Springfield first responders remember victims and heroes of 9/11 attacks

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield first responders, in a symbolic motorcade, paying tribute to those who answered the call during the September 11th terrorist attacks.

“They grabbed what equipment they could, and drove to ground zero. That’s the true mark of heroism and dedication that the firefighters and police showed that day,” Springfield Fire Commissioner BJ Calvi recalled.

Among the thousands who perished, 498 first responders paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“I remember the lines of those firefighters going up the towers, the stairs and I remember the lines of the people coming back down those stairs,” said Colonel David Halasi-Kun, Wing Commander of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base.

Those heroes are forever in memory, their names engraved on a piece of steel from the World Trade Center that lies in Springfield’s Riverfront Park.

“This memorial has become a place for stories, courage, sacrifice, and hope,” Patrick Leonardo, an Operations Manager for American Medical Response tells 22News.

Twenty-three years now marks that fateful September day in New York City but the memory still lies fresh in the minds of most Americans who watched as the tragedy unfolded. It’s a wound that has cut deep into the nation but it’s also a hope to always unite in the face of adversity and promise to never forget.

And now it is our job to continue their vital work, we owe it to them. And we owe it to ourselves to never stop moving forward. Good will not only endure but we will succeed.

Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers

The 9/11 monument in Riverfront Park is available to the public for viewing.

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