Cranberry Township remembers Sept. 11 with annual ceremony
CRANBERRY TWP — Nathan Hezlep has no conscious memory of the events that unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001, but he does understand the gravity of them.
Hezlep can remember traveling to New York City as a 9-year-old with his father and other local firefighters to collect a piece of steel from one of the World Trade Center towers that would eventually become the centerpiece of Cranberry Township’s Sept. 11 memorial.
-
An American flag hangs from a ladder truck at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company in memory of 9/11, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
James Cole stands for the playing of "Taps" during the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
State Representative Stephenie Scialabba speaks at the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Senator Elder Vogel delivers remarks during the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
The 9/11 memorial at Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Air Force veteran Dennis Lisac, center, talks with fellow attendees of the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
The 9/11 memorial at Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
John Pristas plays "Taps" during the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Attendees of the 9/11 memorial at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company stand for the playing of "Taps", Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
First responders listen to the playing of "Taps" in commemoration of the 9/11 terrorist attack during the commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Assistant Chief Bruce Hezlep addresses an audience gathered for the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Senator Elder Vogel, right, and staffer Arron Weltner, left, look at a wreath standing beside the 9/11 memorial at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company during the 9/11 commemoration on, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
-
Fire Police Captain Jeff Ammerman speaks during the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, Thursday, Sept. 11. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
“At a young age, they taught me about the events and the impact and the fallout,” Hezlep said. “You form a greater appreciation for everything that was done that day from the first responders’ side.”
Hezlep, who has served 10 years and is now a lieutenant with the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, was one of dozens of firefighters and officials who honored the victims of 9/11 with a remembrance ceremony on Thursday morning, Sept. 11.
At sunrise, members of the department used an aerial lift to raise a large American flag over Route 19. Members of Scouting America retired the colors at sunset.
Throughout the early morning hours, taps was played at the exact times each attack occurred in New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville.
“This is a special day for us because we have the memorial and we all can come together at sunrise to raise the flag and everything else,” Hezlep said. “We’re able to unite on the camaraderie that comes with (the ceremony). On a day of remembrance for a tragedy, we’re able to turn it into a positive thing for the community.”
Additionally, the chance to educate younger generations about the world-changing event is not lost on him.
“We have to keep really teaching them (younger children) what happened that day and what all the first responders did in response and that their selfless actions aren’t forgotten,” he said. “It’s starting to dawn on me that education on what happened is so important, and that’s why I think it’s so awesome that we have this memorial here in our backyard around so many different schools.”
Tom Klingensmith, who has been a firefighter for 34 years, was working overnight on Sept. 10, 2001, and was asleep when the Flight 11 hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m.
He woke up to a call from his wife, telling him to turn on the television. What he watched that morning has stuck with him through all of his years as a responder.
“That happened in New York, but it was felt all over the country, especially by firefighters and first responders,” Klingensmith said. “We have this memorial here to honor those guys that ended up giving their lives that day. They went into the building, thinking they were just going to do their job and help and people, and just so many of them died that day.”
The memorial and yearly remembrance ceremony is a reminder of the sacrifices that were made that day, Klingensmith said.
“It’s just huge to continue to honor them,” he said. “Tradition means a lot in this business.”
