Motorcyclists will roll out to honor 9 /11 first responders
The sun-painted edges of the early morning shone bright red as more than 50 members of the Fire Hogs Motorcycle Club, mostly retired firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department, mounted their Harley-Davidson motorcycles to begin a nearly 3,000-mile cross-country journey to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas and Fire Hogs Motorcycle Club president Jack Wise were on hand to kick off the ride at about 6:30 a.m. at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Elysian Park.
With the largest surviving section of the World Trade Center Towers as a backdrop, LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas spoke to the group.
“We will never forget 9/11, especially on the 20th anniversary of that tragic day,” he said. “The stories, images, and human loss of life always trigger memories of terror and fear. However, it is also identified with stories of incredible bravery, determination, and personal sacrifice. The men and women of the LAFD remember the 343 New York City firefighters killed that day as they were rushing into those two doomed buildings as everyone else was rushing to get out.”
After a group photo in front of the 9/11 memorial, Terrazas, an honorary Fire Hog member, mounted his Harley, bearing custom orange flames on the gas tank, and led the group, flanked by members of the Patriot Guard Riders, out past Dodger Stadium to begin their journey.
The 23-ton, approximately 22-foottall steel column was originally part of the lobby structure of the World
Trade Center, according to LAFD Capt. Erik Scott.
“Believed to be the largest remnant of the attacks on the West Coast, it now rests safely on reinforced concrete pilings that sink nearly 30 feet below ground,” Scott said.