ATHOL – First responders, town officials and residents gathered Thursday morning at Athol Fire Station for a memorial service to honor those lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

In addition, personnel from the Petersham Fire Department, Athol Police Department, and former Athol Fire Chief Lee Lozier were in attendance, as were Selectboard members Marc Maxwell and Mitch Grosky.

The ceremony was opened with a prayer offered by Grosky, who remembered “the lives lost and the hearts broken on September 11.”

“We honor all those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the families who continue to feel the pain of their absence,” he said. “May we never forget the first responders and the spirit of unity that arose in the face of adversity. Help us to carry forward the lessons learned, fostering love, compassion, and understanding among one another.”

This was followed by a heartfelt rendition of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.” Firefighter Owen Anderholm led the gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a hymn played by departmental bagpiper Todd Bowdridge.

May we never forget the first responders and the spirit of unity that arose in the face of adversity.”

Mitch Grosky

Fire Chief Jefferey Parker then recounted what took place on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, when members of Al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger planes bound for California.

“At 8:45 on that morning,” he said, “an American Airlines Boeing 767, loaded with 20,000 gallons of fuel, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.”

A second airliner, United Airlines Flight 175, struck the south tower at 9:03 a.m. Meanwhile, American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. At 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into the ground near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

A total of 2,977 people from 78 different countries died in the attacks, including 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers who had responded to the World Trade Center.

“I am confident most of us remember where we were, who we were with, and what we were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001,” said Parker.

  • Athol Fire Department bagpiper Todd Bowdridge plays during the 9/11 ceremony held at the Athol Fire Station on Thursday. PHOTO BY GREG VINE
  • Athol Fire Chief Jeffrey Parker speaks at the town’s Sept. 11 ceremony, held on Thursday. PHOTO BY GREG VINE
  • Athol firefighters Owen Anderholm and Francisco Carras toll the bell at the Athol Fire Station as part of the town’s Sept. 11 ceremony held Thursday. The tolling of the bell signals the death of a firefighter in their duties. PHOTO BY GREG VINE
  • Selectboard member Mitch Grosky spoke to the importance of honoring those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. PHOTO BY GREG VINE
  • Athol first responders, town officials and residents attended a Sept. 11 memorial on Thursday. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

The chief called on Anderholm to lower the flag to half-staff as fellow firefighter Francisco Carras tolled the bell – four rounds of five clangs of the bell, which signals the death of a firefighter in their duties. Bowdridge followed with the playing of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes.

Fire Capt. Eric Jacks then recited a 9/11 prayer, followed by Det. Sgt. Doug Kaczmarczyk’s reading of “The Policeman’s Prayer.”

Parker concluded the service by reading “The Firefighter’s Prayer” and reciting a portion of a sermon given by New York Fire Chaplain Mychal Judge on Sept. 10, 2001, the day before he died:

“That’s the way it is. Good days and bad days. Up days. Down days. Sad days. Happy days, but never a boring day on this job. You do what God has called you to do. You show up. You put one foot in front of the other. You get on the rig and go out and do the job – which is a mystery. And a surprise. You have no idea when you get on that rig. No matter how big the call. No matter how small. You have no idea what God is calling you to. But he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.