“The Heroes are the Ordinary People”: Wilton Remembers 9/11 [PHOTOS]

Yesterday morning, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2024 the air was crisp and the sky cloudless and sunny, much like it was on Sept. 11, 2001 when America experienced the deadliest terrorist attack in human history.

As it does each year, the Wilton Firefighters Union 2233 held a moving ceremony to pay tribute and remember the thousands who were killed that day, including 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers, and thousands of victims in the World Trade Center Towers, military personnel at the Pentagon, and passengers and crew members onboard the four planes hijacked by the terrorists, as well as the hundreds of rescue workers and survivors who have died from causes related to the attacks since then or are living with post-event injuries and traumas, both physical and mental.

About 75 people were present for the ceremony. In attendance were Wilton police officers, Wilton firefighters, the veterans of American Legion Post 86, members of the Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps, CERT members, Town employees, Town and state officials, residents and victims’ family members. Father Reginald Norman of Our Lady of Fatima Church offered a prayer at the event’s start and Lt. Anna Tornello of the Wilton Police Department sang the National Anthem.

Union President, Firefighter Gary Mandel began the remarks with heartfelt commentary about not only remembering the lives that were lost but educating the generation born after 2001 or who were too young to remember. He said the responsibility was not just to convey the facts of that horrific event, but rather teach them about “the hope, resilience and unity experienced in the aftermath and the way 9/11 has shaped the world in which we live today.”

“The heroes are the people, the ordinary people helping one another and acting for the greater good. Amid the intense confusion, fear and uncertainty, people came together. We helped each other. We assisted and treated those injured, confused or simply suffering. We hugged our family members, friends and one another, and we committed to rebuilding the damaged buildings and, more importantly, rebuilding our lives and our mental state of mind,” Mandel said.

He recalled how the attacks united everyone as Americans, and compared that the the social divisions of today.

“The attacks brought out the best in us. We treated each other as neighbors with respect and gratitude. We grew to be stronger as a country and community. We saw each other as Americans and part of a larger family. A divided country brings out the worst in us. September 11 brought out the very best in us,” Mandel said.

He encouraged both the post-9/11 generation as well as those who were old enough to remember that day to honor the legacy and memory of those who died in the attacks and after by remaining unified and treating one another with respect and honor.

“This Day each year brings out unity in us all, and it’s a day where the racial and political tensions are cool. The edge in society takes a break. We stand together, regardless of race, cultural or religious backgrounds. We recognize each other and we are here for each other. We do not need extraordinary acts. We just need to be ordinary, as were our brothers and sisters on that day and in the aftermath,” Mandel said, adding, “As we often say in the fire service, let us simply leave things a little better than how we found them.”

First Selectman Toni Boucher echoed Mandel’s remarks in saying that the public has a responsibility to remember the many acts of courage and kindness in order to honor those who were killed and emulate that legacy.

“We have never witnessed the incredible bonds that develop between complete strangers on the street or in the workplace, as in the aftermath of 9/11. No matter where we originated from or our points of view, Americans came together unified like at no other time. The unity and resolve cannot diminish. We owe it to our children and grandchildren who inherit this world after we’re gone. We owe it to the courage of all those who died in wars before us, who have allowed us to live for in so many years of peace, liberty and security. We owe it to the thousands of innocent victims of Sept. 11, the crew members of all of those planes, to the brave servicemen and women who gave up their lives since then… and we owe it to the 72 law enforcement officers and the 343 firemen who lost their lives that day,” Boucher said.

Fire Chief Jim Blanchfield said that fire service as a whole has evolved in response to what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, including from the data collected and recommendations from the 9/11 Commission reports.

“Wilton is starting to build out a new communication system, for better interoperability with police, fire, EMS, CERT as well as DPW, Parks and Rec, Board of Education and many of our mutual aid partners,” he said. “We continue to plan our responses as more of the transportation world becomes more and more electrified. And we now carry tactical body armor, for instance, that incidents that may require it, and we train accordingly,” he said, adding, “In short, I like to think, despite the terrorist best efforts, we are still here, protecting and serving our community, no matter what new challenges face us.”

Police Chief Thomas Conlan touched upon his own memories of the day, when he was at work at Wilton police headquarters at dispatch and how his feelings moved from shock, sorrow, and anger to pride of being an American.

“Talking to my 13-year-old daughter this morning … I felt it was important to relive the day with her, to talk to our kids about that, that it was depressing and it was shocking, and there was a bit of anger — but most importantly, there’s the pride of being an American, is the one thing that I will remember. … There’s so many things that unite us as Americans, more than divide us. That’s something we really need to pass on to our children,” Conlan said.

WVAC President John Miscioscia also spoke of teaching the generation of Americans born since the events of 2001.

“We must engage the younger generation, retelling the stories, not only explaining the physical events, about the deep connection we all have that day and express through this remembrance ceremony so they can carry on the torch for many years to come,” he said.

At the ceremony’s close, Mandel recognized four retired firefighters in attendance, Capt. Karl Dolnier, Capt. Kevin Czarnecki, Lt. Lou Anconi and Firefighter Dave Chaloux. Czarnecki and Chaloux had raced down to the World Trade Center Area on Sept. 11, 2001 to assist the New York City firefighters who had responded to the attack. Mandel asked the two men, along with Dolnier, to stand with a wreath created by residents of Manhattan shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attack. It was adorned with 2,996 small American flags representing each life lost that day.