Marysville commemorates 20th anniversary of 9/11

Marysville Fire District personnel and city officials gathered on Sept. 11 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The event was held with a virtual broadcast this year because of the COVID pandemic.

“Twenty years ago today terrorists not only killed more than 3,000 innocent souls, they tore the fabric of our country,” said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring.

Marysville Fire District fire chaplain Dan Hazen said it was an important anniversary for the event.

“We humans can remember well, and we can remember badly. Memory is a tricky business. And so today we have the opportunity to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, well,” he said. “Remembering well means that we learn. It means we remember accurately."

Because 20 years have past, more and more children are growing up with no memory of the event.

“More than 70 million people living in the United States had not been born yet,” said Nehring. “For many of our children and neighbors, 9/11 is a story in history,."

Nehring commemorated the many people workers at the World Trade Center who died, as well as the 343 firefighters who did not make it out of the two towers.

“They were heroes that made the ultimate sacrifice in service of others,” said Nehring. “They ran into those buildings while everyone else was trying to get out."

The ceremony was meant to honor all of the firefighters and law enforcement officers who helped during that day.

“Right here today we honor the first responders who gave their lives trying to save officers, along with all who perished on that awful day,” said Nehring.

The day is also when the Marysville Fire District lost Jeff Thornton to cancer.

“Here in Marysville on Sept. 11, 2001, on the same day as these terror attacks happened, we lost one of our own first responders to cancer,” said Nehring. “We want to express how much his memory still means to so many of us as his friends and colleagues."

Thornton visited classrooms and organized an annual safety fair as part of his duties as a public information officer to encourage fire safety. He was well-liked in the community.

“His legacy is a lasting one and his personal friendship will not be forgotten,” said Nehring.

The event was organized by the Marysville Fire District with support from the city of Marysville.

“I want to thank the Marysville Fire District for organizing this event as they do each and every year,” said Nehring.

A recording of the event is available at the Marysville Fire District’s Facebook page at facebook.com/marysvillefiredistrict/.