‘AS ONE, WE ARE STRONGER’
Across Lehigh Valley, those who perished in attacks two decades ago are remembered, honored, with hope for future
It was a calm, cloudless blue sky in Trexlertown early Saturday morning, just as it was 20 years ago in Lower Manhattan.
“A beautiful September morning full of hope, full of positivity,” Jon Kayes, captain of the Lower Macungie Fire Department, said of Sept. 11, 2001, from the podium Saturday before a gathering of folks at Good Will Fire Company No. 1 of Trexlertown for their annual 9/11 Remembrance Service.
Bagpipers performed “Amazing Grace,” and some in the crowd sang along with Trexlertown firefighter Steve Oplinger as he performed “God Bless the USA” and “God Bless America.”
It was one of many events held throughout the Lehigh Valley Saturday, commemorating two decades since the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Events in Trexlertown and Bethlehem included patriotic music and speeches from officials focused on honoring first responders, as well as calling on the community to help each other through times of hardship.
Bethlehem’s ceremony included singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a bagpipe performance of “Amazing Grace,” a performance of “Taps” and words of remembrance from the organizers and city police Chief Michelle Kott.
Acknowledging the anniversary of the attacks with the community gives residents a chance to heal together and remember the heroes and victims respectfully, Kott said.
“We are there to give a helping hand, we are there to help our neighbor, help our community,” she said. “I truly believe taking from that unspeakable loss that we experienced the resilience of the American people, how everyone on Sept. 12, 2001, seemed to be unified and stronger together.
“We need to capitalize on that, and I think that’s what we can capture and bring to this event here that is bringing the community together, that when we are all working together as one, we are stronger.”
Held in the parking lot under two massive 30- by 60-foot American flags tethered to 125 foot booms mounted on ladder trucks, the event in Trexlertown solemnly marked the deaths of 2,977 people on that tragic day, including 265 on four hijacked planes and 125 at the Pentagon.
The service was presented by both Upper and Lower Macungie township’s first responders, along with the Upper Macungie Police Department and Troop M of the Pennsylvania State Police.
What began as an ordinary day 20 years ago became marred by tragedy in an instant, as a passenger plane commandeered by terrorists struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. Another jet hit the North Tower 17 minutes later.
Before the carnage was complete, hijackers would direct a third plane into the Pentagon before valiant passengers brought down a fourth hijacked plane in an open field in Shanksville.
The tolling of bells marked American Airlines Flight 11 crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., and later American Airlines Flight 77 hitting the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. and United Airlines Flight 93 going down in Shanksville at 10:03 a.m.
At the fifth annual Bridles and Badges event hosted by the Bethlehem Mounted Police, the day started with a remembrance ceremony for the heroes and victims of the attacks, followed by festivities to fundraise and connect with the community.
The transition from the remembrance ceremony to the lighthearted activities was ushered in by the crowd chanting “Let’s Roll,” in tribute to passenger Todd Beamer’s words 20 years ago in an attempt to retake the hijacked Flight 93.
“We had a hard time trying to transition from the solemnness of 9/11, because naturally everybody was very strongly affected by the events of 9/11
and we didn’t want to be disrespectful,” Mack said.
The festivities included pony rides, face painting, raffles, a mounted unit demonstration of the horses and Irish dancing.
City police Lt. Michael Leaser said such events are all about community. He was one of the original officers who helped start up the mounted patrol unit in 2009.
Kott came to the event with her family. She said it was phenomenal to see families and children out. She said her 7-year-old has a lot of questions when it comes to 9/11, and this gives them a chance to talk about it.
“It’s a good opportunity for the parents and the adults that have lived
through it, to explain it to their children,” Leaser said.
The firefighters and first responders who ran into the burning buildings to extract those who were trapped and injured “knew what they were getting into but went anyway,” said Chief Gary Mattox of Good Will Fire Company No. 1, Trexlertown.
He said some of them knew they weren’t going to come out alive, and that it’s important to remember the sacrifices each of them made that day, as well as the innocent victims who they fought valiantly to save.
His son Liam, 20, was a newborn when the events of 9/11 changed life in America, but he said he recognized the importance of remembering the event when the calendar rolls to that date every year.
“It was a tragedy, an event committed by evil men,” he said.
Turning out for the ceremony was important to Thomas Faust, 74, a veteran who served one tour in Chu Lai, Vietnam, in 1966 and 1967.
The Trexlertown resident fought back tears as he spoke about the firefighters and first responders who lost their lives on 9/11, and the ones who continue to charge into harm’s way today.
“I wish kids in school were taught about what first responders go through,” he said.