- Photo by: Gigi Peccolo — Members of the Colorado National Guard, the U.S. Armed Services, the Colorado State Patrol and the police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) departments were in attendance for the memorial.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Gov. John Hickenlooper and John Elway, former Denver Broncos quarterback were featured at Denver’s yearly memorial event honoring the victims of 9/11, which also payed tribute to the state’s most recent tragedies, the theater shooting in Aurora and the summer fires, last Tuesday in Civic Center Park.
Hundreds of people attended the service, titled,“Colorado Remembers: Honoring Our Will To Prevail” which focused on the victims and first responders of 9/11, as well as the first responders to the summer’s wildfires and the July 20 theater shooting.
Former DU student Alex Teves was one of the 12 victims; he had received his master’s in counseling psychology in June.
At the memorial, several rows were set aside for crowd members from the Colorado National Guard, the U.S. Armed Services, the Colorado State Patrol and the police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) departments from all over Colorado, as well as VIP guests.
Hickenlooper acknowledged the tragic nature of the events but commended Colorado’s resilience and power of will, an overarching theme in the speeches.
“In the face of so much adversity this year, I stand today really in awe of how Colorado has shown our resolve, what we are truly made of and how we have come back stronger than ever,” said Hickenlooper.
Hancock echoed these sentiments of strength and solidarity.
“A day intended to bring us down instead brought out the very best of what this nation has to offer.“ he said of the 9/11 attack.
Hancock also expressed gratitude for having been able to accept artifacts from the World Trade Center (WTC) last year, which were present during the event: 230,000 pounds of twisted steel from the WTC draped in an American flag and New York Fire Department truck Rescue 4, the only responding fire truck of five to have survived. The eight firefighters on board Rescue 4 did not survive.
Hancock said he had accepted the artifacts at last year’s 9/11 memorial. The artifacts were surrounded by a police escort as they were driven through metro Denver, making two stops, one at Civic Center Park.
Last year’s ceremony drew nearly 35,000 people and included a 21-gun salute and a military jet flyover. It also featured the Beach Boys, Tyler Ward, the Colorado Children’s Chorale and the Colorado Symphony, as well as the ruins, which will be displayed in Babi Yar Park sometime in the future.
In addition to Hickenlooper and Hancock, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, Aurora Fire Chief Mark Garcia and Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates also delivered remarks.
“Senseless acts of violence do not define us as a community,” said Hogan, in regards to the July 20 theater shooting. “Instead, it is the lives and acts of heroes in the overwhelming acts of kindness and care for our neighbors that best defines Aurora, and the same can be said of our entire state.”
When John Elway, current Executive Vice President of football operations for the Denver Broncos, stood up to speak, he was greeted with the loudest cheers of the entire event.
“I know Colorado, and I know this state loves a come-from-behind victory,” said Elway.
Elway finished his speech by thanking the Counter-Terrorism Educational Learning Lab (C.E.L.L.) for their efforts to inform and educate citizens about signs of terrorism and criminal activity. C.E.L.L. founder Henry Mizel was also in attendance, after acquiring the WTC ruins and firetruck from the Mizel Insititue.
After the speeches ended, singer Hazel Miller closed the event with a live, hour-long performance, a soul singer and Colorado native.
