By Alberto Suris
On Friday, September 11, 2015, the City of Lawrence recalled the events that shook the world on September 11, 2001 killing nearly 3,000 innocent people.
The September 11 attacks (also referred to as 9/11) were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda on the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The attacks consisted of suicide attacks used to target symbolic U.S. landmarks.
Due to rain, the ceremony had to be conducted inside Central Station. Father Paul O’Brien, Pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, opened the ceremony with a prayer. Then, three sets of five rings resounded within the building. The ringing honored all the people lost on September 11 and were never found, among them more than 300 firefighters and dozens of police officers.
After one minute of complete silence, requested by MC, Lt. James Flynn, we listened to a masterful interpretation of the National Anthem by 14-year-old Briannette Villa. Villa is a freshman at Granite State Arts Academy in Derry, NH where she majors in Theater and Music.
Both, Chief Brian Moriarty and Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera took time at the mic to express sorrow and determination to never forget the 9/11 events. As many times before, the closing came with an interpretation of Amazing Grace by retired Lawrence Firefighter Ray Kenyon on the bagpipe.
