Share
Before Bryan Burton’s daughter goes off to college Thursday, he wanted to make sure she knew about 9/11 and the impact it has on America today.
“She was about 1 when the event occurred in 2001, and so I thought it was important for her to come and attend,” Burton said. “It is pretty significant, and a lot of young people have no real frame of reference for what September 11th meant for a lot of people in the United States on that day, during that time.”
Commemorating Lost Loved Ones and Heroic Efforts
Burton was among the hundreds of people who gathered Tuesday morning for the 17th annual 9/11 ceremony at the California Memorial in Clovis. Pelco by Schneider Electric, a security and surveillance technologies company, put on the event.
Military personnel joined with law enforcement, political figures and families to remember not only those who lost their lives in the tragic events but also to recognize the heroic efforts of those who put their lives on the line to save others.
Remembering What Happened
At 8:46 a.m., the exact time the first plane hit the first tower of the World Trade Center, actual radio dispatch calls from the 9/11 tragedy were played.
Sirens and the lowering of the U.S. flag followed.
A fire bell went off three times, a fire-service tradition that honors those who gave their lives in duty. The sound also signals the end of an emergency.
Honor and Respect
Andy Isolano, a former New York City firefighter, spoke about his 9/11 experience and presented the U.S. flag flown on the mission by the U.S. Air Force to David McDonald.
McDonald, the former Pelco CEO, created the Clovis California Memorial.
“We all need to do something to honor all of those who were lost that day and this is what we came up with to help them,” said McDonald of the reason he founded the annual event 17 years ago.
David Marin said the first memorial ceremony 17 years ago was huge, and he is grateful that it continues.
“It is a wonderful event,” Marin said. “It brings back everything that happened that day.”
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/16184829/Wreaths.jpg)
Keeping History Alive
One thing Isolano hopes people took away from his message is to never give up in life.
“I hope they can see that if I can go through what I went through and still keep going and be positive about things that maybe the things in their lives that aren’t so great might not seem as bad,” Isolano said.
How the memorial ceremony keeps alive what happened on 9/11 is what Steven Patton appreciates most.
“The big motto with 9/11 is we can’t forget about it, we’ve got to keep it fresh on our minds, and this event is one way of doing that,” Patton said.
The Attacks
The Sept. 11 attacks were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.
Within an hour and 42 minutes, both 110-story towers collapsed.
Watch & Listen to Newly Released 9/11 Audio Recordings
Ricardo Lara Deserves Credit for Trying to Solve California’s Home Insurance Crisis
3 hours ago
Mark Gardner on Giants’ 2014 World Series Title, Why Fresno Turns Out Great Players
3 hours ago
What the Republican Party Might Look Like if Trump Loses
4 hours ago
Vikings QB McCarthy Needs Surgery on Meniscus Tear in Right Knee
4 hours ago
Japan’s Prime Minister Prepares to Step Down. Why, and What’s Next?
4 hours ago
Michigan’s Sherrone Moore Looks Forward to Release of Text Messages in Sign-Stealing Investigation
5 hours ago
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14125622/Apartments-damaged-by-falling-missile-debris-injury-several-people-in-Kursk-Russia-on-Tuesday-Aug.-13-2024.-Ukraine-pressed-ahead-with-its-assault-inside-Russian-territory-on-Tuesday-a-week-1024x538.jpg)
Ukraine’s Surprise Attack Has Forced Russia to Change Plans
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14092611/020924_FAST_FOOD_UNION_JAH_CM_00739.jpg-1024x576.jpg)
Californians Will Vote on $18 Minimum Wage. Workers Want $25 and More.
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14101619/041024-Ricardo-Lara-TS-CM-18.jpg-1024x576.jpg)
Ricardo Lara Deserves Credit for Trying to Solve California’s Home Insurance Crisis
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/13163938/shutterstock_31288807-1024x576.jpg)
Mark Gardner on Giants’ 2014 World Series Title, Why Fresno Turns Out Great Players
![](https://gvwire.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/14103434/Former-President-Donald-Trump-raises-his-fists-at-a-campaign-rally-in-Harrisburg-Pa.-on-July-31-2024.-It-is-rare-in-American-political-history-for-a-single-figure-to-dominate-a-party-as-thoroug-1024x538.jpg)