Out of the Smoke Emerged Courage, Unity, and Love: Honoring the Lives Lost on 9/11 and Remembering the Lessons Learned; Local Patriot Day Events Planned
By Jeff Devine
Each year on September 11, Americans pause to honor and remember the lives lost during the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks of 2001. Patriot Day ceremonies are held across the country, including right here in Dale County. There will be a Patriot Day Memorial at Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home today, September 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. While the public is invited to attend the 10:30 a.m. memorial, the staff has extended a special invitation to “all first responders in our community.” The announcement reads, “Please join us as we honor your unwavering dedication and selfless service. As a token of our appreciation, please join us for a ceremony following lunch in your honor.”
Daleville will also hold a Patriot Day Remembrance Ceremony at 9 a.m. at Culpepper Park. Outgoing Council Member Kevin Turley and the Dale EMS & Rescue will open the ceremony. Daleville High School JROTC will participate in posting of the colors, Bro. Jim Peters from Daleville Baptist will offer a prayer, Chief Johnny of Level Plains Police will offer a personal reflection, the Daleville High School Band will participate, there will also be a special flyover followed by closing remarks from Turley and Southeast Alabama AMVETS.
For my own tribute, I want to share not just what happened that day, but how it shaped me and all of us as a nation.
Like so many, I can recall exactly where I was on that morning. I was an eighth-grade student at D.A. Smith Middle School. After leaving my first-period science class, I walked into language arts and sensed immediately that something was terribly wrong. My teacher, Mrs. Heiss, had the TV tuned to the news. Her face carried a mixture of shock, grief, and fear. On the screen, enormous black plumes of smoke–the darkest smoke I’d ever seen–billowed up from a skyscraper in New York. I didn’t yet know the name of the building—I just knew something catastrophic had happened. Moments later, we watched live as a second plane flew directly into the second tower. Even at that young age, I knew the world had just changed irrevocably.
I’ll never forget the sound of my teacher’s gasp, for I had never heard a sound quite like it. It was a mix of disbelief, fear, and pain. At that moment, we all realized our nation was under attack. Soon after, our school went on lockdown due to our proximity to Fort Rucker. The rest of the day, our teachers tried to help us understand what had happened. It was the first time I heard the word “terrorist.” Though I had read the word before, that day was the first time I had ever heard it spoken aloud. Unfortunately, the word became all too common.
When I got home, my mother had CNN on. We watched it constantly in the days that followed. I watched as our leaders from both parties worked to comfort a grieving nation. President George W. Bush spoke of justice and unity, reminding us that “this is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace.” Then-Senator Hillary Clinton walked with then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as they handed out bottles of water and other essentials to first responders and asked them what else they needed. Clinton later spearheaded a bipartisan group of lawmakers who lobbied President Bush for $20 billion in federal aid to help rebuild New York. Bipartisan Congressional leaders also worked with a common purpose to quickly pass a law that established a fund to provide healthcare, treatment, and other aid for first responders and others impacted by the attacks. Leaders from both parties coming together to begin the healing process was a powerful and hopeful moment to witness.
Some memories from that day remain unbearably dark: images of trapped workers falling to their deaths, seeing the towers fall on live television, the rising death toll, and the realization that strangers thousands of miles away hated us enough to carry out such horror and carnage. But alongside those images stand others—firefighters, police officers, and first responders charging into danger, working without rest to save lives. Those men and women demonstrated what true courage and duty mean. They embodied the very best of America: courage, honor, and an unbreakable commitment to their neighbors and to humanity.
Now, 24 years later, we remember not only the tragedy but also the unity that carried us through. Perhaps the greatest way we can honor those who were lost is by living with that same spirit of love, resilience, and purpose—caring for our families, neighbors, and even strangers, while continuing to build an America worthy of their memory.
That is the America we deserve.
