Charleston, S.C. – Across the Lowcountry, service members, first responders, and community members paused Thursday to mark the 24th anniversary of September 11, 2001, a day etched into the nation’s memory as one of its darkest. Through ceremonies, stair climbs, and silent walks, they honored the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the countless others forever impacted.
Flags, Tributes, and Reflections
At Charleston RiverDogs Stadium, officers with the U.S. Coast Guard Charleston Sector carried the American flag across the field as the national anthem rang out. The solemn moment set the tone for a day filled with remembrance.
For Captain Colt Roy of Joint Base Charleston Fire and Emergency Services, the memories of 9/11 remain vivid. As a high school student at the time, he recalled the shock when his teacher turned and said, “You know the Twin Towers? They’re gone.”
First Responders Remembered
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Hundreds more were injured.
Technical Sergeant Jason H. Parker, Wing Commander at Joint Base Charleston, emphasized the bravery of those who rushed toward danger.
“Never forget what happened that day, the sacrifices that were made that day, the firefighters and police officers and paramedics that ran toward danger that day,” Parker said.
Captain Roy reflected on the courage of firefighters climbing the towers while others rushed down. “They didn’t know if the towers were going to collapse or not. Many of those men did not make it out,” he said.
Local Memorial Events
Several events across the Lowcountry honored those sacrifices:
Memorial stair climbs hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard Charleston Sector, Joint Base Charleston, and Charleston Southern University. Participants symbolically climbed 110 stories, the height of the World Trade Center, in memory of the 412 FDNY members who lost their lives.
Patriots Point’s 12th annual Silent Walk across the Ravenel Bridge, where each step honored first responders and victims.
Captain Shawn A. Lansing of the Coast Guard explained, “Each step serves as a tribute to the families forever affected by the tragic events that day.”
The Ongoing Toll of 9/11
While remembering the fallen, speakers also acknowledged the long-term health effects many first responders faced after surviving the collapse.
“We are losing first responders from 9/11 … that doesn’t count all of the people who have died of 9/11 diseases,” Captain Roy said, noting the loss of his own mentor, Stephen Skipton Sr.
A Promise to Never Forget
The theme running through each event was resilience and remembrance.
“To remember the lives lost and the sacrifices that were made, and the tremendous resiliency that makes us who we are today,” Commander Parker said.
Additional memorials and tributes are scheduled through the weekend to ensure that the sacrifices of September 11, 2001, are never forgotten.
