A Few Coins at His Bronze Bust. A Powerful Message. 25 Years After 9/11, Dwayne Is Still Being Remembered

Coins left at the bronze bust of Army Major Dwayne Williams at the Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument in Trussville are a quiet reminder that 25 years after dying at the Pentagon on 9/11, people are stopping to honor the Jacksonville, Ala. hometown hero.

By Silver Fox Twin Roy Williams-Birmingham, Ala.

25 Years Later, Dwayne Is Still Touching People Who Never Knew Him

Sometimes, it's the smallest things that stop you in your tracks.

I recently noticed something at my brother Dwayne's new bronze bust at the Alabama Fallen Warriors Monument in Trussville that caught my attention.

People have begun leaving coins at his feet.

Dwayne has been gone for 25 years. Yet here were these coins — left by people who, in many cases, never had the opportunity to know him.

That got me thinking.

What do the coins mean?

So I did a little research.

Leaving coins at the memorial of a fallen service member is a longstanding military tradition. The basic message is simple:

“I came. I remember. I honor your service and sacrifice.”

The U.S. Army has described coins left at military graves as a way of letting the family know that someone came to pay their respects.

Traditionally, the different denominations can carry different meanings:

A penny: I visited and prayed for him.

A nickel: I trained with him.

A dime: I served with him.

A quarter: Traditionally, I was there when he died.

The quarter carries the most personal meaning.

But there is an important distinction when it comes to Dwayne's bronze bust.

This isn't his gravesite. It's a memorial honoring his life and sacrifice. And I don't know who left each coin or what meaning that person intended. The denomination tradition isn't an official military regulation, and interpretations can vary.

So I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what every coin means.

But I do know what they mean to me.

Someone stopped.

Someone looked at Dwayne's face.

Someone read his name.

Someone thought about his service and sacrifice.

And someone left something behind as a quiet expression of respect.

That's powerful.

Because Dwayne's bronze bust wasn't created simply to be a statue. It was created so that future generations could encounter his story.

And now, people are stopping.

They are remembering.

They are honoring.

Twenty-five years later, Dwayne is still touching people who never even had the opportunity to know him.

That may be one of the most beautiful signs yet that his legacy is continuing.

My brother Dwayne was more than the Army Major who died at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

He was a son.

A brother.

A husband.

A father.

A teammate.

A friend.

A soldier.

And a hometown boy from Jacksonville, Alabama.

His story didn't end on September 11, 2001.

His legacy is still reaching people today.

And those little coins at the foot of his bronze bust are a reminder that 25 years later, people are still stopping to remember my brother.

That is how we Take the Day Back.

Remember. Honor. Serve. Carry the Legacy Forward.

Join me on Friday, September 11 at 11 a.m. at the Major Dwayne williams Pentagon Memorial in Jacksonville, Ala. at the historic Jacksonville City Cemetery as I host a hometown celebration of the life and legacy of Major Dwayne Williams.