DOVER-FOXCROFT – Alton Brown fingered the rim of the baseball cap that his stepbrother, Robert Norton, had worn before the Lubec man’s death at the hands of terrorists a year ago.

Holding the cap brought back a flood of memories Tuesday that centered on Brown and a much beloved older brother, a brother who helped the Winter Street resident purchase his first bicycle as a child, who took him fishing and who gave him rides in his first automobile.

Robert Norton and his wife, Jackie, were among the passengers on American Airlines Flight 11, the aircraft that rammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Brown said he had returned from a walk that fateful morning and had turned on the television just as an airplane collided with one of the towers. Knowing that his brother and wife were traveling to California for a wedding, he telephoned both United and American Airlines to inquire whether they were on the manifest as passengers. American Airlines confirmed they were listed but could not tell him then whether, in fact, the couple was on the airline when it crashed. That news came later.

Since the attacks, Brown and his wife, Yvonne, have received a few mementos, including a teddy bear from a 16-year-old Virginia resident, and letters from residents throughout the country expressing their sorrow. The couple also has been kept in the loop for investigations and trials in connection with the attacks.

“People have been so kind and so thoughtful,” Yvonne said Tuesday.

Although the Browns were invited to a memorial service in New York City today, the couple plans to watch the services on television because Brown suffers back problems.

Next to the television are family portraits that serve as a reminder of Brown’s loss. Although there was a 17-year difference in age, Brown said he and Norton remained close over the years. The families often got together for day trips to the ocean and on overnight trips.

“I’ll keep thinking about the things we did when I was growing up,” Brown said.