On Wednesday, September 11th at 8:15AM, officials from the City of Duluth held a brief Day of Remembrance Ceremony to honor those lost on 9/11 and for those whose lives were changed by the event.

Following the ceremony, members of the Duluth Fire Department, fire professionals from the area and invited guests to participate in a memorial stair climb. This part of the memorial was by invitation only.

Mayor Roger Reinert said the remembrance is to honor all the people who lost their lives on that tragic day.

“So we gather with heavy hearts to remember the tragic events of September 11th, 2001,” Mayor Reinert said. “We remember the heroes, firefighters, police officers, and everyday citizens who acted selfishly on that day 23 years ago to help others. We also pause for a moment today to remember and honor the call to service of our sisters and brothers in the armed forces.”

Father John Petrich, the Chaplain with the St. Louis County Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, says the role of first responders should never be taken for granted.

“We remember those who helped others to be free from that danger. It’s a chance for a lot of folks to get together and remember that. My career started just a couple months after 9-11 happened. It’s something that has really changed the fire service in a lot of ways,” Father Petrich said. “It’s changed how people look at firefighters and trying to live up to those expectations. The example those firefighters set for us there in New York City. It’s been 23 years since that attack happened and for a lot of folks it’s still very fresh for a lot of people.”

Pete Johnson with the Duluth Fire Department says, because of that tragedy many younger people have volunteered to become firefighters.

“It’s the reason that they came to the fire service, or they joined the fire service. From somebody like me who was in my early 20s when it happened, to some folks we’re hiring now who were born after it happened. I think one of the things that we saw after 9/11 was how the country came together,” Johnson said. “People put a lot of that stuff aside and figured out how to work together, how to support one another. At this point with everybody being so divided, it’s important to look back and reflect on what actually brings us together and not what separates us.”

The event was held in the lobby of the AMSOIL Arena at the DECC. City officials, along with members of the Duluth Police Department, Duluth Fire Department, and the 148th Fighter Wing gave remarks, shared a moment of reflection, and participate in a gathering prayer.