SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — It’s been 22 years since the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
Monday morning, dozens of first responders gathered outside of the Coronado Fire Department to honor the thousands of lives lost.
“Their memory lives on as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the unity that emerged from tragedy,” says Coronado Fire chief Jayson Summers.
Firefighters, police officers and community members gathered for the 9-11 memorial. The department also had ceremonial ringing of the bell for the first responders who responded to the call that day.
“It was pretty harrowing to come into the community,” says Pastor Mickey Stonier. “There was a lot of chaos that day.”
Stonier is a chaplain with the Coronado Police Department. He was also one of the first crisis responders in New York. At the time, he served on a response team for commercial airline crashes.
The chaplain says while the country was still trying to wrap their heads around the 9/11 attacks, he was heading for ground zero.
“How large the devastation was, you couldn't capture that in the news media,” says Stonier. “The force of those towers coming down blasted through buildings for blocks.”
Stonier says he was there for two weeks following the attacks. The eight chaplains that were there provided support for grieving families.
“At ground zero, we were serving at the site next to the pile, or referred to as the pile. When bodies were discovered the whole site would stop.”
Stonier says there are generations now that didn’t get to experience this unforgettable day. So, it’s it’s important for us all to tell the story.
“We have a statement that says never forget,” says Stonier. “I think for a generation raised that didn't personally experience this, it’s more than just a story, it's more than history.”
The Coronado Fire Department says it will continue to do its part. The 9/11 memorial ceremony will be here for years to come.
