Del Mar College hosted a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the FEMA Dome to honor the victims and first responders of the terror attacks.
The ceremony paid tribute to the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania 18 years ago. Several local police and fire officials attended the ceremony at West Campus.
Port of Corpus Christi Police Chief Eric Giannamore said it’s important to remember those who died in the attacks as well as those who rushed to help.
“It is very meaningful too me, and sometimes we lose track of that. Sometimes … we go about our day-to-day lives that we don’t reflect upon the great people we have around us all the time, and that representation was the focus. Not only law enforcement, first responders but also civilians that stepped up when it was needed,” Giannamore said.
Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha said the attacks affected the entire nation.
“Many people were killed that day but one of the things that had happened after that was we came together as a country to support one another,” he said. “Really the citizens of Corpus Christi came out to support their first responders today in a beautiful way.”
Rocha said local first responders will be ready if something similar ever happens in the Coastal Bend.
“I think we have a safe nation; I think people should know that in Corpus Christi that their firefighters and your police officers are going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe,” Rocha said.
Giannamore, the port’s police chief, said he is impressed with how far we have come as a nation, showing strength and unity.
“It was one of the biggest tragedies that we have ever faced as a nation. We were attacked by terrorist, but one of the positives things is we showed who we were when we came together.”
