Former Aurora resident Miguel Munoz, who now lives in Kentucky, was in town this week to visit his wife’s family and decided to bring his 9-year-old daughter Rin to Aurora’s event on Wednesday honoring those who lost their lives 23 years ago during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.
“I wanted her to be here because I think it’s important for her to know the history,” Munoz said about his daughter as they waited for the start of the ceremony held outside the Aurora Police Department headquarters at 1200 E. Indian Trail. “Eventually, she is going to start learning about this in school, but I wanted her to have a first-hand experience about how people felt during that time – people who were there and people who were around then.”
Beginning at 7:40 a.m., Aurora’s public safety officials along with city leaders were joined by members of the community at the event that included remarks from local officials along with a presentation of the colors and a wreath laying ceremony conducted by the Aurora Police and Fire Honor Guards.
Clayton Muhammad, chief engagement and equity officer for the city of Aurora, called the event “a meaningful pause” to remember the impact of that tragic day.
“We reflect and remember certainly the lives lost that day and those impacted by the events of that day,” he said. “For those who went off to enlist in the military based on what they witnessed and the young kids we lost in those subsequent years from Aurora that had something to do with Sept. 11, for us, it’s important to have our public safety leaders lead this. It’s very apropos. We had firefighters that left the next day to serve in New York and it gives us time to pause and reflect and never forget.”
Muhammad said it is “important we remember not only what happened but the liberties we enjoy.”
“Our world was forever changed,” he said.
During the ceremony, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin spoke about his memories of that morning 23 years ago.
“There was an announcement on the radio as I pulled into work about what was happening and then I heard about the second plane crashing into the second tower and that America, was indeed, under attack,” Irvin said. “I was stunned – frozen in disbelief.”
Aurora Fire Chief Dave McCabe noted that all of the windshields of fire department vehicles are inscribed with a message about never forgetting 9/11, and that the current and future generations need to be taught about the importance and significance of an event they never witnessed or were too young to understand.
“It’s important we continue to remember, but part of remembering is that we have to learn, we have to teach. A number of our firefighters weren’t even born yet on 9/11, and there are dozens who might have been no more than 5 years old that day,” McCabe said. “If we truly want to never forget, we need to keep teaching the younger generations. We need to read and watch specials and really understand what happened so we don’t repeat the mistakes, both as a government or a society.
“We always want to be better and we don’t want to suffer a day like that,” he said.
Jill and Robert Sally, who live near the police station, felt it was important to witness the ceremony in person on Wednesday.
“You remember where you were when it happened. The reason I wanted to be here is my son is a fireman, I have a grandson in the Marines and you pay tribute to the people that stepped up for us,” Robert Sally said. “I had to be here in person because you have to honor those people that served. I mean, those firemen went into a burning building that no one thought would come down. They gave their lives.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
