SEBASTIAN — The first responders and other victims who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 were remembered today in a solemn ceremony and monument dedication in Sebastian’s Riverview Park.
The second-annual event, organized by the Sebastian-area veterans of American Legion Post 189 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10210 on Louisiana Avenue, brought together not only veterans groups, but the Sebastian Police Department, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Indian River County Firefighters and the Knights of Columbus to reflect on the loss America suffered on that day eight years ago. Ed Motyka, director of Americanism and Service for American Legion Post 189 acted as master of ceremonies for the event, introducing the dozen or so speakers. Rabbi Michael Birnholz of Temple Beth Shalom gave one of five invocations to start the ceremony. He invoked the biblical story of the matriarch Rachel dying in the wilderness in childbirth and Jacob erecting a monument to her.
“Wherever we are in life’s journey, when a loved one dies, we stop and put up a monument,” Birnholz said.
He placed a stone on top of the monument, which is Jewish custom, to mark being there to honor it and to physically build the monument up.
Fr. John Morrissey of St. Sebastian Catholic Church also gave an invocation, emphasizing the comfort that faith can bring during times of sorrow.
“Tragedies like 9-11 bring home to us how vulnerable we are,” he said. “Tragedies like these make us turn to God for endless reassurance.”
Sheriff Deryl Loar spoke about his remembrances of 9-11 from the perspective of a law enforcement officer.
“It was only eight years ago, folks, but in America we are a resilient people.”
Loar remembered the days and weeks after 9-11 when every house and car displayed a flags and there was a greater sense of community and openness to neighbors. He said we’ve lost some of that and need to “pick it up.”
Mayor Richard Gillmor put 9-11 into the category of events that Americans will always remember where they were when they happened, such as the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
“We’ve all had that video of that awful attack burned into our memory,” Gillmor said.
Gillmor pointed out that it’s been 2,929 days since 9-11, and if there had been one funeral per day each day since, there would still be 54 more funerals to attend.
The monument, which was built as the Eagle Scout project of Sebastian River High School student David Glassman of Eagle Scout Troop 599 to complement the City’s existing collection of monuments to veterans of all the wars and conflicts, now stands in the park as a permanent tribute to the men, women and children who died in the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 which crash-landed near Shanksville, Pa.
“It is fitting that we honor these patriots as we do the Vietnam and World War II veterans.
The event was attended by about 150 people, including Korky Korker of Fellsmere, who represented the U.S. Navy Armed Guard veterans group.
“The firefighters and police were on the front lines of a war,” Korker said. “I lost eight people I know in that damn thing.”
The Sebastian Area Veterans Color Guard set off a 21-gun salute and the crowd viewed two fly-bys by a Coast Guard aircraft during the ceremony. The soundtrack to the event included the playing of “Taps” and renditions of “Amazing Grace” and “God Bless America” by Debbi Hanford.
Motyka said he was please with the event and said members of the various organizations were enthusiastic about participating.
“It’s great, it gets better year after year,” he said. “This is a community project.”
The Sebastian community will continue its commemoration of 9-11 at 5 p.m. with a dinner to honor first responders at the Elks Lodge on Fleming Street off County Road 512 in Sebastian. They will be giving four awards, including Firefighter of the Year and Police Officer of the Year. Tickets are still available for the roast beef dinner by calling (772) 589-1516.
