Created by Tucson radio listeners on September 15, 2001.

After a rude awakening on September 11, 2001, the number one-rated morning show in Tuscon, Arizona, decided they wanted to give Southern Arizonans a ways to express their grief and their anger and channel their energy into a positive experience.

Immediately, my marketing and promotion team sprang into action. We had three days to get ready. First, I contacted the director of the University of Arizona marching band.  See how straight and even those stripes are?  Do you see the starry arms in the perfect blue field? That did not happen by accident!  Then, I called our friends at the Tucson Sidewinders and Tucson Electric Park who were more than accommodating.

While my team was making the key arrangements, our powerhouse radio station was busy spreading the word. Calls started pouring in offering food, soda, water, photography services, a crane (didn’t know we needed one until it showed up!), fire trucks and more!

The real challenge came that Saturday morning when 25,000+ Tucsonans arrived in 99 degree weather ready to be a part of a living memorial. And, we were ready. After designating captains for each area of the flag, recruiting color guides to help sort through the people who wore red, white, or blue, and delegating various other key areas of the space, I was ready to put the flag together.

In the end, the police agreed to take our photographer up in their helicopter. Firemen who came to be part of the blue piece of the flag had to water down the crowd and help with cases of heat exhaustion. $50,000 was raised for the 9/11 Fund. And, we got the spectacular photo you see above.

Still my greatest project ever.