All across the country and state people gathered in their towns to remember the 12 years since September 11, 2001.
In Wallingford, the town held their annual Remembrance Day Ceremony. They welcomed Dan Holdridge, a 911 survivor and Connecticut native to share his experience.
He speaks across the country in hopes of changing lives.
More than 100 people gathered at Wallingford’s Town Hall Wednesday. It wasn’t a celebration but a day of remembrance for the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001.
“The 16 and 17-year-olds today were just toddlers when this happened and this is history to them so it’s our job to make sure they understand the importance of it,” said Wallingford Fire Chief Peter Struble.
“We have to be good to each other, that’s what makes the world go round,” said Betty Holroyd of Wallingford. “If you’re not good to each other it’s not worth living, I do for you so you do for someone else.”
For many the memory of that terrifying day is still in the back of their mind, and for others, like Dan Holdridge, it’s very much alive.
“It picked Bobby and I up and threw us a good distance and the building came down on top of us, I thought I died,” said Holdridge.
Holdridge survived but 184 of his colleagues at the Pentagon did not.
He travels across the country now, sharing his testimony of appreciation of life, of giving back to others, of being good to each other.
“We all have 911’s in our lives from different degrees but no matter what they go through appreciation will always beat out fear.”
Dan is also the author of a book titled, Surviving September, 11th. One of the things that he challenges people to do is spend 90 minutes wring down all the things you want to do in life, all the place you want to visit and challenge yourself to do those things.