into crisis mode. Favela worked in the Navy Mess, a facility adjacent to the Situation Room that supports the president and senior staff. The White House became a 24-hour operation as officials responded to the attacks and assessed intelligence. “I spent the night on 9/11 at the White House,” he said. The uncertainty of that day remains vivid in his memory. His wife, pregnant with their first child, was visiting family in Texas while he remained in Washington. “We were going to be parents for the first time,” Favela said. “It was hard. It was like, what’s the world we’re going to live in now? How are we going to keep our family safe?” Now, 25 years later, Favela helps oversee the museum that preserves artifacts from those historic moments. Among the exhibit’s most powerful pieces is a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center. “I come through here, and it’s hard not to stop and pause and honor and remember all those lives lost that day,” Favela said. Another artifact carries a deeply personal connection for the former White House employee: the bullhorn Bush used at Ground Zero on Sept. 14, 2001. Favela accompanied the president on that visit to New York City, where rescue and recovery efforts were still underway. The bullhorn used by President Bush as he spoke to rescue workers at Ground Zero days after 9/11. “It was like a war zone,” he said. “People were still trying to find bodies. The first responders were trying to rescue and see if anybody was still alive.” Standing atop rubble surrounded by firefighters, police officers and construction workers, Bush delivered what became one of the defining moments of his presidency. When someone in the crowd shouted that they couldn’t hear him, Bush responded with the now-famous words: “I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.” Favela remembers the emotional reaction. “Everybody was chanting USA, USA,” he said. “Because he knew he had their back. He knew he was going to protect them.” Nearby, visitors can see another iconic symbol of national unity: the baseball Bush threw from the pitcher’s mound at Yankee Stadium before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series. Just weeks after the attacks, the president’s ceremonial first pitch became a symbol of resilience as the country slowly began returning to normal life. “He goes there in front of the whole crowd and throws a perfect strike,” Favela said. “At that point, everybody was Team USA. He united our country, and I’ll remember that.” Other artifacts highlight the personal toll of the attacks and the sacrifices made by first responders. One of the most poignant items on display is a Port Authority police badge that Bush kept throughout his presidency after receiving it from the mother of an officer killed while trying to save others at the World Trade Center. “He carried it through his presidency,” Favela said. “It was very important to him.” The exhibit also includes letters from world leaders, official communications received by the White House and videos documenting the days and months that followed the attacks. Favela said the exhibit remains especially important because many Americans today have no personal memory of Sept. 11. A letter from a child sent to President Bush in the days after the 9/11 attacks. It was one of thousands around the world received by the White House. Nearly a quarter-century after the attacks, an entire generation has grown up learning about 9/11 through history classes, family stories and museum exhibits. “It’s important because a lot of families lost their loved ones that day,” Favela said. “I believe coming here, you’ll learn a little bit of the history. You’ll take away a lot of lessons of how the country can come together and that we all are Americans. And to not forget our history.” This year, visitors can also experience a special temporary exhibit marking the anniversary. President Bush recently completed 16 original paintings commemorating the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11. The collection is on display in Freedom Hall through Sept. 30. The paintings depict scenes and moments from the days following the attacks and reflect themes of courage, sacrifice, and resilience. “We do have 16 pieces of art that the president painted depicting some of the scenes from those 10 days after 9/11,” Favela said. “Very impactful. He’s telling the same story.” As the nation marks 25 years since Sept. 11, Favela hopes visitors leave with a deeper understanding of both the tragedy and the unity that followed. “We honor the first responders and all those people that were there that day,” he said. “We tell the story because we honor them every year on 9/11.” For him, reaching the 25th anniversary has prompted reflection not only on the attacks themselves, but on the people who lived through them and the generations who must carry those memories forward. “I think if people forget, we’ll repeat the mistakes again,” Favela said. “We can’t let our guard down. It’s hard work to keep our freedom.” The George W. Bush Presidential Center is offering free museum admission and parking Friday in observance of the anniversary. The museum’s permanent “Nation Under Attack” exhibit remains open year-round, while Bush’s new art collection will be on display through Sept. 30. ...read more read less