JEFF BERARDELLI. >> 23 YEARS AGO TODAY OUR NATION FACED AN UNPRECEDENTED TRAGEDY. THOUSANDS LOST THEIR LIVES AND THOUSANDS MORE WERE HURT DURING THE 9.11 TERROR ATTACKS IN PINELLAS COUNTY, A LARGE CROWD INCLUDING GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS GATHERED FOR A MEMORIAL CURLEW HILLS MEMORIAL GARDENS. >> NEWS CHANNEL EIGHT'S MELISSA MARINO IS LIVE FOR US THERE RIGHT NOW IN PALM HARBOR, MELISSA. >> GOOD EVENING. A VERY EMOTIONAL AND SOLEMN CEREMONY HERE HELD RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR PERMANENT 9.11 MEMORIAL. YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE STOPPING BY DROPPING FLOWERS HERE. THE GOAL OF TODAY TO MAKE SURE WE NEVER FORGET. REMEMBERING 9, 11. 23 YEARS LATER, A SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD TODAY AT CURLEW HILLS MEMORIAL GARDENS IN PALM HARBOR. REMEMBERING THE HEROES AND THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. MANY WITH THE FDNY AS CHIEF OF OPERATIONS THAT MORNING, NOT A SINGLE NUMBER. >> NOT A SINGLE MEMBER. HESITATED AND REFUSE TO PERFORM. THEY DO. DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE DAY WOULD BUT THEY KNEW. IT WOULD BE THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIVES. MANY LIVES CHANGED FOREVER. KIRSTIN PIET WAS WORKING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WHEN THE CEILING FELL DOWN. I RAN OUT >> IN ALL PAPERS AND OUTSIDE MILLIONS OF PIECES OF PAPER CAME OUT OF THE KATHY HUMAN WAS DIRECTING PLANES ON 9.11, BUT WAS A LONG, HARD I WILL EVER FOR THE EVENT HELPING THEM HEAL. THIS THE FIRST THING I'VE SINCE I WENT TO SHANKSVILLE. >> BUT I'M GLAD I DID. AND I'LL BE NEXT YEAR. >> THE TOLLING OF THE BELLS SIGNIFYING THE FIRST RESPONDERS END WATCH THE CEREMONY ENDING WITH THE LIGHTING OF THE FLAME AND PLACING OF THE RACE ON THE 9.11 MEMORIAL WHICH WILL STAND FOREVER TO MAKE SURE WE NEVER FORGET. >> BUT AS REFLECT ON THEIR SERVICE, KNOWING TASK IS COMPLETE AND THEN WATCH IS OVER. >> AND TONIGHT, 2 GIANT BEAMS OF LIGHT WILL BE PROJECTED HERE FROM THE 9.11 MEMORIAL SITE AT CURLEW HILLS. THE BEAMS WILL SHINE MORE THAN 1000 FEET INTO THE SKY, REPRESENTING THE SAME BEAMS OF LIGHT THAT SHONE IN NEW YORK CITY FOLLOWING 9.11 THAT'S HAPPENING THIS EVENING FROM 8 TO 10:00PM. THE PUBLIC ENCOURAGED