SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Monday marks 22 years since the September 11 attacks and what happened on that tragic day is being remembered across the country. In Spartanburg, the 5th annual Rolling Thunder 9/11 Ceremony honors first responders.
It was a moment in time that would forever change our nation.
“Its brought tears to my eyes on many occasions, and I’ll never forget it as long as I live,” Phillip Perry, Rolling Thunder South Carolina Chapter 2 President said.
When it comes to the 9/11 attacks, everyone has their own story.
“My memory of 9/11 is very vivid. I know exactly where I was at and what I was doing,” Perry said.
Ann Gill with the VFW Post 9539 has her own memory.
“I was home by myself, and I had the TV on. I was standing in the den when I saw the first tower where the plane had crashed into the first tower,” Gill said.
The attacks were felt in every corner of the country.
“I just got sick to my stomach. I thought I was going to just throw up right there,” said Gill. “You could see people jumping out the windows because they couldn’t get down. It was horrible, just horrible.”
Perry added that there isn’t a person who wasn’t touched by that day.
“All the first responders, all the people, the losses, all the families… I think everybody has been impacted by our nation being attacked,” Perry said.
Twenty-two years later, VFW Post 9539 and South Carolina Rolling Thunder Chapter 2, Spartanburg’s Chapter of a nationwide group, were at Morgan Square.
“We got here earlier this morning, and we got the flags put out,” Perry said.
As a way of saying, “we remember you,” Gill added that the VFW “try to honor them in a respectful way and bring it to people’s attention that don’t even know or even think and remember what really happened that day.”
A small thank you, for a big sacrifice.
“To let everybody know that first responders and all were not forgotten, and we are out to make sure of that,” Perry said.
The VFW in Roebuck will be providing free meals to first responders on Monday.
