ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - September 11, 2026

Episode Date: September 11, 2026

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Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, keeping you connected to your community and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. Right now at four from Ground Zero in New York City. Barbara G. Etzold. Eric, Brian Evans. To the Pentagon. Please join me in a moment of silence as we honor the fall.

who at this hour, 25 years ago, lost their lives while serving their nation. And the hallowed site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We come together this afternoon. Eyewitness News is remembering the nearly 3,000 lives lost on this day 25 years ago as we mark September 11th. And we joined Americans across the country and the world as we remember that fateful day. Thanks for joining us here on this Friday, September the 11th. Friday, News at 4.

I'm Amber Repenta. And I'm Barbara. Tributes happening at all three terror attack sites today and also here in Central North Carolina. We have extensive coverage throughout the next two and a half hours, but we need to start with the weather alert. It is a first alert day. Central North Carolina is under a level one out of five risk for severe weather. And isolated storms are starting to fire up. Let's go to Chief Minister Alist John Schwender. He's in the first alert forecast center tracking where we're seeing some storms on radar now. Yeah, we do have a severe thunderstorm morning brand new in the past 10 minutes up in Mecklenburg County.

The rest of the area, I think through the metro, through the triangle, we're not going to see much in the way of rainfall tonight, but where you see a storm, it could go severe. This thing has a lot of lightning associated with it. National Weather Service issuing a severe thunderstorm morning until 430 from Mecklenburg County. Chase City, you're in the clear, but this is drifting east, and it is headed toward South Hill, Virginia. You are included in that. A little bit of hail inside here, too. Now, when we see this orange here, that's just pea-size hail, so that's not very big, but the potential for some hail headed towards South Hill, Virginia as well. So if you're in South Hill right now and you can put your car in the garage, probably a good idea.

So our first alert predictor forecast model by 7 o'clock. Those storms are dying to the north. Notice right through the central part of the area. We stay relatively dry. And then some storms firing down in the sandhills until the sun goes down for the night. Still an isolated shower possible around 11 o'clock. Now live look into downtown Durham this hour, the city of medicine, not seeing any rainfall, but seeing the hot temperatures, 97 under a variable wind at three months.

miles an hour looking at her feels like 105 Roanoke Rapids, 106 Clinton 101 in Fayetteville, 99 Erwin, 95 Sanford, and 97 in Southern Pines. So a first alert to the evening ahead. It's going to stay hot tonight if you're headed out and about. Temperatures falling through the 80s by 11 o'clock. We're down to 77 degrees. And we'll talk more about our rain chances tonight. I think the rain chances are more widespread tomorrow. And we'll first alert you to that in the seven-day forecast coming up in just a bit. Ladies. All right, Don, thank you. Again, it has been 25 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks. In New York City, the families of those killed gathering as they do every year to honor the lives and the memories of their loved ones.

Today, a woman who was only seven days old when the attack happened paid tribute to her grandfather at Ground Zero. And there were more emotional tributes at the Pentagon where President Trump spoke and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed into the ground. ABC's Perry Russum is in Lower Manhattan as America remembers. A day of remembrance in lower Manhattan at 9-11 Memorial Plaza, the site of the deadliest terror attack in American history. My beloved grandfather who worked in the South Tower on the 46th floor, Albert Gunniss Joseph. Families gathering here every year to read the names of the 2,977 people killed and shared their stories. My grandfather, safety battalion, Larry Stack. I was exactly seven days old when the unimaginable happened. Having being welcome to the world, I got to meet my grandfather.

Just seven days later, he was tragically taken from us doing what he dedicated his life to. 441 first responders died in the attack, running toward the unknown, sacrificing their lives to save others. Firefighter Martin DeMayo from Hasmaq Company 1. You would be proud of the family we built and become. Six moments of silence today marking the timeline of the attack. And a new moment of silence added this show. year honoring those who have died from 9-11 related illnesses or injuries. All these people who are still suffering and who have died and now being recognized for all the work they did on the pile.

Ceremonies also happening at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Families surrounding a sandstone boulder placed at the edge of the main impact site. And at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., an American flag draped over the building. Bells ringing in honor of the lives lost that day. President Trump spoke with the Pentagon saying we will never forget here in New York City. We have the other four living presidents honoring those who were killed. Perry Russ and ABC News, New York. Perry, thank you.

And as Perry just said, President Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump attended the memorial ceremony at the Pentagon today. Hijackers attacked that building on September the 11th, 2001, crashing a plane into the building that was headed originally for Los Angeles. 184 people died, including 125 in the Pentagon and 59 people on that airport. plane. The president today renewing the nation's solemn promise 25 years later. September 11th reminded us of the terrible power of hate. The 25 years since have shown us the even greater power of the American spirit to endure and prevail and to win. Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names. a quarter of a century ago, we will never, ever forget.

And this was the second year in a row that Trump observed the day at the Pentagon. 9-11 is etched in the memory of so many of us here in Central North Carolina. Still takes my breath away to hear all the testimony. Today, memorials will herald across all the viewing area. So many chills today watching all of the coverage. And Raleigh, firefighters marking the day at Fire Station 1 with a moment of silence as they remembered their fellow firefighters who died in the World Trade Center towers. The Holly Springs Fire Department also holding a 9-11 remembrance ceremony today at Fire Station 1 where there is a World Trade Center memorial which features a piece of steel from the North Tower. There was a display of 343 flags honoring the fallen firefighters from that horrific day.

And the town of Garner is remembering the victims of September the 11th with an event at the Garner Recreation Center. Local dignitaries were there to share stories about the terrorist attacks impact on the country and also the town of Garner. Let's go to Akela Davis now. She's joining us live at Chavez Park in Southeast Raleigh with more on today's remembrance. Akela? Yeah, and you know, Chavis Park was one of several places across the triangle that held 9-11 remembrance events. Again, this is Chavez Park where we are now. Behind me here, this is the activate good table.

It's actually the sign-in volunteer table where the governor honor. the many lives lost through a day of service. What we have to do is to honor the memory of those thousands of people who died by being our best selves, by coming together. Governor Josh Dine rolling up his sleeves at Chavis Park today, joining community members for several service projects. Local organizations working side by side turning a day of remembrance into a day of unity and action.

At Duke University, the Chapel Bell rang four times across West campus in memory of 9-11 victims and the time of each of the attacks. Nearly 3,000 people were killed that day, including six Duke alumni. Staffers say most students who attend the university today weren't born when the 9-11 attacks happened, but Duke is helping them understand the magnitude of the tragedy. We've got a professor teaching a class who's taught it since 2005, sort of 9-11 and the aftermath, or 9-11 and beyond. So those kinds of things. where you get an education about not just the day itself, but about what has been the impact 25 years on.

So ahead of five, more coverage of the many 9-11 remembrance events that happen across the Triangle today. Reporting live in Raleigh, Akela Davis, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Solem day across the world, really, but especially here and at home. You have wise words on how to remember this day and to honor those whose lives were lost. Tequila. Thank you. At UNC Chapel Hill, hundreds today participated in the annual stair climb at Keenan Memorial Stadium. They climbed 110 floors representing the stairs first responders faced inside the World Trade Center as they rushed in to help people get out. Among the 441 first responders

killed on September 11th, 343 for firefighters. Some of the UNC students say 9-11 isn't a memory. It's history that they've learned through their families, classrooms, and moments like. like the one today. None of us undergrads were born yet, but everyone can put aside our differences, whatever that may be, come together and remember. Some local firefighters making the climb in full turnout gear as part of their training.

Always a sight to see there. Still to come here at 4 o'clock, we take you to the Remembrance Service in Fayetteville as the field of honor opens at the US Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Penelope Lopez reports live ahead here at 430. Also ahead at 4. We'll show you how this day has turned

into a day of service as thousands spent the day giving back in Raleigh. Also note for our conversation with the local author whose new book is shining a new light on everyday heroes from 9-11. And today is about reflecting on the many lives lost 25 years ago and that includes investment manager Patrick Dana Hay. He left behind his little girl named Grace. Now 25 years later, she is a nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital, treating 9-11 first responders for leukemia. So do you look at them and think maybe they were there looking for my dad? Definitely. My family was one of the fortunate ones to have remains recovered.

And they found him actually on the day I was born. So I kind of feel like I'm repaying that. Unbelievable, there are no words for these stories. See more of Diane Sawyer's interview with Grace tonight. Part of the ABC News special 9-11 Tribute in Light live from Lower Manhattan. You can watch starting at 8 o'clock right here on ABC 11. And all week long, ABC 11 has been sharing personal stories of how 9-11 changed so many lives. You can see all those reflections in a half-hour special 9-11, 25 years later.

It airs at 6.30 tonight on Disney Plus and wherever you stream. Eyewitness News. A new twist in the case of a man accused of causing a disturbance at the UNC Chapel Hill campus. Coming up here at 4 o'clock, new at 4, we will explain why he failed to show up in court in Orange County today, why he remains being held in Wake County. And crime is down in North Carolina. Look at the new data just released. And we're taking a live look this hour at I-40 and East Davis.

And you can see volumes up, but traffic moving along on both sides just fine. As we hit a break here, your traffic hotspots brought to you by West Shore Home. This is what a bathroom is supposed to look like. No grout lines to scrub. No surfaces to seal. No maintenance every other week. Just a finish that looks beautiful every single day. Introducing NECSA from West Shore Home.

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the man allegedly behind the disturbance. 45-year-old Keegan Wilson is facing two charges in connection with the incident at Greenlaw Hall where black student groups were hosting a watch party. Cindy Bay is live outside the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsboro with the new developments in this disturbing incident. Cindy, what happened today? Well, Barbara, Keegan Wilson did not appear in Orange County today. He's currently being held in Wake County, actually, on two pending matters. Meanwhile, in Orange County, set a date for his first appearance. in Orange County and set his bond to $10,000 secured. Some UNC students are still reeling from what happened on campus last week.

I think it was just a scary situation overall. On August 31st, police say Wilson entered Greenlaw Hall during a watch party and caused the disturbance. Students say he threw things at them, damaged property and yelled racial slurs. Court documents describe Wilson pushing and chasing victims with a sharp object. The documents also say,

he used what was described as a homemade flame thrower, which the public defender clarified was an alcohol-based spray and lighter, along with hitting victims and using offensive hateful language. UNC police say officers arrived about five minutes after the call and apprehended Wilson 10 minutes later. Police did not issue an alert Carolina notification, saying there was no ongoing threat to campus safety after Wilson was apprehended. But some students say they would have wanted more information. I think the university could have done a better job of alerting the students like, hey, maybe stay away from this area, like don't, because there were people who weren't involved in the situation who were still walking through. So I think if an alert Carolina went out, it would have let the students know, like, hey, this area, don't come around this area. And coming up, we will bring you more details about those two pending matters in Wake County that Wilson is involved in. Plus, we'll hear more from students about their safety concerns and what they say could have been done differently.

In Hillsborough, Cindy Bay, Navy C-11, eyewitness news. See you in an hour with more. Cindy, thank you. And now to some other local headlines this Friday and your speed feed first. A Clinton woman pulled from her burning home this week has died from her injuries. The victim has been identified as Moselle Hope. She was airlifted to UNC Chapel Hill Wednesday night after suffering burns and smoke inhalation. The Clinton Police Department has now asked the FBI to assist. in the investigation of the deadly fire.

And Wilson police continue to investigate a deadly shooting. Last night after nine police found 45-year-old Terrence Lucas lying in the road in the 500 block of Manchester Street. He later died from his injuries. 40-year-old Shannon Davis is now facing first-degree murder charges. He's being held in jail without bomb. Police have not released a motive for the shooting. And new at 4, crime is down in North Carolina this year. That's according to new data from the state's Department of Public Safety.

It shows violent crime is down nearly 6% and property crimes are down about 12%. In the first six months of 2026, crimes involving guns have decreased overall, including homicides and motor vehicle thefts are down 20%. However, domestic-related violence is on the rise. Sundown tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The two-day celebration runs through sundown Sunday. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the high holy days, a period of self-reflection, and repentance that culminates in Yom Kippur. And that's your speed feed, Barbara over to you.

Right, Amber, thank you. Well, the Durham City Council is moving forward, moving the date of its September 21st meeting because the date coincides with Yom Kippur. City leaders will now meet on Thursday, September the 17th. The meeting will still begin at 7 p.m. The agenda for the meeting has not been released yet. Well, turning to college football. The one and only Shaquille O'Neill is headed to Chapel Hill for the UNC pregame party. Shaq, a four-time NBA champion, aka DJ Diesel. will be part of tomorrow's Chapel Thrill Game Day concert. That event will be held in Polk Place. It starts at 10 in the morning, two hours prior to kickoff.

UNC will play East Tennessee State at noon tomorrow. All right. Well, the homeowner opener for the NC State Wolfpack just a couple hours away, and fans will get to see some upgrades at Carter Finley Stadium. They include an expanded food and beverage option on the East and West concourses. Food truck options also available with rotating vendors. Other updates include a new field, new LED ribbon boards around the state. stadium and 100 additional parking spaces in the Cardinal Gibbons lot.

Kate Rogerson is at Carter-Findley Forest ahead of the kickoff. She will join us live at 5 with a preview of tonight's matchup against the University of Richmond Spiders. And in the meantime, tomorrow's Aggie Eagle Classic has a new game time due to potential storms. Saturday, North Carolina Central University is moving the time of the football game against rival A&T up to noon. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. If you are going to that state game tonight, that's going to be right in the moment. middle of rush hour traffic, so they're telling you just, you know, the old tried and true pack your patience. That's right. I don't ever have any of that, especially on a Friday.

I don't have any extra patience laying around two pack. Yeah. Right? I know. I think it's a good move then, though, moving the game up on Saturday for tomorrow. If you're headed to, you know why I'm pulling for Central? Tell us. It's because the boss went to A&T, so I got to pull against her. That's the all day. I mean, and they're our hometown team. Come on. The other guys are from. on other viewing areas. Okay. So there we go. Eagle Tried Amplified.

Let's go. Tomorrow. I'm not with you know. The boss isn't working today so I can get away with that. That's how that happens. But if you are headed to the game, it's great news, weather-wise. By them moving it up, it's going to be the 80s. It'll be dry.

I think by the end of the game, we will see showers. We'll talk more about that coming up. Oh, this is brand new. All right, we have a severe thunderstorm morning here. We told you about this at the top of the show that does include South Hill, Virginia. But you can see this red line. line in here. Let's take a look at that. That is a flash flood warning now in Mecklenburg County. They've had one and a half to two inches of rain in a half hour. So much moisture available in the

atmosphere than any storm that gets going has all kinds of moisture to pull from. So we do have to watch that. The flash flood, we don't see any reports coming in just yet. If there is flooding in your area, turn around, don't drown. Most flooding deaths happen at night in your car. People try and drive through a flooded area. They don't know how deep the water is. And, Fortunately, they pass away. So please watch out for flooding up in Mecklenburg County. Now, there are some scattered showers down here. You can see this line kind of pushing south like an outflow boundary.

That may trigger an isolated shower. But for the most part, I think the metro right in the triangle looks pretty dry. We're looking live up into Roxburgh. You can see some of those showers moving out of person county as we look into Uptown, 86 on a north wind at 15 miles per hour. Temperatures from across the region where it's rain cooled. You're in the 80s. Oxford, Roxborough is at 90, but look down south. Feels like temperatures 101 in Fayetteville, 105 in Clinton and 97 in Goldsboro.

The showers will shut off tonight, but it leaves a lot of moisture behind it because of that. Potential patchy fog. If you're up early tomorrow, our fog predictor shows the bulk of the fog by about 7, 8 o'clock. It starts to burn off, though, as soon as the sun comes up. Then it's going to be warm and humid with the chance at late-day showers and thunderstorms. lunchtime looks good by 4 or 5 o'clock. That's when we see these shower and thunderstorm changes ramp up tomorrow. First alert, seven-day forecast powered by ACCA weather.

Sunday, 91. If you're headed over to the Panthers game, could be the hottest home opener for the Panthers in Charlotte ever. So be ready for heat. Monday hot and humid 93. Tuesday, the humidity drops. Temperatures drop a little bit. And we backed those temperatures down a little for midweek, but then we start to climb back toward the 90s toward next weekend. So a little cooler air.

It looks like it's going to nose in enough and give us some of that cooler air for the start of next week. Tomorrow, those scattered storms, we'll be watching them all day long. Ladies. Is it ever going to feel like fall around here? November. Right? Maybe October. So there you go.

All right, which is about three weeks away. Thank you, Don. A political heavy hitter is set to stop next week here in North Carolina. We're talking about President Donald Trump. He's set to join Republican Senate candidate Michael Wadley on the campaign trail as your voice, your vote heats up. We have the details ahead. Flying to new heights, new at four, the airport that will soon bear Dolly Parton's name.

Going on vacation? We're here for it. With kids who turned the backseat into a courtroom drama over whose tablet is louder, whose charger is faster, and while watching the same cartoon for the hundredth time is a human right? Yep, we totally have vehicles to handle that. Because whether it's a road trip or a business trip, where your flight's delayed, your phone's at 2% and your dinner is whatever is open? here for that too.

Enterprise, we're here for it. In your voice, your vote. North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Watley set to get some big support next week. President Trump is coming to North Carolina next Wednesday to campaign for Watley, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. Trump will speak at the Gastonia Municipal Airport

at 7 p.m. Watley is facing former Governor Roy Cooper in the closely watched race. Several polls show Cooper leading Watley by double digits just two months from the critical midterm elections. Whatley is hoping President Trump will give his campaign a boost.

In the meantime, we're learning Mitch McConnell may be headed back to work next week. The Kentucky Senator's staff is telling Senate leaders that he will return when the Senate reconvenes on Monday, September 14th after their summer recess. Kentucky Governor Andy Bashir, a Democrat says he has not heard from McConnell, and he's calling for transparency about the 84-year-old lawmakers' health. There are no reports of McConnell being seen publicly since his hospitalization on June 14th. Well, now to the posthumous honor for the late-great-Dolly Party. Today, the Metro Nashville Airport Authority voted to begin the process of renaming the Nashville International Airport after the legendary country singer.

In a unanimous 6 to 0 vote, the board voted a resolution to change the airport's name in honor of Dolly Parton. The airport authority modified its renaming policy, which stated a person must be dead for at least two years in order to rename the airport after them. It could take six months to a year before travelers can officially book a flight in or out of Dolly Parton International Airport. died last month at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. I think she would love that. I know. I know. Me too. It's a day of remembrance as we mark 25 years since the 9-11 terror attacks. Still ahead at 4. We're live in Fayetteville, where dozens gather for a poignant ceremony today.

And Operation Coming Home, the special ceremony happening in Wake County today for a wounded warrior. We are local news. ABC 11 eyewitness news continues now. Right now at 4. It is the first alert day. A flash flood. morning now in effect for part of the viewing area. Meteorologist Don Schweniger staying on top of the storm threat in the first alert forecast center where those thunderstorms are firing. Yeah, just very hit or miss showers this afternoon. I think that's going to continue the evening.

Tomorrow's the day for more widespread activity. But where we are seeing the rain very heavy up to the north, the severe thunderstorm morning just allowed to expire, but we still have this flash flood warning in effect until 630 tonight from Mecklenburg County. At one point, they were seeing rainfall of up to two inches and a half hour. hour. That's four inches per hour. That's a very high rate. And so that's why they are worried about that area up there. Again, that flash flood warning until 630. We have a little bit of shower activity just north of Oxford. This is sliding east. So Henderson expects some heavy rain over the next hour.

Outflow boundary down here could bring a sprinkler two to Durham if it holds together, but it is not severe. We are looking live out of the box yard. It's a hot one, 97 degrees, plenty of seats in the sunshine. Although they usually have live music on Friday night. So maybe a good night as that sun goes down. Look at the feels like temperatures running in the triple digits down to the south. Rain cooled up in South Hill. The first alert to your evening out, it feels warm all evening. By the time we go on for ABC 11 or 11, it still feels like 82 degrees. We'll talk more about the heat and humidity tonight and your seven-day forecast coming up in just a bit. Ladies. All right. See you soon with more, Don. Thank you. And as we continue to honor the memory of 9-11,

we reflect on its lasting impact on our military community. Yeah, this morning local leaders gathered at the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum for a special 9-11 ceremony. That's where we find Penelope Lopez. Penelope, we're seeing all those American flags behind you. Hey, good afternoon, that's right. Today marks the formal opening of the field of honor. I'll just take a step so you can see it. There are 500 American flags on display dedicated to those who have fallen. Respect.

Unity. community. On full display as community and service members gathered in Fayetteville to remember the sacrifice and courage of those during and after the 9-11 attacks. America really came together during a time where so many people lost so much. Friday morning's event featured moments of silence, an all-American band, and a wreathling ceremony. For those of us in uniform, September 11th was a defining moment, a moment when when we The oath we swore to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, took on an urgent meaning. For many, including Chief William Lehman, a survivor and paramedic with the New York City Fire Department.

The emotions of that day are still fresh, even 25 years later. It's still like yesterday. I call out the names of the friends who I knew directly. I have a lot of memories of the days leading up to and hang out. out with friends who didn't survive that day. Now, Chief of Emergency Medical Services at Fort Bragg, he says the sacrifice and heroism of 9-11 should never be forgotten. It's living history, and we need to take advantage of some of these absolute incredible heroes that were there that day and did incredible things so that the newest generations have somebody to look up to and emulate.

And as a New Yorker, this day is filled with a lot of of heaviness. Now the event concluded with a bagpipe procession inside the museum and there people were able to see the 9-11 exhibit. Now that exhibit has some artifacts from ground zero. We'll take a look inside that exhibit coming up at 530 for now live in Fayetteville. I'm Penelope Lopez, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Really important day there, Penelope and we look forward to your next report. Thank you. Happening across Central North Carolina today, a number of groups turned the memory of the September 11th attacks into a day of service. Thousands of volunteers joined together today for packed meals for families and need.

It's part of a broader effort to mark 25 years since the attacks and turn a somber day into a day of hope. Sean Coffey has more. For me, a lot of us remember exactly where we were on this day. As the world marks and mourns 25 years since September 11th, people like Dennis Kelly are trying to champion honor through action. We're honoring them through this process is critically important. It's the least we can do is contribute and participate in an event like this. That was the message at 9-11 days inaugural event in Raleigh, as roughly 1,000 volunteers gathered at NC State to pack an estimated 226,000 meals for families in need. For Kelly, a longtime Raleigh security executive, it's about reclaiming a day of pain.

You often hear the saying, don't forget, and that is critically important for us to never forget the impact and the importance of what this day represents, but also to remember what it represents going forward for all of us to protect, you know, everything we have and work so hard. It's a local event, having an outsized impact. Really at a time when federal cuts are really impacting the amount of work that we can do, and so seeing the community come together and provide an extra 200,000 meals, it's huge for us, especially this time of year. Carter Crane runs food procurement for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina,

which will distribute the meals package Friday. He said the effort highlights the best of the triangle. It's incredible to see people wanting to give back, their hearts for service and wanting to help each other. Neighbors helping neighbors. It's a great time. 25 years since a tragedy that touched us all, it's a reminder of the power of helping others and a chance to honor those who sacrificed so much. There's so many people, you know, from the armed forces to our law enforcement people that are protecting us each and every day that sometimes I think we take for granted. So it's just a good reminder of that.

In Raleigh, Sean Coffey, ABC 11, eyewitness news. And in Fugueh, Waverina, the community remembering 9-11 and making sure the victims are never forgotten. Iwoodness News was there to capture the sights and the sounds of a special ceremony today. It's amazing. Over 100 million Americans may not even remember or know about 9-11. It's important for us to help them to understand that particular day. I was on live during 9-11. But I'm a part of a profession that was changed by. And I think it's important that we tell the story.

We tell the story of resilience. We tell the story of coming together. We tell the story of what it means to stand together as a nation. Beautiful ceremony there. Still head here at 430. A local author is shining a light on an everyday hero from 9-11 and the incredible story behind us courage. Also coming up, see how Patrick Stapleton's book brings that here.

story to life. We also have a recall alert ahead here at 4. What you need to know about this light up toy, the potential battery risk. And remember, ABC 11 is your home for SEC football. It all kicks off Saturday at noon with Arizona State traveling to number 10, Texas A&M. And then at 3.30, number 12, Alabama hits the road

for a matchup with Kentucky. And the game of the season so far is at 7.30 when number one Ohio State heads to Austin, Texas, to take on the fourth-ranked Longhorns. That is college football this weekend, here on ABC 11. New here for a wounded Fort Bragg specialist getting a special gift on 9-11. US Veterans Corps sharing this video of the Operation Coming Home key ceremony today in Nightdale.

Dozens gathering there to welcome the wounded Fort Bragg specialist home. The U.S. Veterans Corps and Garmin homes gifted senior airman Demetrius Fitzpatrick, the mortgage-free home. Fitzpatrick suffered a broken back and experienced a traumatic brain injury in a training at Fort Bragg in January as another paratrooper collided with his parachute. Welcome home. Much deserved. And ABC 11 continues marking 25 years since 9-11. A first time author in Carrie is out with a new work of fiction that puts a real life September 11th hero inside the story. The local novelist with an unlikely personal connection is talking to Arjole Brown.

Patrick Stapleton, the native New Yorker who now calls Carrie home, was a young preteen when the towers fell in lower Manhattan. But two years before 9-11, a 10-year-old Patrick was with his older sister at her siblings weekend at Boston College, where he got an autographed ball from one of BC's senior lacrosse players, Wells Crowther. It was a souvenir he'd saved for years in a case in his childhood bedroom, only realizing years later the hero Wells Crowther would go on to be. I see on my dresser the ball in the case, and the name that it was literally front and center popped out was Wells R. Crowther 19. was his number. One of the first things I thought was I want to give this back to his parents.

Wells Crowther was a 24-year-old equities trader in the World Trade Center when the terrorist struck. When Flight 175 hit the South Tower, he called his mom telling her he was okay. Then his instincts as a former volunteer firefighter kicked in, organizing and aiding victims, extinguishing fires. He carried a woman on his back down nearly 20 floors, then went back up to help more. Crowther's credited with saving his, as many as 18 people. Last seen headed upward before the tower collapsed. And for months after 9-11, survivors knew him only

as the mysterious man in the red bandana. That's the real meaning of the red bandana. To be courageous, to find the good, to be the good. Crowther's mom Allison carried a red bandana this week, accepting a posthumous presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of her son. She gave a bandana to President Obama at the dedication of the 9-11 Memorial

ground zero and she presented one to Patrick in 2011. That's one of my, you know, prized possessions. When he reached out to return the lacrosse ball, Wells signed for him as a boy. She tells everyone that she gives a bandana to be courageous, care for others, a hero lies in you. That quote, that credo, the Crowther credo kind of stuck with me. And when Patrick published his first novel over the summer, The Last I Love You, his fictional work includes the very real life character of Wells Crowther. For Patrick, it was a promise kept. I made a promise 15 years prior to always share his story, to always push his story, to people who didn't know it. And that was kind of my promise in action by including him in the book

in such a big way, too. If Wells Crowther could read your book, what do you hope he'd think? You know, we saw the worst of humanity in 9-11, and Wells showed us the best of humanity. So I would hope that he would say that I honored what he did. And that was George. Brown reporting. Stapleton says he sent the book to Crowler's mother before publishing it to get her blessing. The last I Love You is available now wherever books are sold. What a story. What a legacy. Coming up next at four, something to make you smile on this very heavy news day. See the special moment when this dog is reunited with its owner. You think he's a little excited about that? Oh my goodness. New at four, Central North Carolina's newest medical college celebrates

a milestone moment. Today, Methodist University held its inaugural white coat ceremony. The ceremony formally welcomes the class of 2030 into the medical profession and marks the student's journey toward becoming physicians. The 64 member class started classes in July. Well, new it for a close call caught on camera in Michigan. A passing car nearly hit an elementary school student as he was getting off of his school bus and crossing the street and the bus of surveillance camera captures that scary moment. The boy was nearly in the path of that car as it, wow, as it blew through the bus stop arm. With the help of that bus video, authorities were able to identify the car and the 19-year-old driver who is expected to now face charges. Earlier this week, we also reported Wake

County school officials are exploring an expansion of stop-arm cameras on school buses here locally as they seek to improve student safety and reduce illegal passing violations. Also new here at four, nearly 250,000 light-up children's toys are now under recall due to a safety risk for kids. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that these toys contain button cell batteries that can be easily accessed by children. That violates the mandatory safety standard for children's toys. If button cell or coin batteries are swallowed, they can cause serious injuries, including internal chemical burns and death. No injuries have been reported. Now today's top trending stories in real news, we begin with a holy,

A really cow moment in Australia, a man caught on camera running with a cow on a leash. Yes, the video captured the man and animal running along a busy highway. The pair had been walking until a few kids zipped by on their scooters, and that gave the cow chase. The cow was later seen interacting with a dog at a park just utterly adorable. That is so funny. All right. Now to a wedding surprise, a father in Minnesota with Parkinson's disease surprises his daughter in the most beautiful way when he is determined to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

The video shows the father there who has some trouble walking long distances waiting around the corner to surprise his daughter. The plan initially was for him to be toward the end of the aisle because of his walking difficulties, but he was at the beginning of that aisle. The moment was so emotional, a lot of wedding guests were brought to tears. It's been one of them for sure. Well, now to an emotional reunion in Baltimore, Maryland. A woman is reunited with her dog

eight months after the dog ran off and from this video you can tell that he really missed her. Nothing like the love of a doggy, right? What a special moment. Kyla Prima says her dog, Cash, slipped away from her home through an open gate back in January.

She said she spent countless hours looking for him until earlier this week. A couple spotted the dog wandering the streets. They were able to catch him and bring him back home. They are reunited. I love it. I know.

That is real news. That is real, real, real, real, real, real, real, really, real. Obviously, the dog was probably microchipped. I know. If not, it should be. I'm glad. That's a good ending this story. Sometimes they don't end as good.

Yeah. And I wonder if that dog will run away again. I'll be like, no, I know what's good. I'll stay here. Yeah, that was enough exploring for me. All right, we're tracking a few showers out there tonight, and nothing severe at the moment in our area, so that is good news. We do have a flash flood warning that continues up in Mecklenburg County goes until 630 tonight.

South Hill, you're still in some rain, but it is pushing out. We are seeing this line, this outflow boundary from those earlier storms, is triggering a few showers, nothing severe. But if we look live from Durham off to the north, you can see this dark sky. That'll be the outflow boundary moving through. May bring a sprinkler to it will bring some cooler temperatures. We're still at 97 degrees right now, downtown Durham. Feels like 98, 99 Raleigh 101 and Irwin 101 down in Fayetteville. First alert to the next 24 hours.

And you can see partly cloudy skies this evening. Most places will not see rain. If you get under a shower, it should be a quick hitter. Those numbers falling through the 70s as we go toward tomorrow morning. Patchy fog early in the morning and then sun will win out. That will bring some late day showers and storms. We'll talk more about the weekend storms coming up. Let's talk about what's coming up at 5 o'clock.

For that, we go to Steve. Is Lauren over there? Lauren P. Oh yeah. We're here. We're here ready to go for five o'clock news. I know there's a lot of cameras and stuff between us and Don. Don, thanks very much. Tonight, a couple of teenagers, a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old are charged in connection with an armed robbery that happened last weekend. I witness news cameras back on the scene today as investigators are still searching for their getaway driver. And 25 years later, the entire country is still remembering the darkest day in our country's history. We'll go live to Shakespeare, Pennsylvania, where passengers and crew

on board a United Airlines 757 will forever be honored. And if you've been to North Hills lately, you might have found yourself confused by the new parking signage. Diane Wilson makes some sense of the mix-up for drivers. And tonight, lights are shining brightly at Carter-Finley Stadium and Raleigh, the Wolfpack, finding a way to honor the victims of the 9-11 tragedy. And we also have the story of a local man who was a volunteer firefighter back on that day in 2001. How the attack on the nation inspired him to join the ranks full-time and offer his life in service. Lauren and I will see you for the news at five here in just a few minutes.