25 ✦ 9/11 ✦ 250

One Song.One Story.One Legacy.

As Seen On

Fox 9 News

Our story caught the attention of Fox 9. Watch the full interview.

Conceptual rendering of the K9 & Soldier statue.

25 years since September 11, 2001.

9/11 — a day that changed America forever.

250 years of the American story.

And somewhere between those three numbers is a song, a patient, a poem, and a story that began 25 years ago.

Eagleyez

[ee-guh-lahyz]
verb
to collectively rise up as in the days following 9/11

Written September 12–14, 2001

0:000:00

Listen to the song that began this story 25 years ago.

Eagleyez

The Lyrics

I talk to myself cuz you're not around

Your familiar perches, today (that day) they fell down

Down, down, downtown

It was dawn's early light, I was at school

They stormed our headquarters, your face was carved on it too

And the people, most of all

Like they sing, you raised them up on your wings

Up on your way

Can you hear me?

You're not around

Can't you hear them, hear they come

"They are shrieking for freedom!"

The patriots cried while cannons roared

Way back during their final war

Here we are, once again

It seems like this will never end

Here we are, stripes and stars

This time they know who we are

Land of the free, home of the brave

U.S.A.

You for me, me for you

I'll do the best that I can do

And there were times you were in danger

You were bloody, you were muddy, you even were endangered

Please don't forget the rest in your nest

I request:

Wave your flag to the sky

Show the whole world you're Eagleyzed

Eagleyez

The Friday before 9/11, after practicing with his bandmates, the guitarist handed James Pietrek a CD with a couple new riffs he'd recorded. Pietrek remembers listening to them in the car on the way home that weekend, just getting a feel for each of them, should he feel inspired to write any lyrics to them. The featured riff he described to the guitarist simply as, "victorious".

Then 9/11 happened. The following morning before leaving for school, James wore the most patriotic shirt he owned, which happened to be a New York Rangers Lady Liberty jersey, similar to the one shown below (the original one was white but a few years later, unfortunately it was stolen between shifts of pick-up hockey!).

Pietrek was sitting in class, with the victorious guitar solo on his mind and so he stopped taking notes, and started writing a song.

That Saturday, James and his bandmates went to Guitar Center and purchased a 32-track recorder and started making their first recording.

"I dropped off the CD at the local pop radio station in downtown Minneapolis...but...let's just say we never got a call back", Pietrek said, "...it was the right song - I guess it just wasn't the right time."

[ James Pietrek & "Coach"/Founder/Keeper of Veteran's Memorial Park in Blaine, MN, Steve Guider, at the site of the proposed K-9 & Soldier statue ]

Four Years Later

File # 0001

Frederick the Marine called three days before Pietrek first opened practice on February 7, 2005, to be evaluated for his lower back pain that he'd developed following a grappling drill.

His goal was to deploy with his troop to Iraq in a few weeks, but was in no shape to pass an upcoming physical. Knowing that his military insurance had a reputation of covering pain pills, then needle injections and then advanced diagnostics — followed by a decision to be made about medical leave or discharge, he'd rather pay cash and see the chiropractor whose business card he'd received from his friend that James had met at the security gate the week previous.

After 5-6 adjustments to the top bone in Frederick's neck, his lower back was feeling much better. Pietrek remembers him calling, saying that he needed to cancel the rest of his appointments because he was about to deploy.

Then, a year and a half later, he comes back and says "If it wasn't for you and your adjustments, I never would have been able to deploy. Here's a flag I flew for you and a copy of a poem that I wrote."

Here it is, still in its original frame:

The Project

Full circles collide...for a lasting purpose

Remember. Honor. Give.

Donate Now Download the Song

All proceeds from download of the song go to Veteran's Memorial Park in Blaine — first for the funding of the K-9 & Soldier statue, then the Medic and Huey Cobra Helicopter. The Donate Now button takes you to a separate GoFundMe page.

Eagleyez — Statue of Liberty and NYC skyline with 250 tribute artwork

Veterans Memorial Park monument fountain

Two men at Veterans Memorial Park flagpole

Soldier memorial statue at Veterans Memorial Park

Courage, Sacrifice, Patriotism rock at Veterans Memorial Park

Written in the days following September 11, 2001. Shared again 25 years later, during America's 250th anniversary year, for a lasting purpose.

25 ✦ 9/11 ✦ 250