GALLERY: Pahrump Valley Rotary remembers 9/11
Braving smoky and gusty conditions on Wednesday morning, dozens of area residents gathered to solemnly commemorate one of the most heart-rending days in the history of the United States, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 2001.
Hosted by the Rotary Club of Pahrump Valley, the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony took place at the First Responders Reflection Area at the Calvada Eye.
Leading the charge on putting the event together this year were Rotarians Dr. Tom Waters, Charles Lavoie and Rick Scanlan, who also acted as master of ceremonies, introducing the guest speakers and reciting the tragic details of each of the four flights that were hijacked while tolling a the bell in honor of those who were lost. Opening with a presentation of the colors by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, the ceremony continued with NCSO Capt. Greg Curtin singing the national anthem and Marla Quercia adding translation in sign language. Pastor Keith Walker then took to the microphone for the invocation.
“This ceremony is… about those who were the victims of heinous terrorism almost a quarter of a century ago,” Walker intoned. “Today specifically is Patriot Day, a time to honor and remember the almost 3,000 people killed and numerous others injured during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 2001… We also pray for those grieving over the loss and pain of 9/11. Yes, Lord, those events took place more than two decades ago but, as anyone who has lost loved ones well knows, time may bring a general decrease in the intensity of grief, but it cannot take away the pain of separation.
“So Lord, we are gathered here today to remember. We remember with sadness and gratitude those whose lives were lost at the Twin Towers, those who were killed at the Pentagon, those who went down in United Airlines Flight #93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania,” Scanlan continued. “We remember those who rushed to the aid of their fellow men and women, many even sacrificing their own lives in an effort to rescue others in peril. We remember those who wrested control of Flight #93 away from the hijackers in order to prevent more casualties, intended, no doubt, for Washington, D.C. We will never forget.”
One of the morning’s speakers, Mikey Roohan of KPVM-TV, underscored the sacrifices made by first responders on 9/11 with a personal story about a member of his family, followed by a performance of a song he wrote in her honor.
“Every day I see stories of these brave men and women who go out to fires and they protect us from the dangers we face,” Roohan said. “Much like my cousin, Moriah Smith. A New York City police officer, she was working in the 13th precinct when the first plane hit the tower.”
Showing the courage of her profession, Smith was one of many first responders who raced to rescue those scrambling to escape the ruins of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Though she managed to save the lives of numerous others, she herself eventually perished in the collapse of the South Tower.
“After that, they gave her the (NYPD) Medal of Honor, they named a park after her, they named a street after her and one of the most amazing things, they named a ferry that goes to the Hudson River after her. The ferry was the first mode of transportation to rescue people from the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’,” Roohan explained.
Scanlan, who is a musician, added his own melodic touch to the ceremony, too, playing a recording of a song he wrote on Sept. 12, 2001, which he titled “The Eagle Spreads His Wings”.
As the late Tyann James was one of the main proponents behind the creation of the First Responders Reflection Area, the Rotary Club incorporated a special dedication for her into the morning’s program as well.
“She was a big part of this project,” Rotary Club Past President Roy Mankins said, indicating the reflection area. “She worked very hard at it, she brought lots of people into it. It looks pretty simple but this, this was a job. We worked for hours and hours… We’re dedicating this bench here to Tyann James.”
A brass plaque will be added to the bench, honoring the legacy of a woman that Mankins and his fellow Rotary members all miss.
Other guest speakers for the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony included Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief and Nye County Emergency Management Director Scott Lewis, Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill, Nye County Commissioner Frank Carbone and local resident Reva Braun, while Walker concluded the event with a closing prayer.
The First Responders Reflection Area, located on the grounds of the Calvada Eye on Walt Williams Drive, is open to visitors throughout the year.
For more information about the Rotary Club visit PVRotaryClub.org
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
Timeline of events
The following is a timeline of the plane crashes that took place on Sept. 11 2001, as detailed in the Rotary Club's 9/11 Memorial Ceremony program:
- At 8:46 a.m. American Flight #11 crashed into Floors 93-99 of the North Tower, killing all aboard, as well as hundreds in the building.
- At 9:03 a..m. United Flight Airlines #175 crashed into floors 75-85 of the South Tower, killing all aboard as well as hundreds in the building.
- At 9:37 a.m. American Flight #77 crashed into the western facade of the Pentagon, killing 59 people on board and 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building.
- At 10:03 a.m. United Flight #93 crashed into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. All 44 passengers and crew were killed.
