RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – On the 24th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Councilwoman-at-large Sherrie Hunter, 9-11 first responder Marianne ‘Shane’ Jervis, Beckley police, fire, EMS, and the community gathered at Word Park in remembrance.
The solemn ceremony included moments of silence and a chance to touch a piece of recovered North Tower steel.
It’s humbling to think about all the innocent lives lost on 9/11.
“Whether it was civilians, first responders, military, the cowardly act that was committed that day, we need to step back to our basics of love and compassion for our fellow man,” said Retired Beckley Fire Department Capt. Kevin Price.
According to Jervis, every year on this day, she has flashbacks.
“I smell the chemicals in the air, back to like where I can’t even see in front of me because the air is so thick with white powder and chemicals and asbestos and parts of buildings, and sheetrock falling down on you,” the retired New Jersey state police officer said.
Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. BJ Adkins calls the 24th anniversary of 9/11 overwhelming and vividly remembers being back in high school science class when they let everyone know the World Trade Center had been hit. Some kids weren’t even born on 9/11. Mountain View Christian School and St. Francis de Sales Middle School students performed at the memorial ceremony.
“Great seeing they were out here being involved, because this is something we must never forget,” said Adkins. “We have to instill it in the younger generation and make sure they know how important this day is, what took place, and how everybody came together.”
Recovering the Word Park memorial 42nd-floor piece of steel, Price says, was surreal for him.
“Knew we had something very, very special that we were bringing back here to this small town in West Virginia to be able to share with each and every person that drops by here,” the retired Beckley Fire Department captain said. “This monument stands to represent just what is etched in front of it: We Will Never Forget.”
On 9/11, brotherhood was in full force, with endless first responders in lifesaving mode as they approached danger.
“When there’s a call or we see their struggle — if it’s a threat or somebody who needs help, we’re all coming together to do just that,” said Adkins. “It’s also remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, running to try to help those individuals, and not giving up.”
When you read about war in a history book, Jervis says it was a long time ago, but we weren’t there. September 11th is different.
“I try to enable all walks of life to understand what devastation America went through. Our first responders care and they sacrificed their lives,” the retired New Jersey state police officer said. “It was such a brotherhood. When I got there, it was unbelievable; like we all knew each other, saw what was in front of us and what we had to recover and clean up to get New York City back on its feet, to get America back on its feet.”
