Twenty-five years after the attacks that changed the country forever, Massachusetts' official 9/11 memorial in Fall River will once again become a place of remembrance.
Battleship Cove will mark the 25th anniversary with its annual Rite of Reflection from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, bringing together local public safety officials, families, and community members to remember those who were lost.
This year's ceremony will include honor guards, local public safety officials, live music, a wreath-laying, and a 21-gun salute from the USS Massachusetts. Doves will also be released as a symbol of peace.
Darlene Tetreault, president and founder of the South Coast Nurse Honor Guard, will serve as this year's guest speaker.
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For Battleship Cove's Chief Operating Officer Christopher Nardi, who has been with the organization for more than 30 years, the ceremony is one a commitment he takes seriously.
"It's a very solemn responsibility. People have expectations. We feel very honored to be the site for that memorial," he said.
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The history of the memorial began in the years following the attacks.
In July 2002, acting Gov. Jane Swift approved legislation establishing an official state memorial at Battleship Cove for Massachusetts residents killed in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Two years later, on Sept. 11, 2004, Battleship Cove held a groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial. The completed memorial was privately dedicated the following year, on Sept. 10, 2005.
The memorial was created with input from families who lost loved ones and includes three bronze plaques bearing the names of Massachusetts residents who died in the attacks.
Nardi emphasized how important that was. "I always remember, because I was here at the time, and I will never forget collaborating with those families. That's what's most meaningful to me."
The memorial was originally located near the Battleship Cove gift shop. It was later moved to the DCR property in front of the gift shop, making it accessible to the public, whether they were visiting the ships or simply coming to see the memorial.
The annual Rite of Reflection has taken different forms over the years, with local police, firefighters, emergency management officials and other public safety personnel taking part.
This year's ceremony has been expanded for the 25th anniversary, with additional honor guards, public school participation and live music planned.
Nardi highlighted how school participation has increased in recent years, something he believes is especially important as more young people grow up without memories of Sept. 11, 2001.
He hopes they will come away with a better understanding of the people who responded that day.
"They run to danger while other people are running away from danger," he said, referring to the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and others who responded.
The memorial and Friday's ceremony are open to the public.
For Battleship Cove, the goal is not simply to remember what happened 25 years ago, but to make sure those who were not there understand why it still matters.
"It's all about the sacrifices that have been made, the lives that were lost by the innocent people and the sacrifices that were made by those who tried to rescue them," he said.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 25 years after 9/11, Battleship Cove remembers those lost