23 years later, the Rochester area remembers September 11

Rochester, NY – Several communities, schools and other organizations held ceremonies Wednesday to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Monroe Community College students gather at the school's 9/11 Memorial at 8:45 a.m. every September 11, when the sun hits the memorial, casting a shadow reminiscent of the Twin Towers before the attack.

The ceremony at the Rochester Institute of Technology included moments of silence and musical performances.

“I think the most important thing is that it's an opportunity for us to demonstrate our determination to never forget,” said Lt. Col. Mike Sim, who leads RIT's Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. “I think by showing and proving that we will never forget, in many ways that gives us the strength to accomplish the difficult tasks that our nation and our country are asking of us.”

“This is something we need to remember, even if we didn't experience it ourselves. We need to remember it and make sure it never happens again,” said Andrew Lerma, an RIT student and Air Force ROTC cadet.

At Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, 150 flags flew in memory of the military members, first responders and emergency workers who made the ultimate sacrifice after 9/11.

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The Veterans Outreach Center hosted Operation We Remember at the Monroe County War on Terror Memorial, located in Gary Beikirch Memorial Park in Highland Park.

“We remember the civilians, the first responders, the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen and the Marines who gave their all in the years that followed,” said Steve Tschiderer, Fishers Fire Chief and member of the New York Army National Guard. “Their legacy is one of courage, resilience and an unwavering commitment to the values ​​that define our nation.”

At the Brockport Firefighters Memorial Monument, firefighters saluted their fallen colleagues and rang the memorial bell in the tradition of the New York Fire Department.

“It's important to remember that this is a day in the history of the United States, but it's a day in the history of firefighting in our country,” said Christopher Martin, spokesman for the Brockport Fire District. “It's the largest loss of firefighters in a single incident since 9/11. As firefighters, we always try to remember our fallen heroes and our lost members of the firefighting community, and this is no different.”