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Marietta remembrance ceremony honors 25th anniversary of 9/11

By Sophie Wheeler 3 min read

MARIETTA - A morning ceremony for the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, organized by local veterans groups, took place Friday morning. The event featured keynote speaker David Brown, adjunct and treasurer of DAV Chapter 52, and a silent procession from Reno to Marietta.

During the ceremony, wreaths were presented to represent each entity who lost their lives in the series of tragic events in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania; civilians, firefighters, EMS, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and Port Authority K9.

Mayor Josh Schlicker spoke on the purpose of the event and the impact on the families of those affected.

"Today we gather quietly. We gather to remember and reflect. We gather to honor the lives and families forever changed by Sept. 11, 2001," he said. "There were plans, there were dreams, there was a future and then in a matter of minutes, there wasn't."

Schlicker also recognized first responders saying, "We see you, we appreciate you, we are proud of you, and we will never take your service for granted."

David Brown said September 11 served as a defining moment for a generation and noted that the attacks revealed American resilience. He said for his generation, 9/11 was a defining moment and the memories remain vivid even 25 years later.

He said the purpose of the attacks was to create division and to convince people that they are vulnerable - but now we remember the "courage, under unimaginable conditions and circumstances that continues to inspire us to this day".

He commended the teachers at the Children's Discovery Center, located less than 100 yards from the World Trade Centers, as they evacuated more than 30 children to safety "in the midst of utter chaos." He spoke of the "demonstration of the American spirit" from the passengers of Flight 93, "whose courage certainly saved countless lives on the ground."

Brown also remembered the first responders; firefighters, police officers and EMTs, "who rushed towards danger rather than running away from it." Along with the volunteers, construction workers and countless others who spent days, weeks, and months searching through rubble, "first hoping to find survivors, and then helping families find closure if they could," he said.

Brown discussed the influence of the attacks on individuals who were not directly affected.

"It is easy to think of the Sept. 11 attacks as something that happened in New York, Washington D.C. or Pennsylvania, but tragedy knows no state lines," he said. "It belonged to all of us. As we leave this memorial today, let us honor their memories not only with actions."

Bryan Reeder, commander of the Mid-Ohio Valley Platoon of the Marine Corps Veterans Association , organized the event with the help of local veteran groups and said it was important to recognize the change and the connection found following the event. He said "Everybody came together and loved each other, loved this county. That's what we wanted to try to get across with this (event).”

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