Fire trucks flanked the Peace Arch with American and Canadian flags as crowds gathered on both sides of the border for the 25th anniversary ceremony. (Photo: PNW Daily)
BLAINE, Wash. — As the nation remembers September 11, 2001, the emotions still run deep. Americans and Canadians gathered at the Peace Arch Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and honor the 2,977 people who died.
The cross-border ceremony brought together U.S. and Canadian officials, first responders, military personnel and community members to remember those killed in the attacks and honor those who continue to serve.
The Van City Chorus sang the Canadian and U.S. national anthems. The event was kicked off with a helicopter flyover and commemorative motorcycle rides from Burlington and Delta, B.C., that met at the border.
Honoring Those Who Served On 9/11
Event co-chair Howard A. Blank said the Peace Arch ceremony began as a motorcycle ride to honor the 2,977 victims of the attacks.
Hijackers flew aircraft into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center towers in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. Passengers on a fourth hijacked plane fought back against the attackers before the aircraft crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The ceremony brought four New York first responders to the Peace Arch: retired New York City Fire Department paramedic Roberto Abril, retired New York firefighter Cody Stamberger, retired NYPD Sgt. Marna Rann and NYPD Lt. Kevin Lee.
Abril was among the first responders to reach the scene, arriving shortly after 9 a.m., remaining there until 4 a.m. the following morning.
Abril used his remarks to recognize the first responders and military personnel who continue to serve.
“Firemen, firefighters, law enforcement officers, military personnel. Know that without you, none of this would be possible.”
Roberto Abril, Retired FDNY Paramedic
He said the gathering allowed people to remember those who died while reflecting on the freedoms they fought to protect.
“We gathered here today to commemorate and remember the pain inflicted upon us by those who hated our way of life, our liberty, our love for our country, and our individual freedom to live as we choose in a sovereign nation,” Abril said.
Abril Reflects On Freedom And Sacrifice
Abril connected the meaning of Sept. 11 to generations who fought to protect American freedom.
“In our society, in our land, the very wind carries freedom. It carries it everywhere, from east to west, from north to south,” he said. “Freedom is woven into the very fabric of who we are.”
He said Americans must continue to defend that freedom.
“Yet we also need to know this: we will bear any burden, we will pay any price, we will endure any hardship to preserve our liberty and our independence,” Abril said.
“Because freedom is not something we were simply given. It is something that generations before us fought to protect.”
Abril also said history will ultimately forget the terrorists who carried out the attacks while continuing to remember the people who responded.
“The world will not remember the names of those who inflicted this pain upon us. These terrorists will eventually be forgotten. These terrorists, their names will fade from history and they will remain forgotten long after we are all gone.”
Roberto Abril, Retired FDNY Paramedic
He said the victims and first responders will leave a different legacy.
“But the names of our patriots, their lives, their courage, are never merely in history books. They are instilled in our minds, branded in our memories, and forever engraved in our hearts.”
Delta Mayor Thanks First Responders
Delta Mayor George V. Harvie also focused on the people who continue to serve their communities.
“Thank you for protecting our families, for accepting risks most of us will never have to face,” Harvie said. “Thank you for protecting our families, and thank you for being there on the days when our communities need you the most.”
Speaking on behalf of Delta residents, Harvie thanked the organizers for allowing the community to share the morning of remembrance.
“On behalf of the residents of the City of Delta, and personally from me and my family, thank you for allowing me to share this important morning with you,” Harvie said.
Harvie then summed up the purpose of the gathering.
“Today we remember those we lost. We honor those who serve. We thank those who continue to serve.”
The Peace Arch provided the setting for a message shared by both countries.
“And here at the Peace Arch, Canadians and Americans make the same promise together: We will never forget.”
George V. Harvie, Delta Mayor
Ceremony Honors Service On Both Borders
Blank said organizers also wanted to recognize the people working on the front lines in both countries.
“Those who are working on our front lines at both borders today are going to be recognized and thanked for their service,” Blank said.
The four New York guests will also receive a hero’s welcome at the BC Lions game Saturday night. The Lions will face the Montreal Alouettes.
The motorcycle rides added another cross-border element to the ceremony. Riders left from Burlington on the U.S. side and Delta, B.C., before meeting at the border.
Harvie closed the remarks by offering a blessing for the first responders, their families and the riders.
“May God bless our first responders and their families, and may God keep every rider safe on today’s journey,” Harvie said. “Thank you, and please ride safely.”
Twenty-five years after the attacks, the Peace Arch ceremony brought Americans and Canadians together to remember those who died, honor those who served and recognize those who continue to serve.
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