JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Jacksonville hosted its annual Patriot Day ceremony Friday, honoring the lives lost in the September 11, 2001 attacks 25 years ago. Members of the public gathered in Lejeune Memorial Gardens for the event.
Brent Anderson, chairman of the Onslow Civic Affairs Committee, said he hopes 9/11 does not get lost in history, and also wants people to remember the unity that followed the attacks.
“I also hope the country will remember the unity that we had after the events of 9/11, the way the country came together and unified as Americans,” Anderson said.
Retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Raquel Painter was in the Marines at the time of the attacks. She said that when the first tower was hit, she thought it wasn’t real. When the second tower was hit, she knew something was wrong.
“When the news showed that first tower getting hit, to me, I was thinking it was a movie because it was just something you don’t imagine happening in the United States, but after the second hit, then I knew that this is something that has seriously just happened to us,” Painter said.
Retired Marine Marty Rebello was stationed at New River Air Station at the time of the attacks. She said she was shocked the country could be attacked at home.
“We were completely shocked that we could be attacked here. We’re supposed to go other places and attack and protect our country,” Rebello said.
Doug Renegar, retired Airman, said he was working for Delta at Raleigh-Durham International Airport at the time of the attacks and remembers when all planes were grounded.
“We were parking them, and the most unique thing about it on a regular day, it’s very loud on the ramp. Once all of the airplanes were parked, it was dead silent, no pun intended. It was just extremely quiet and eerie,” Renegar said.
Renegar said he and Rebello wear shirts throughout the year to help others remember the day and the victims.
“We wear these things about remembering, and Marty and I, we wear some of these shirts during the year. We don’t want people to forget. We want them to remember,” Renegar said.
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