CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The community and first responders gathered on Friday to remember the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, with events across the city marking the 25th anniversary.
Fort Campbell hosted a ceremony and wreath laying, while Clarksville Fire Rescue hosted its annual 9/11 Ceremony at their headquarters on Franklin Street.
Crunch Fitness on Fort Campbell Boulevard also hosted a 110-floor stair climb in honor of the first responders who climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Fort Campbell’s ceremony and wreath laying
Fort Campbell’s ceremony honored the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks and provided the Fort Campbell community an opportunity to reflect on the enduring service and sacrifice that followed, according to a news release sent to Clarksville Now.
The ceremony was presided over by Col. Jeffrey Pickler, Deputy Commander of Support for the
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and was attended by members of Fort Campbell and the
local area.
“We remember today and every day that our next moment is never guaranteed. That each day
comes as a gift and we spend a few moments in this solemn ceremony today to remind ourselves
of how quickly that gift can be taken from us,” said Col. Pickler, “That in the span of only 102
short minutes, our nation lost 2,977 lives unexpectedly and suddenly.”
Clarksville Fire Rescue remembers 9/11
Clarksville Fire Rescue’s ceremony brought together current and former first responders, city leaders, veterans and members of the community. The ceremony included the posting of the colors by a joint color guard, an opening prayer and the national anthem. A wreath and carnations were placed in remembrance of first responders, government officials, civilians and military personnel who passed away on Sept. 11. The ceremony also included the ringing of a bell and a moment of silence.
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts spoke during the ceremony, reflecting on the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks and the more than 400 firefighters, police officers and other first responders who died while responding. “A seemingly ordinary day turned tragic for the firefighters and police officers and first responders who were upholding their oath and running toward danger when the rest were fleeing,” Pitts said.
Pitts also reflected on the unity seen across the country following the attacks. “We learned that despite the deep division between us, we can just for a moment, come together and find common ground,” Pitts said. “We were united in the days that followed that fateful day to support each other.”
The ceremony also remembered three Clarksville firefighters who died in the line of duty: Claude Walker in 1960, Capt. George Wilson in 1967 and Engineer Ray Harrison in 1981.
110-floor stair climb at Crunch Fitness
Community members also came together to take part in a 9/11 stair climb at Crunch Fitness on Fort Campbell Boulevard. Participants climbed 110 floors, representing the height of the World Trade Center towers and honoring the first responders who climbed the buildings during the attacks.
Husky Pelkey, who is part of the management team at Crunch Fitness, said the event is meant to give the community an opportunity to remember the sacrifices made that day. “A lot of us are prior military. Our generation joined because of 9/11,” he said. “So we want to give a tribute as best we can to those people.”
He said participants complete the 110 floors at their own pace, with some finishing in about 30 minutes and others taking an hour or longer. “It’s very impressionable to think of what they all went through in the moment,” he said, noting that the firefighters were also carrying equipment and, in some cases, helping people out of the buildings.
The stair climb has become an annual tradition, with Thursday marking his eighth year participating. Pelkey encouraged anyone interested in taking part in the stair climb to come out next year and give it a try, regardless of their fitness level.
Christian Brown contributed to this report.
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