Fairhaven Memorial Park remembers 9/11 first responders with Walk to Remember
At the top of Orange County Fire Authority Engine 71’s raised ladder, an American flag unfurled Sunday while bugler Damon Machado played “Taps.” The haunting notes echoed through Fairhaven Memorial Park as local police and fire department staff stood solemnly underneath the flag flapping in the humid morning air.
“Today, we gather to remember and pay tribute to the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a day etched in our collective memory of unthinkable tragedy and immense courage,” said Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Jim Henery. “On that fateful morning, our world was forever changed as the fabric of our nation was tested and the strength of our spirit was revealed.”
The flag ceremony was part of Fairhaven Memorial Park’s second annual Walk to Remember, designed to commemorate the first responders who lost their lives on Sept.11. Held on Sept. 10, Patriot’s Day, the event was the result of a partnership with Diamond & Shannon Mortuary, McAulay & Wallace and Fairhaven Memorial Services.
The Walk to Remember event includes a 2,200-step walk around the park meant to symbolize the 110 flights of stairs first responders climbed at the World Trade Center on the day of the attacks.
It has been 22 years since the terrorist attacks at the Twin Towers unfolded in New York City, followed closely by an attack on the Pentagon in Virginia. An attempted attack thought to target the U.S. Capitol building was thwarted when the passengers and crew of Flight 93 overtook the plane, forcing a crash landing in a Pennsylvania field instead.
Henery spoke of the many stories of heroism that would rise from the rubble of that day.
“In a world today where we use the word ‘hero’ very freely and without due regard, that day showed us what heroism truly is. To me, the heroes of that day were the people who kissed their family and loved ones goodbye not knowing they would never return,” said Henery, “The heroes of that day were the people on Flight 93 that once they knew the plane was hijacked, chose to fight back by charging the cockpit and preventing another disaster, because later we discovered the plane was heading for the Capitol in Washington, D.C. The heroes of that day were the military and professional staff that went to work that day at the Pentagon, and after the plane impacted the Pentagon, led their people out of the building through blinding smoke and searing heat to save countless lives.”
Henery went on to name the first responders as heroes, highlighting the police, fire and emergency medical personnel at ground zero the day of the attacks and those who remained at the site in the days and weeks that followed.
“Lastly, the real heroes of that day and the days after were families that have an empty seat at their table, in their homes and in their hearts,” said Henery.
Santa Ana Police Department Chaplain Bob Keller led the opening prayer after sharing a story about his recent visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
“My wife and I had the opportunity to go to the 9/11 Museum in New York City back in February,” said Keller, “and I must say, it was life changing.”
Emily Alvarez, a Fairhaven employee who also leads nature walks through the Santa Ana cemetery on the second Saturday of every month, sang an a capella version of the patriotic song “America,” and invited the audience to sing along.
The ceremony also included remarks from Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua.
“The 2,200 steps symbolizes the heroism displayed by these firefighters who worked to ascend 110 flights to save innocent lives,” said Amezcua. “I thank first responders from the bottom of my heart, because from New York to Santa Ana, our firefighters and our police run in when we are all trying to run out.”
After a moment of silence, the crowd embarked on the walk while small U.S. flags were handed out.
Young children, born long after the attacks, joined the walk too. A small boy with a pacifier pulled a wagon on the walk with his mother at his side. A young girl in a ponytail raced ahead of her older brothers with a flag in hand.
“Every year that goes by, there is less and and less of these opportunities to have these remembrances,” said Henery. “I think it is important, not only for us to remember but for our youth to remember … as successful generations go on and on those memories tend to fade, and it is only through oral history that we can really capture the memories and their lessons.”
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