BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — American flags waved alongside first responders, military members, veterans and citizens on the Scajaquada Bridge over the 198 Expressway in Buffalo on Friday as the community gathered to mark 25 years since the September 11 attacks.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed after two planes flew into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and in the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
More than a dozen Western New Yorkers were among those killed in the worst attack ever on American soil.
Tashaira Vezquez of Buffalo attended the ceremony carrying an American flag. She recalled being a young girl in school when the attacks happened and how the tragedy brought the nation together.
"My heart goes out to the families and friends, the loved ones of those who passed away," Vezquez reflected. "It's very, very important to cherish the land that we live in. We have a lot of freedom here."
343 New York City firefighters died that day, making the anniversary especially difficult for Buffalo firefighters, who refer to them as "brothers."
John Otto, president of the Buffalo Professional Firefighters Union, reflected on the meaning of the day.
"The events of 9/11 are an exact representation of everyone and the first responder world. They're here to help," Otto said. "They're here to do whatever they can. And times like this — it's nice to come up here and take a moment of silence and remember. They have the saying, 'Never forget.' I think that's the ultimate thank you that we can do, and today is just a representation of that," Otto remarked.
Dave Kazmierczak, a current Buffalo firefighter, will celebrate his 40th year with the department in October, described a memory that has never left him.
"The hardest thing for me was after the tower collapsed. We had an alarm on our air packs, and that's all you heard were the sounds of alarms going off. And to this day, that still stays with me," Kazmierczak said.
John Lesing, a retired Buffalo firefighter, paid tribute to the 343 who died.
"On that last day — they did their job. They rose to the challenge. Their courage — unlike steel — did not buckle under the stress. They climbed a stairway to heaven through a house of cards to save the day," Lesing said. "They gave, they gave, they gave, so others may live."
WATCH: 9/11 remembrance on Scajaquada Pedestrian Bridge in Buffalo
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