The Town of Miami Lakes and its Public Safety Committee observed the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. A field in Veterans Park was filled with flags representing the 2,977 victims who were killed that sunny morning after planes were flown into downtown New York City, in a field in Shanksville, Pa. and at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Va. The town’s remembrance ceremony included a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by the Barbara Goleman Senior High School Marching Band, led by Director of Bands Zakery Chambers. Father Ivan Rodriguez of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Parish recited a prayer. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Honor Guard presented the colors and officials made speeches before a small crowd. Policy Director David Marin represented Miami-Dade Commissioner Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah.
Fla. Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes, said, “We need to teach our children what happened. It is critically important that it never happen again.”
Mayor Josh Dieguez said, “Never forget those we lost, especially our first responders that put their life in harms way, our armed forces that shortly afterward would go be the weapons of that vengeance ... For me though the most important thing, as year after year as I would help organize and participate in 9/11 ceremonies, was the immediate unity that reminded us that we are all Americans at the end of the day.”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Capt. Darwin Villavicencio, a member of the Public Safety Committee, called the attacks “one of the deadliest incidents ever for firefighters in the United States.” He said 343 firefighters died that day and years later, thousands are ill from recovery work at the World Trade Center site.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Sgt. George Soto urged the audience to honor those who perished by recalling the patriotic feelings shared by the country after the attacks, and “to remind ourselves that ... no matter how different we are ... we’re all Americans and we stick together.”
Carlos Andres, chair of the Public Safety Committee, hosted the ceremony. Committee member Geancarlo Rodriguez described the significance of the firefighter’s bell that was struck during the ceremony. Shown above from left are the Barbara Goleman Senior High School Marching Band; Carlos Andres, chair of the Public Safety Committee; Fla. Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes; Mayor Josh Dieguez; Vice Mayor Bryan Morera and Councilmen Alex Sanchez, Steven Herzberg, Ray Garcia and Juan Carlos Fernandez. Also present was Town Manager Edward Pidermann. Students from the Virtutem Populo civics group, Barbara Goleman Senior High School and its Law Society; Sea Scouts Ship 144 and the Amercian Legion Post 144 planted the flags in the park, shown in the photo below. Vicky Bakery provided refreshments.