By Robin GOLDSWORTHY and Mary O’KEEFE

“Twenty-three years ago, America suffered a devastating tragedy in which 3,000 innocent Americans were killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. During those attacks, 415 emergency service workers died. In commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of September 11th, we offer this symbolic gesture, followed by a moment of silence.”

This was the September 11 tribute shared over radios on Wednesday morning at Glendale fire stations.

In the past the Crescenta Valley has commemorated Sept. 11 – Patriot Day – with a motorcade; however, after 10 years of having it organizers made the difficult decision to cancel it.

Many people remember exactly where they were on Sept. 11, 2001 when 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, deliberately crashing two of the planes into the upper floors of the north and south towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City and a third plane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth place was diverted into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

“The Twin Towers ultimately collapsed because of the damage sustained from the impacts and the resulting fires. After learning about the other attacks, passengers on the fourth hijacked plane, Flight 93, fought back, and the plane was crashed into an empty field in western Pennsylvania about 20 minutes by air from Washington, D.C. The attacks killed 2,977 people from 93 nations: 2,753 people were killed in New York; 184 people were killed at the Pentagon; and 40 people were killed on Flight 93,” according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

“My daughter had just been born six days earlier,” said Capt. Welch, GFD Station 29.

Welch heard about the attack on the radio. He went home and his wife was holding their daughter. His wife’s mother was with them; she was from New York.

“It was a shock to everybody,” he said. “It was unbelievable to hear that, first of all, we’d ever have an attack like that on our soil, and then to have the buildings collapse and take so many people with it. You never think in your life that’s going to happen.”

When asked what it was like being a firefighter at the time of the attacks and learning about his fellow firefighters who were injured or had died while trying to save people, he said it was unbelievable to have 343 firemen die at one time in one incident.

The Wednesday morning ceremony at Station 29 was attended by veterans from American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614, members of the Meher and Satig Der Ohanessian Youth Center/Crescenta Valley Armenian Community Center, Harry Leon from the Crescenta Valley Town Council and representatives from the CV Chamber of Commerce.

Welch said he and the firefighters at Station 29 appreciated the veterans and community members who came to the short ceremony.

“[Sept. 11] is a big part of their lives and a big part of our lives,” he said.

He added it was important they could remember the day together.

At Valley View Elementary School, students were greeted by law enforcement and fire personnel.

A bell signaled the guests to go to the school’s play yard where the student body was assembled. Dozens of children waved flags and Principal Kelly Stubbs shared with the hundreds of children – none of whom had been born when 9/11/01 occurred – what the significance was of the day. She then led the children in singing “My Country Tis of Thee.” A poem was recited by several of the students commemorating Patriot Day.

Each grade level created banners for law enforcement and fire personnel, which each agency took with them when they left.

The ceremony ended with the assembled singing the Valley View fight song before the students headed off to class.