(Seguin) — Just like the lives lost, the lessons learned 21 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, are not being forgotten.
As Americans pause to remember the terror attacks on U.S. soil, Seguin and Guadalupe County’s top emergency officials are reflecting on how those moments continue to provide important lessons and reminders for the nation today.
Guadalupe County Sheriff Joshua Ray says he will never forget the exact moment he heard the news. Having just left the U.S. Marine Corps, Ray was serving as a brand-new rookie state trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety in El Paso. He recalls standing in his small RV, putting on his uniform and preparing for another day of duty, when everything changed.
“I was watching it on one of those old box small television sets and it’s important that we remember the first responders and the people who passed during that tragic event but you know what else is also memorable about that time is the weeks afterwards when driving down the road – every other vehicle had the American flag flying in the back dash of their car. I saw American flags on police cars and on fire engines and UPS trucks and there was a sense of patriotism — that although I was raised to be a patriot — I had never experience it in that way. Even in hard times, even when bad things happen, God has a way of raising heroes out of the ashes,” said Ray.
Seguin Fire Chief Dale Skinner also remembers the moment quite well. He was on his way to work to the Southlake Fire Department when word of the attack first reached him. And like many other emergency responders across the nation, it was the time spent after the attacks that forever changed the meaning of his life.
“I had an opportunity later on that year in December — we were on a Goodwill tour – a caravan if you will – to deliver CD’s to all the fire fighters working Ground Zero. So, I spent a better part of four days in New York City visiting with the firefighters and the families and we attended a memorial service for one of the lieutenants and it gave me a sense of purpose. It taught me to not take life for granted. Those fire fighters and those people who went to work that day had no idea that their lives were going to end at 9:30 that morning. So that’s what this has taught me is don’t take your life for granted and I’ve tried to live my life like that since then. So, that’s the message to our people is number one, do not forget 9/11 and the tragedy that occurred that day but enjoy your life. Don’t sweat the little things. Life is precious and cherish it,” said Skinner.
For Seguin Police Chief Jason Brady, Sept. 11 was also a turning point. Then just a patrol officer, he recalls how the massive attack changed the world forever.
Brady says the anniversary of these events should always serve as a reminder for patience and tolerance.
“I think that we need to be more tolerant of one another. The only positive that came out of this tragedy was that period of national unity. You hear the same thing when a loved one dies, and all these people show up to the funeral and they say ‘why couldn’t we all have gotten together when the loved one was alive – why does it take a tragedy?’ and I think we just need to be more patient and tolerant of one another and as first responders, we deal a lot of with tragedy and critical incidents. So, I think if people understood how precious and how fragile life is — then maybe we’d be more patient and understanding with one another,” said Brady.
This year’s remembrance ceremony in Seguin was led by the Seguin Police Department on behalf of the city and the Seguin Fire Department. Attendees were reminded of the timeline of that fateful morning: hijacked planes crashing into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought back. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost, including first responders who rushed into danger.
Earlier in the morning, the Seguin ISD also held its own 9/11 Patriot ceremony at Matador Stadium. The event brought together the community and school officials and recognized the courage and resilience that was born out of that tragedy.