BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The annual Parade of Lights events made its way through Raleigh County on Wednesday evening to honor the fallen emergency responder heroes and victims lost in the tragic attacks on September 11, 2001.
Participating vehicles lined up at 6:30pm for the memorial event, which featured emergency response vehicles of various types navigating a route from Independence High School in Coal City into the downtown Beckley area following the 7:30pm departure time.
Vehicles partaking in the “silent” memorial parade displayed their emergency lights but did not sound their sirens in a show of respect for the fallen.
The event was just one of many to have been held in the Raleigh County area on Wednesday in remembrance and in memorial of the victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Similar events to be held included the city’s 9/11 memorial ceremony, which took place at 9:00am on Wednesday morning and saw several speakers address those in attendance. Among these speakers was retired state police officer with the State of New Jersey and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team member, Marianne “Shane” Jervis, who spoke of her own experience in New York responding to the September 11 attacks.
“We couldn’t wrap our heads around what we saw; the carnage; the wailing and the crying of the officers and the firefighters losing their brothers and sisters,” said Jervis of the scene on that day. “[But] I just want to tell you, no matter how bad things look or how much devastation is around, especially today, God is with us.”
For more information on the September 11 attacks visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum website.
