HORACE, ND (KVRR/CNN) - A North Dakota welder has created a fire pit with a controversial theme depicting the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.
Brent Hansen uses his spare time following a work accident that left him disabled to create different projects. He has built fire pits in the shape of cartoon characters for kids, but nothing has gotten him the kind of attention the 9/11-inspired creation has brought.
Several pictures of the sculpture have hit social media, which generated quite a backlash, but Hansen said he did it as way to honor those who were lost and respect first responders.
"Most of my friends are either military, law enforcement, fire and rescue. My dad was a cop," Hansen said. "Thought about a lot of my friends that actually went there to help out with security and different things like that. I just wanted to do something that commemorated them. 'Always remember, never forget' type of thing."
The sculpture is an elaborate work with a bowl at the bottom depicting the Statue of Liberty and engravings memorializing those who died during the attacks.
But it also features a rendering of the World Trade Center being hit by airplanes. Hansen said the planes also have a small box on the front of them that can be filled with oil and burned so that black smoke will rise from them.
Hansen said he talked with a firefighter friend who agreed the image the fire pit creates could be insensitive.
"He said, 'It might be a little bit insensitive if you have it burning,'" Hansen said. "You don't have to have it burning. It is what it is. It's for remembrance of the people that died. If we start forgetting what happened in history, history's going to repeat itself."
Hansen said he does not profit from anything he makes. It's a way to keep doing what he enjoys now that he is no longer able to work after about 600 pounds of steel fell on top of him.
"Messed up my back, my hip, my leg, I've had multiple surgeries on my foot. Have a hard time getting around," Hansen said. "I like doing metal work. It's kind of like my therapy if you want to call it that. Find anything that makes you happy, whether it's doing a hobby, helping people, volunteering, go out, just do something."
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