Never forgotten, united we stand and forever in our hearts  

Malia Riggs 

Elmore Autauga News 

From tragedy rises courage, the City of Prattville honored the courage of those we lost, united in remembrance and with hope for a brighter future over 20 years later. The City of Prattville honored and reflected on a day that changed American history forever, September 11th, 2001.  

While resilience also emerged from tragedy all throughout the nation and the world, that resilience bound Americans in remembrance and steadfast hope, never forgetting the countless individuals who continue on every day.  

“The words of President George Bush still ring true 23 years later when he said, we will never forget. While time is passing, yet for the United States of America, we will never forget September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died. We will remember every family member that still lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, and the funerals of children,” Autauga County District Judge Jessica Sanders said in opening remarks.  

The annual 9/11 remembrance was held at the Prattville Public safety building where members of the community, the Prattville Fire Department, Prattville Police Department, Autauga County Sheriff’s Office and many others came together to remember Wednesday morning.  

The presentation of colors was presented by the Prattville Jr. ROTC with the national anthem sung by the Marbury and Prattville High School Show Choirs, and the Pledge of Allegiance and presentation of flags given by children in attendance of the event.  

Multiple moments of silence were held in remembrance for first responders, civilians and children that lost their lives on that 23 years ago.  

“This morning, as I was climbing up and down the stairs getting ready, I thought, oh, with a certainty, I’m going to come back down these stairs and go on about my day. But I know on that fateful day, there were many first responders climbing up that staircase, known with certainty that they wouldn’t go back home to their family. And I thank God every day that Autauga County is blessed with our wonderful first responders who take every day and they keep climbing, they keep climbing those stairs even in the face of danger. Thank you for that,” Autauga County Probate Judge Kim Kervin said.  

In the grass behind the ceremony, Prattville City Councilman Robert Strichik stated that there are 2,977 American flags placed to mimic the World Trade Center Twin Towers to honor the victims. Each flag represents a life lost on that tragic day.  

At the head of each respective tower of flags were two other flags staked and flowing in the wind. On the left tower replica, the flag above contains all the names of those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, United flights 175 and 93, and American flights 11 and 77. 

On the right-hand side, the larger flag of heroes houses the names, rank and affiliation of all the first responders lost on 9/11 

“The flags give the victims’ families friends and all of America and the world a symbol that will forever memorialize all the men women and children lost that dreadful day those who died should never be relegated to mere numbers but must always be remembered as individual lives,” Strichik said.  

At 7:46 a.m. Central time, the first plane hit the north tower, hitting floors 93-99 of the first Twin Tower. By 8:03 a.m. Central, the second plane hit the south tower, confirming this was not an accident, ensuing chaos in New York and throughout the nation.  

“The north Tower burned for 56 minutes before the 12 second fall, 12 seconds. The South Tower burned for 102 minutes before the 12 second fall. During all of that, there’s been an earlier 72 law enforcement officers died in the 911 attacks. 343 firefight firefighters and paramedics. 23 battalion chiefs responded and only 4 survived. I’d like to ask everybody to please, please keep all these families, especially the children who are now adults and they’re putting our thoughts and prayers,” Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie said.  

A moment of silence was held at the ceremony at 7:46 a.m. Another 12 second moment of silence was held at the request of Gillespie to honor those we steadfastly remember.  

“We need to remember that the flag flies strong here today, because of the heroes that took action on that day,” Gillespie said.