ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Never forget. That is what Asheville Police Chief Michael Lamb wanted his captive audience to take away this morning, Sept. 11, the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Lamb spoke to a small crowd of civilians and officers with a ceremonial bell and American flag behind him.
“Today, as we reflect on the events of 9/11, we honor the memories of those we lost,” Lamb said. “We also recommit ourselves to the promise we made 23 years ago. Never forget.”
Lamb said the crowd that had assembled beginning at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at 100 Court Plaza was the biggest in recent memory for the ceremony. His explanation for that was simple.
“I think people are looking for community, they’re looking for less divisive rhetoric,” Lamb mused. “They want connection. I think that’s what people are looking for whenever they come to ceremonies like this, and, of course, remembering and honoring those lives lost on September 11th.”
Many of the officers in uniform were former NYPD and NYFD. The New York civil servants have built a strong community in Asheville and have a presence at the ceremony every year.
“It’s amazing to have them here,” Lamb said. “It’s humbling to have them here knowing what they went through on September 11th. We’re thankful that they return every year and are a part of our Asheville community.
Two of those officers — Lt. John Keenan and 1st Grade Fireman Gary Slattery — have lived in Asheville for a long time, but the events of 9/11 and their time as NYC firemen have never left them. In fact, many of the firemen who have migrated from NYC to Asheville meet every month.
“We meet regularly, different places, each month it’s different,” Slattery said. “We try to pick a place everybody can get to easily and we just hang out for an hour, two hours.”
Those meetings are a safe space for the men, who consider themselves friends as well as colleagues. The meetings are an outlet as well, a place to vent about the job and be understood by others with the same experiences.
“Coming out of New York and being away from all the firemen, anytime I’d run into someone and they’d know I was a fireman, inevitably the conversation would steer towards 9/11,” Keenan reflected. “Then I met the firemen who were retired down here and got connected with them. Then we could talk about our stories. We could talk about our job other than that day. So that was really nice.”
When it comes to the day itself, however, Keenan wants nothing more than for people to take the time to remember the lives that were lost. In his view, the rest of the country may remember the tragedy, but they are not feeling the loss as acutely as he still does.
“This was a day of mourning for me every year. The rest of the world, or the country, it wasn’t as prominent,” Keenan said. “That was kind of an eye-opener for me. I was a little bit surprised. To me, 9/11, 9/11, every day I remember what happened and who we lost and what a tragic day that was. You saw the turn-out here this morning.”
Despite the record size of the crowd outside the station, Keenan was disappointed by the relatively few faces present.
“People, I’m sure they remember, but it was very important to me. But, you know, I’m a fireman,” Keenan chuckled ruefully. “It hit us pretty hard. We were there that day, and we lost a lot of lives. My brothers and sisters.”
“A lot that we can name off the top of our heads, unfortunately,” Slattery agreed. “I could give you 20 off the top of my head.”
The gratitude that he and Keenan receive from New Yorkers and the rest of the country for their service during 9/11 is appreciated, Slattery said, but misdirected.
“It feels good, but for me, and I’m sure for John and the other guys here, the real heroes are obviously the guys who didn’t come home,” Slattery said.
Keenan and Slattery urge the public to take a moment today to remember the fallen heroes and lives lost during 9/11. Even 23 years on, the tragedy is something they will never forget.
