911 Remembrance 2024

well welcome everyone Thanks for uh coming out uh today um to our our 911 remembrance um the tragic events that happened 23 years ago today so I appreciate all of you being here uh today at City Hall we um I want to just start was before we before we start the posting the color national anthem just with the uh the purpose of our being here today on September 11th the attacks were a series of attack four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States and T took place at 7:46 a.m. Central Time American Airlines flight 11 crashed into floors 93 through 99 to the World Trade Center North Tower New York City collapsing 102 minutes later killing all 92 people aboard and hundreds inside the tower at 8:03 a.m. Central Time Airlines United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the floor 75 through 85 of the World Trade Center South Tower in New York City collapsing 56 minutes later killing all 65 aboard and hundreds of inside the tower at 8:37 a.m. Central Time American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington Virginia killing 59 people on board and 125 military and CI civilian Personnel inside the building at 9:07 a.m. after hearing about the attacks in New York City and Washington DC passengers aboard the hijacked American Airlines flight 93 mounted an attempt to retake the plane in response hijackers crashed the plane into a field near Shanksville Pennsylvania killing all 40 people on board its intended target assumed to be the United States capital remains today loss of life over 2,000 or 2,996 people on that day uh and of course many more not only from the tragic events of that day but those who had illnesses based on the toxic fumes both firefighters police officers and members of our community plus the global war on terrorism the many individuals who fought since that for the last 23 years today we stand together to remember uh and never forget that day uh and the action of so many Brave individuals and all of those who lost their lives so I'm going to ask the stcloud fire department Honor Guard uh to post the colors and we also followed immediately uh by Natasha orbeck uh to sing our national anthem Natasha uh is a is a military background she's a staff sergeant retired staff sergeant uh but also has uh she fortunately lost a husband a number of years ago uh who was a member of our stcloud PD and of course the state highway patrol uh and lost a battle with cancer a number of years ago uh we are honored to have Natasha here as a veteran uh to lead us in our nation's Anthem so if you would all please rise and I would ask the St Cloud fire department Honor Guard to please post the colors oh say can you see by the dawn light what so proud LLY we he at the Twilight last gleaming who Brad stripes and bright stars through the peress fight or the ramp parts we walk were so gallantly streaming and the rocket red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh see does that star spangled B yet W or the land of the free and the home of the Brave can please seated thank you Natasha that's here that's again a beautiful ration and now I would ask uh Pastor James Elbert Elbert to come up from The Higher Ground Church of God in Christ uh to give the invocation thank you mayor cly and thank you to all of our service members um all of our public servants all of our uh political officials that are here and to each and every one of our participants that are here on today to memorialize and commemorate this precious moment in our nation's history uh truly it is um a sad time but it also a reflection time uh that we should be confident that we don't forget what has happened what has happened since then and what we endeavored to prevent from happening ever again let us now go to the throne of grace with the sincerity of this act in mind Heavenly Father we thank you for today 23 years ago tragedy struck this nation but those with courage and strength stood up in this moment in time to be able to help their fellow woman and their fellow man through tragedy unspeakable and since that time more courage and more strength has been displayed we are not perfect while we are on this Earth but it is sure that the best of us that step through our imperfections and step into the greatness of serving one another rise to the height of that which you have called us to be that we should love one another as we love ourselves we thank you oh Lord that you have given us an opportunity to be able to stand in the gap for each other for you have stood in the gap for us all we thank you for this moment and time to be able to reflect upon this tragedy in our history that we may be able to surmise strength in the midst of all that has been done and since that time may you bless those that are here bless us around this nation to be able to continue to have strength and courage and to love one another beyond our own imperfections May the grace of God and the sweet communion of his holy spirit continue to rest and Rule and abide in us forever more in Jesus name amen thank you Pastor Alberts and now you know I want to again thank you for being here uh this is a ceremony that we've had here uh at City Hall and of course at the police station for a number of years we started this uh tradition 2006 to remember and it's extremely important that we we never forget I had the opportunity this morning uh to be at a at a flag raising at St Cloud University campus where the veterans organization there has gotten together and have done that each year and of course took a moment of silence at each of those spots as I mentioned at the beginning of uh when that first plane crashed into the first Tower the second of course in the Pentagon and then into the field in Shanks near Shanksville it was that uh Ceremony this morning is fitting because that's a it's a campus where most of the students um not not all not traditional but most of the students were not even born um 23 years ago um but it's important for them to understand and that's why we pause and we reflect on the day the sacrifice uh looking around here in the audience with the exception of a few that I know were not born in 23 years ago or 23 days ago in one case maybe but most of the rest of us were around on that day and most of us in fact I think anyone who who was an adult um understands exactly uh where they were and can remember it very vividly I I know I can and I was at that time 23 years ago I was on the radio with um cesi with Dan oxner it was I was a state senator at the time um and uh the mayor was also on that program at the same time is Larry Meyer and uh we were on for for some reason obviously it was a slow news day cuz we were on there in the morning but we were on and and I remember cuz um he had a somebody that was calling in about an issue was Ron coell from uh a local broker and said I can't believe this or a plane just flew into the tower and of course as we and everybody else watching and the News was reporting well must be just a tragic offc course airplane you know and for most of us who looked at that thought well it's a small plane not realizing until later that you know it was a was a commercial airline jet um but it it didn't take but a second uh when we saw the second plane crash that anybody anybody watching that knew that our nation uh there was something that we were under attack uh and that terrorist attack um is that is ingrained in us where we were but it it forever it forever changed um the world uh in a number of ways uh if you rem you know it's it's hard explaining to this to people who are under 23 actually even under 30 we used to go to the airport you know and go right up to the plane in fact I remember getting on the planes and I wasn't flying anywhere you know and you'd get you could say goodbye to somebody actually at the seat and then get off the plane before it took off um so how we traveled changed uh how we entered buildings how we how we do all so many things changed that day and the one thing uh is that we became more you know Vigilant um but one thing didn't change and the intention of those individuals who Mastermind the terrorists who Mastermind that the intention of what they wanted to change didn't change we're still a free country we still have the freedom and liberty um we're reminded of that every day uh what they sought to happen to take the United States to its knees and to to break down the free loving country that we where we are self-determined to select the leadership at at all levels um and to live in the freedom and liberty we have uh it was a failure and it was a failure because really the Testament to the the men and women who have have fought for that freedom to give it to us um well before that day and in many battles going all the way back to the first Patriots in the Revolutionary War to every battle and every opportunity and it's not only those that uh fought but it's those that were willing to those who raised their hand to defend our nation whether they served in battle or whether they were ready to uh their Patriots and they answered the call which very few people are willing to do and we were reminded that day of of a number of other Heroes um individuals again who wear the uniform of our cities our police our fire our EMS in New York The Bravery of those individuals running towards danger going in buildings when others were were running out uh the many individuals who lost their life on that day 3,000 again near 3,000 people on that day alone but even in the aftermath those searching through searching through for for weeks for any type of sign of any type of Life those individuals that were put put there In Harm's Way many people have suffered since then whether it's cancer or other issues um were also affected by that day and then the men and women in uniform who have been fighting ever since then on the global war on terrorism those who've lost their life those who have been injured those who have have not only visible wounds in those battles but wounds again similar to the wounds you you get inside those those types of cancers but there's another piece of cancer it's the it's the trauma of the mental health issues that have we have lost too many veterans too uh and that's not only those who served in the nation's uniform but those who serve in the uniforms of our community these are the individuals who fought and continue to fight and continue to serve for our communities so so when we honor those who who died that day and those who who uh who were injured and those whose families uh were forever changed and the loss the unimaginable loss um we also um remember and pay respect to those that are serving today those individuals that are standing here in front of you and behind you uh and throughout this community um we owe a tremendous debt uh very few people are willing to do that too the the to raise their hand and to serve a community selfless act it's service above self and it's one of uh one of those gifts that we receive from those those individuals that we can never repay but at a very minimum we can show our gratitude and that gratitude should be shared each and every day and today we gather and thank you for Gathering to be here today I want to start with the is and I I want to just recognize I know there are a number of folks obviously we have some folks that are in uniform today standing and in uniform in the bass but if You' served in our nation's military if you served as a police officer a firefighter an EMT uh please stand now as we we owe you uh such a debt of gratitude thank you so much for that service thank you and and now I'm I I'm going to have um come up and give some remarks uh to individuals who I have a tremendous amount of uh respect they they lead uh the men and women and I can't I can't say enough about the respect I have for the people wearing the uniform in our community these are the best of the best and and they're they do it for all of us uh but I want to have both um police chief Jeff Oxon uh who I've known for a long time I I'll just say this he's going to I won't be around four months I won't be saying this anymore but um I taught this guy how to drive you know and his wife she really doesn't want me to to say that story CU there's a I can tell you after um but Jeff oxen the our our chief of police for the city of St Cloud uh the leader of of of that part of that public leadership um and then I'm going to have uh Chief Matt love who again I have a tremendous amount of respect and his has just done a remarkable job and leads these folks and I I would be remiss not to to mention I see Bill Mund in the back there so I got to and and Holan okay I see two fire Chiefs you got a little Sun back there two former Chiefs thank you yeah both of you thank you very much for your service sorry I missed you Chief uh uh M just sticks out more in a crowd but uh I want to invite them both to come up here and uh and say a few remarks Chiefs good afternoon everybody um first off on behalf of all of us in uniform here today I just want to thank you all for coming uh it's 23 years of doing this right of of coming together to to remember this event and uh the crowd size has changed it's a smaller crowd and we understand with time things change uh and we've seen that but uh it means a lot that you've taking the time to come here today so I thank you for that and I mean that from the bottom of my heart um so we gather and on this day each year we We Gather to pay our respects and to remember and that's one thing I'm sure we all saw it today I did on my news feeds on my Facebook on my social media on the news you know never forget we'll always remember and obviously we'll remember the fact that 2,977 people died that day tragically in this event that we can't erase we'll never forget that we'll never forget the things that are etched into our memories um that when you close your eyes and this state comes you see we'll never forget those things but I do know as I said with time things change and I have to ask myself and I did this morning you know is what we're remembering should that change how should that be affected what should we look at this and I think sometimes when we think of these things we can take perspectives and different perspectives to maybe see if we're missing something so I thought to myself what if what if we could talk to some of those people tragically killed that day and ask them what they want us to remember I think that would be interesting right so as I thought about that and of course we don't know what that would be said but we can think about that perspective and I I can think of some things that I think they would say is important and things that are a little different than what we typically hear the first is I think they would say please remember those that we left behind and we don't always think about that on this day we don't always talk about that but think of all those family and friends and loved ones the children the parents that were left behind and I know that they would want that they would want us to remember them and keep them in our thoughts and prayers every day I think that's how we can continue to honor them and remember them because this date doesn't come around once a year for them comes you know probably every time they wake up and so for that I think that's a perspective that we can think about as the time goes by how can we continue to honor these people secondly I can't help but think that they probably would say you know what let's honor and respect those people that answered the call that day that came to help us and that beared the same fate that we did that died that gave their lives uh helping us 343 firefighters were killed that day and they knew it wasn't good when they got there you can see that in the video clips they knew what they were doing 71 police officers died that day and many more since from exposure and so forth I think those people would say thank you and I think we continue to honor those people in that respect by by saying you know we have this wonderful system in our country right and it's Unique to our country in many ways and that on your worst day no matter what's happening no matter how bad it is what matter what time it is we pick up the phone and dial three numbers and you will get a response you'll get people coming to help and they'll put everything on the line to help you that date so that's huge that's important for us and I always say that can be a range too and we see it every day it might be the cat and the tree and we do that too firefighters it's not just the firefighters that do that call the other book end I use on that though is the unimaginable and what I say is this St 911 terrorists attacking us crashing planes into buildings with thousands of deaths that's the other end of the spectrum and there's nobody else but the police and fire the men and women that sign up for that that are going to be there for you when you call for all of us so I think they would want to honor that and to respect that and I think we can do that by saying that that is shown that dedication and commitment by our officers and our firefighters is shown partly by the number of people that give their Liv Liv each year many people don't know this and they don't hear it because the media doesn't talk about it we don't hear about it very much but 139 police officers gave their lives last year in the line of duty 89 firefighters gave their lives in the line of duty answering that call this year currently in 2024 97 police officers have died in the line of duty in our country 40 firefighters have done the same so we honor it by keeping up with those numbers and by recognizing it that service goes on every day in our country that dedication and commitment goes on and I I just have a feeling if we could talk to those victims that died that day they would say we need to continue honoring them and I think that's fair the last thing I'll say that I can think of there's probably many things but time is limited here a little bit so but the last thing that came to mind is that I think they would say remember why we died more importantly maybe why we were killed and there's one common reason for that there's one theme to that and when I look out it's the thing that every one of us has in common here today so we're Americans or we're living the American lifestyle that's why they were killed that day and sometimes when you think about it in a world that seems so divided in a country that seems so split on so many issues I think it's that that those people that gave their lives would want us to think about and remember we're Americans and when we look around it could have been any one of us cuz we were targeted for that and I truly remember in the days following 911 as a police officer it was different serving you'd walk down the street and people would see you and they would come up and thank you and it wasn't just the gratitude that was the The Game Changer in that it was just the look in their eye that they were looking at me as an American and I was looking at them as an American and it meant something different I think as we talk about this day and we say 23 years later and now 25 next year those are the things that I think are important that perspective I think is interesting and I think it's meaningful and I think that's how we hold up our promise that we won't forget and we won't forget the important things so on behalf of again all the police officers and firefighters here I want to thank you for coming and being here today I want us to again never forget and always remember no matter how many years have gone by thank you [Applause] good evening welcome thank you for being here two years ago I stood at this Podium on this same day and I spoke about September 12th and similar to what Chief oxton just alluded to how we treated each other how we felt that day after 911 how we were United as a nation Chief oxen spoke about getting back there getting back to a nation United I recently spent some time with many of our our team members talking about what it meant to remember what it really means to never forget and like a lot of things in life um some things are tough some of the memories are hard but it wasn't difficult to remember it uh wasn't difficult to remember this day 23 years ago we have ceremonies like this tributes things we do to honor those that lost their lives to honor those that had such tremendous impact that day however also like a lot of things in life it's difficult remembering it in challenge it's difficult remembering every aspect of that when things are tough especially in Conflict the daily confrontations were challenged with political challenges family challenges work challenges when all those things mount it makes a little tougher to remember what we're talking about today to remember a nation United to illustrate this a little bit on a lighter note I'd like to talk a little bit about football seems fitting with the uh NFL season starting and if you've ever been to an NFL game I want you to go there with me in your mind for just a moment that feeling you get of excitement before you go to an NFL football game that feeling of pride in your team and maybe some of you are a little more prideful in your team than others uh the face paint the jerseys the signs whatever type a team player you may be dedicated to your team loyal to your team and excited for that day that might be their day the feeling of Pride you get when you enter that Stadium you get the necessary refreshments and you make it to your seat in this giant NFL stadium and if you've been there you know what I'm talking about you walk into that Stadium it's it's bigger than it was on TV it's bigger than life the colors are more Vivid than they've ever been the sounds and the smells of a a football game and that stadium is so alive right before that game starts and and as the as that Stadium builds up you get chills as what we just saw the colors are posted by the men and women of our military you can picture them in their pristine uniforms posting those colors of each branch in our country and a quiet comes over as the national anthem is saying and those chills turn into Goosebumps as those amazing jets fly over that stadium and just feel that Stadium shake and aside from the fireworks and the smoke those teams running through the tunnel aside from your face paint your jerseys for just a moment we are so vividly and so powerfully reminded that we are all on the same team in that stadium for just a moment we remember that we are a unation United that we are Americans that we are there to root for the big team and it's okay to remember that we're part of teams and we're part of parties and we're part of groups but it's also okay to remember what what is so alike between all of us and that's that we are Americans my hope today is that not only you remember but you remember even when it's hard you remember even when it's difficult even when things seem a little divided whether you were born in this great country you are very new to it or you're just VII visiting remember like it was September 12th remember like it was Chief oxton talked about that feeling and that look in each other's eyes of we are we are united we are on the same team we are part of this country the women and men of Public Safety of police and fire are an amazing group of people a group I get to work with every day and like our military they report for Duty not knowing what's going to happen not knowing what might be asked of them that day and yet they still do it willingly they do it deliberately they do it very focused our community is guarded by these individuals every day and every night and we are so incredibly thankful for what they have given themselves to do for us I use the term Guardian a great deal to emphasize who these people are so again remembering part of that commitment is remembering them remembering to take care of the people still today serving to take care of the Guardians of our communities not just today but every day even when it's tough even when it's difficult even when there's challenge every time those planes file over and your chills turn to Goosebumps remember the amazing team we are all on in this great country thank you all for being here thank you for celebrating our team and thank you for remembering God bless [Applause] thank you uh both uh Chiefs and I want to before I have uh Pastor Carol Jean Smith come up and and do the uh the benediction um we're going to have a a wreath ceremony after um and then uh the the bell ringing uh the honor guard uh Piper Ben Richards Richardson is is going to do that we have a rifle rifle Salute by metrov vets um and Taps by Dennis schiffler the American Legion U and then of course we'll have the retirement of the color by the uh SLE fire department Honor Guard but I I want to um before then with the bell ringing I just want I know this is in your program but I think it's important to just explain the uh the bell ringing that you'll have and and uh throughout throughout most of History the lives of firefighters have always been closely associated with the ringing of a bell as they begin their hours of Duty it was the Bell that signaled the start through the day and night each alarm was sounded by a bell that called them to action to fight a fire or perform some other task when they returned the quarters the Bell was sounded to indicate the company had answered the last call when we do the bell ringing today the ceremony will signal three sets of five bells to honor all of our fallen Public Safety officials and servicemen and women who answered the final call to duty and also right after the the benediction i' I'd like to have you know this is the the beauty of our of our country you know and part of that the fact that we're free and and we self-determine our representation and that that's unique uh that is very unique in the world uh it was that experiment uh you know that started this country and we self-determined who represents us at every level federal state and local level um and uh I'm going to have the uh the elected officials who represent I know uh this is a little tough there's that sun still in my eyes but I know uh I know the real tall people that are officials in the back I can see Jake Anderson city council member and I see Carol Lewis up here in front I don't know if there are any other elected officials in the audience raise your hand if you're okay so um we're going to have the wling so if you can kind of come over to the side after the benediction or in that time frame and we'll be laying the wreaths at all of uh the uniforms here uh of representing both our nation and at our local community so I will ask now Pastor Carol Jean Smith uh from Place of Hope Ministries to come up and and give us the benediction good afternoon well once again we are here 2 3 years later I remember where I was I remember my fear I remember not knowing if my daughter was at work in the second tower when we could not contact her for the first hour we were actually just terrified but unlike many others that day we were able to hear our daughter's voice again and when we found out after about 9:00 a.m. that she was home and we could talk to her when the phones began to work again I cannot fathom uh but but I cannot but all of these families went through this thousands of people that died and thousands and thousands of people who were the family members from that terrorist attack that day so we like was said earlier we do all remember where we were um I wanted to read something real quick about a really special portion of Billy Graham's remarks that he gave on September 14th 2001 just 3 days after he said we come together to affirm our conviction that God cares for us whatever whatever our ethnic religious or political background may be the Bible says that he is the God of All Comfort who comforts Us in all our troubles no matter how hard we try words simply cannot express the horror the shock and the revulsion we all feel over what took place in this nation on Tuesday morning September 11th will go down in history as a day to remember today we say to those who masterminded this cruel plot and to those who carried it out that the spirit of this nation will not be defeated by their twisted and diabolic diabolical schemes today we come together in this time to confess our need of God we've always needed God from the very beginning of this nation but today we need him especially we're involved in a new kind of of warfare and we need the help of the spirit of God the Bible says that God is our refuge and strength and everpresent help and trouble therefore we won't fear though the Earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea we ask why does God allow evil like this to take PL Place perhaps that what you may have asked we have been we have seen so much that brings tears to our eyes and makes us feel a sense of anger but God can be trusted even when life seems at its darkest during this time we are reminded first of all that the mystery and reality of evil it is Among Us and secondly we learn about our need for each other what an example New York and Washington have been to the world these past few days none of us will forget the pictures of our courageous firefighters and police are the hundreds of people standing patiently in line to donate blood a tragedy like this could have torn our country apart but instead it has United us so those who took this on to te us apart for them it has worked the other way it has backlashed we are more united than ever I think this was exemplified in a very moving way when we when in this time of unrest and division Congress stood shoulder-to-shoulder and saying God Bless America so this me this event can give us a message of Hope for the present and for the future because there is hope as a Christian I have hope not for this life only but for heaven and the life to come and many of those people who died this past week this is Billy Graham speaking are in heaven now and they wouldn't want to come back because it's glorious and wonderful but this event reminds us of the brevity and the uncertainty of life and we never know when we too will be called into eternity we can remember that the person of Jesus Christ has died on the cross for us and not only that but we celebrate Easter his resurrection all of this said from God I love you I know your heartaches and the sorrows and the pain that you feel but I do love you and it does um excuse me yes our nation has been attacked buildings destroyed lives lost but now we have a choice whether to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually as a people and a nation but Lord with your grace we choose to become stronger through all of this struggle to continue to rebuild On Solid Ground and that Foundation is our trust in you oh God so today we pray because we know that God says fear not I am with thee do not be dismayed for I am your God and I will give you Aid I will strengthen you and I will help you and I will cause you to stand upheld by my righteous hand so today I thank Billy Graham for his strong comforting words that live on even today so let us pray together today Lord God 23 years after this terror attack we still feel pain and sorrow but may we still feel your loving arms wrapped around us also we pray for continued comfort for all the families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones still we pray for the First Responders and more that lost their lives we pray for their families and we pray that as we trust you and that we repent of any Wicked Ways in our own hearts Lord may we know in our own hearts that you will never forsake us and as your word instructs us we also pray that God will give us wisdom courage and strength and not only to us but to our president and to those in leadership for this nation that we may stand strong against evil on every level your word father God tells us to pray for those in authority over us that we may lead a Peaceable life and we pray for them today and finally Lord God we pray your blessing over us may the Lord bless us and keep us and may his face shine upon us and be gracious to us and bring us peace we pray this not just for us but for our children and our children's children and for generations to come may we never forget Lord we we NE may we never forget the depth of hope and love that is in you our God and in the middle of these life's tragedies though we never forget what has happened Lord we mostly never forget that you are faithful and just and we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ Christ your son amen for for [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] ready [Music] the [Music] [Music] [Music] please retire the callers right left forward March concludes our program thank you all so much for being here if you can see in the in the back there's a a lot of folks to thank uh for this event today so please uh please read through that and again not only thanks those who serve us but thank those who uh who made this all possible today thanks for being here all of you [Applause]