Remembering, 24 Years After Tragedy - First Responders Mark 9/11 With Somber Ceremony

CHATHAM – Under skies that were as crisp and blue as they were on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Chatham’s public safety officials gathered at the fire station last Thursday to mark the 24th anniversary of the terror attacks. 

 “Today as we reflect on the tragedy of Sept. 11, we must also confront a difficult truth: that senseless violence did not end on that day. It continues to visit our communities and schools and public spaces and in places we once felt were safe,” Fire Chief Justin Tavano told the group. “Yesterday, we mourned new tragedies. In Denver and Utah, innocent lives were attacked once again by senseless violence. Families are left grieving. Communities are shaken. The causes may be different — foreign terrorism then, domestic now — but the impact is hauntingly similar: deep sorrow, broken families and a yearning for peace.”

 Tavano recalled that on 9/11, people were drawn together by tragedy.

 “Every town, every firehouse, every police station, every Coast Guard station, every family felt the weight of that morning,” he said. As they do every day here, first responders that day rushed toward danger to help.

 “Today is not just about tragedy. It's also about resilience. It's about what we choose to build in the aftermath of loss,” Tavano said. “Here in Chatham, we were strong and resilient, a community built on trust. Let us all continue to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, and most of all continue to build hope. Let us teach our children not just what happened on 9/11, but how we came together after that,” he said. 

 “Let us remind them that even in the darkest moments light can shine through in the form of bravery, unity and compassion.”