First responders honored at Royse City 9/11 Remembrance Project

First responders honored at Royse City 9/11 Remembrance Project

(ROCKWALL, TX – September 24, 2015) A total of 418 crosses handmade by Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts filled the lawn of the Trinity Baptist Church in Royse City in honor of first responders who died during rescue efforts at Ground Zero 14 years ago on Sept. 11th, as many within the community gathered together to honor the fallen during the 9/11 Remembrance Project ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 13.

A U.S. Army bagpiper walked the field of crosses, and the United States Honor Flag – which flew during recovery efforts at Ground Zero and has undergone a journey of over seven million miles (over 20,000 miles in the last two months) to honor over 1,000 fallen police officers and firefighters across the country – was presented during the event.

State Representative Scott Turner read a resolution from the State of Texas House of Representatives formed to commemorate those who helped put together the Remembrance Project to honor those who died that day 14 years ago:

“Whereas the tragic events of 9/11 and the extraordinary courage of that day’s first responders are being commemorated by the 9/11 Remembrance project at the Trinity Baptist Church in Royse City on September 13, 2015…

And whereas on a brilliantly sunny September morning in 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four civilian airliners in the skies over the United States. They flew two of their aircraft into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York and a third into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while the fourth plane crashed in the field in Pennsylvania, prevented by a passenger uprising from striking its target in the nation’s capital…

And whereas as thousands of people fled for their lives, resolute firefighter, law enforcement and emergency workers rushed towards danger to perform their duty of protecting the public. Nearly 3,000 people died on that fateful day, including more than 400 rescue personnel…

And whereas in the presence of the Honor Flag from New York City, citizens of Royse City are gathering on this somber anniversary to honor the memory of all those who perished with a ceremonial reading of their names. Through this solemn tribute, the community joins countless other people across the country recalling the immeasurable loss sustained in the 2001 attacks and in paying homage to the first responders who demonstrated such selfless heroism, and who while striving to save others made the ultimate sacrifice…

Now therefore be it resolved that the 9/11 Remembrance Project ceremony be commemorated, and that the people of Royse City be extended sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable event.”

Those in attendance also welcomed veteran Dallas firefighter David Leos, who recalled the events of that tragic day from the perspective of the first responders and of the incredibly rigorous circumstance they found themselves in as they entered the collapsing towers in an attempt to save those still trapped inside.

Having to climb sixty flights of stairs, with all their gear, the firefighters found they had no way of putting out the raging fire fueled by the spilling jet fuel because the water pipes were all busted. They had no way of getting to the civilians trapped by the fire. The situation appeared hopeless.

And then the second tower was hit.

By then, all the supplies that was making its way up to the responders in the first tower had to be diverted to the second tower, and responders had to re-think their strategy to get more rescue personnel into that second tower as well. More glass and furniture began to fall. Civilians began to jump from the burning towers, not wanting to be burned alive. It all went from bad to worse.

Knowing the dire situation they found themselves in, Leo said what the brave men and women who responded that day did was one of the most heroic acts ever witnessed in history.

“By the time it was all said and done, the men and women who responded that day performed one of the greatest rescues that we’ve ever recorded,” Leos said. “It was mind-boggling, what they faced and what they accomplished that day.”

As so many do when they reflect on 9/11, Royse City Mayor Janet Nichol recalled the moment she first heard of the attacks that morning.

“I had my TV on Channel 4 News and I saw the whole thing unfold,” Mayor Nichol said. “And I thought that day something that a pastor had once said to me many times as a young woman. Pastor Lawrence Cox said to me, ‘Janet, you always need to know that you know that you know Jesus, because you never know when he’s going to take you home.’ I thought about all those families and how scared they might be, and how so many called out to God that day. And you know what? He answers.”

Let us never forget the sacrifices and bravery of our nation’s first responders, and honor their memory not only on the anniversary of 9/11, but every single day.

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News staff writer.