Gray’s Funeral Chapel held a service of remembrance and gratitude on Friday Sep.11 at 11a.m. the 25 year mark since the attacks in New York City that killed thousands.
The service created a space for Prince Albert residents to gather and remember the lives lost and families affected, as well as recognize the emergency responders to the attacks, and local emergency services personnel for the continued work everyday since.
“I think at the end of the day we remember those that while people were running away, while people were fleeing, there was a group of individuals, regardless of what badge was on their shoulder, responded and ran towards to help people,” said Prince Albert Fire Department Chief Kris Olsen.
The service was officiated by Rev. Nora Vedress, beginning at 11a.m. with Dave Monet as the piper, followed by Gray’s Funeral Staff with words of welcome. Elder Liz Settee offered the opening blessing along with a traditional smudge. Gray’s staff lit a memorial candle, followed by a reflection by Rev. Vedress, then a moment of silence.
A prayer of gratitude was offered for first responders, and guest speakers, including Chief Olsen, shared their remarks about the importance of remembering the attacks, and their experience on that fateful day. The gathering then closed with a blessing from Elder Settee, then again Piper Monette, with refreshments available afterwards.
“Prince Albert is a long ways from New York City, I was given the opportunity to come up and speak, and I wasn’t prepared so I did speak from the heart,” Olsen said.
“I recalled that day in particular, and I think a lot of people do. They know where they were, they know what they were doing, and that was no different for myself.”
Olsen recalled that he had arrived home from a night shift, and was enjoying a coffee in his yard, when his wife called him to the television. He said that he was in shock and disbelief of witnessing the first tower, and made the comment that he thought it was a program.
“Just like everyone else at that time, glued to their TVs, watched,” Olsen explained. “I don’t know how long the time had passed, but with my own eyes, I watched the second tower get hit, and then that disbelief became reality.”
Olsen mentioned how the world had changed on that day, especially regarding the Department of National Defence on the military side, with the act of terrorism closing the borders, and air spaces.
“It goes well beyond police, fire, EMS,” Olsen said. “We talk about our 911 call takers, can you imagine being a 911 call taker that day? Can you imagine what they dealt with? We can also talk about the hospital staff, and it goes on and on.”
He also talked about how well over 2,000 people went to work at the World Trade Centre that day to do their regular job, and their lives were changed, as well as the people in their lives. He said it is important to remember the loss of lives and also the courage and sacrifice of responders to the attacks.
“The biggest takeaway from all this is for a long time, when you process an extreme situation like this, I don’t dwell on the physical,” Olsen explained. “Whenever humanity has sacrifice, doesn’t matter if it’s 9/11, the First World War, Second World War, it can go on and on, whenever there’s major sacrifice, I just think purely as a humanity we have a duty to remember them. I think that’s important, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”
