(WSVN) - As America marks 24 years since the Sept. 11 attack, South Florida joined the rest of the nation in quiet reflection with firefighters, police, and community members coming together to honor the lives, the heroes born, and a nation forever changed.
The Sept. 11 attack is one of the deadliest terrorist attack on US soil, claiming the lives nearly 3,000 people. Hijackers took control of four planes, crashing three of them Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Virginia.
Memorials are planned in all sites this morning to honor those who were senselessly killed.
South Florida is hosting its own events to honor the victims, survivors and heroes of 9/11
The American flag was flying high in front of Miami City Hall, as first responders from all different departments across the city gathered in an annual event to honor those lost and those who survived the events and have to live with the pain of that day.
“But we really couldn’t fathom what it was going to be like to arrive in downtown Manhattan,” said City of Miami Firefighter Robert Suarez.
24 years ago, Suarez was with the City of Miami’s Urban Search and Rescue Team, hours after the Twin Towers collapsed he got the call he was heading to New York.
“Even members of New York City’s own urban search and rescue team were lost in that tragedy, and we were working alongside with the FDNY firefighters and their urban search and rescue team and teams around the country finding, you know, what could have been co-workers of our own in their uniforms, in their protective gear, and it made the situation a little more difficult,” said Suarez.
For him, the hardest part of this anniversary is the loss of even more brothers and sisters in the fire department since that day, and all the firefighters who lost their lives in the years that followed the tragedy due to the exposure of toxic chemicals in the weeks after during rescue efforts.
“Obviously there’s an aspect of that that I relive, the co-workers that responded with our team that I worked alongside of them, some of them have not lived to recognize this anniversary,” said Suarez.
This anniversary was commemorated all across South Florida, from the city of Fort Lauderdale’s tribute, to the city of Miramar.
“Friends that I grew up with worked for FDNY or just were in the vicinity and I just felt like it was something we had to do, we had to go. So a couple of us, we went the next morning,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Salazano.
“It’s just a humbling feeling to be recognized and I’m thankful to live in such a great city that’s so supportive,” said honoree and Marine Veteran Sarah Caldwell.
To Southwest Miami-Dade where the Sheriff’s Office held their ceremony, and over at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, a powerful tribute called Rock the Climb was held, where First responders, veterans, and community members climbed 110 flights of stairs together in solidarity supporting the heroes of that day.
And in Doral, the Doral Police Department came together for a 9.11 mile memorial run in benefit of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports America’s first responders in honor of those that were lost that day.
For Suarez, he will never forget that day, the people, or the lesson from that tragedy.
“But I think we’ve got to continue to constantly work together, not wait for tragedies like that, to be reminded that we are all one country, we’re all Americans,” he said.
A strong message that everyone should remember because of that day and everything going on nowadays.
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