Clayton Carries 9/11 Stories Forward 25 Years Later

CLAYTON, N.C. – 25 years after September 11, 2001, the Clayton community carries forward the stories of those who were lost and the people whose lives were forever changed.

On Friday, September 11, residents gathered at Municipal Park on McCullers Drive to remember that day and hear from people who helped bring its history and impact closer to home.

This year’s gathering looked different as the Town observed the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The morning began with members of Clayton Area Runners carrying an American flag around the park before arriving for the start of the program. Their entrance set the tone for a ceremony that connected familiar traditions with personal accounts of the day.

The Honor Guard presented the colors before the Clayton High School Band performed the National Anthem. Across the park, hundreds of American flags represented the first responders who lost their lives on September 11. A large American flag suspended from a Clayton Fire Department ladder truck rose above the gathering.

Clayton Fire Chief David Ranes asked those in attendance to look beyond the number 343, which represents the New York City firefighters killed that day. Each had family, friends, and coworkers waiting for them at home when they answered the call.

“We tell it so the next generation understands what those firefighters stood for,” said Ranes. “And then we ask them to carry that same spirit of service forward.”

Clayton Police Captain Ken Lunger reflected on the law enforcement officers who responded in the middle of fear and confusion. He connected their actions that morning to the responsibility officers carry in their own communities today.

“Service is about being present when people need you,” said Lunger.

Johnston County EMS Division Chief Ted Hardy looked beyond the immediate response and spoke about survivors and responders who faced physical and emotional effects for years afterward, including those who later became sick or died because of their exposure.

“The effects of a disaster do not always end when an emergency is over,” said Hardy.

This year’s program also brought personal voices into the ceremony in a new way. Through Remembering 9/11: Share Your Story, the Town invited people in the Clayton area to reflect on where they were and how the events of that day touched their lives.

Five of those accounts became part of the ceremony. Two participants joined the Town in person, while written reflections from three others were read on their behalf.

Katie Pereira was in second grade when she lost her father on September 11. He worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and was on the 64th floor of the North Tower that morning. Pereira spoke about what she remembers and how losing her father has remained part of her life.

Kenneth Leonard offered a firsthand look at the response. Working as a gas operations supervisor, Leonard made his way into New York City on September 11 and responded to a reported gas leak near City Hall. He went on to work 12 hour shifts for weeks in and around Ground Zero, witnessing the destruction left behind.

Alex “Jay” Steel volunteered to respond with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration after watching the attacks unfold. He arrived at Ground Zero about four days later, where his work included searching alongside other responders and fitting them with respirators because the safety of the air was unknown. Steel also recalled a young girl who stopped him on his way to Ground Zero, thanked him, and gave him a teddy bear that she said would keep him safe. He still has it today.

Eugene “Gino” Durante, a retired NYPD police officer and lifelong Brooklyn resident, reflected on working during the attacks and standing shoulder to shoulder at Ground Zero with two close friends who have since died. Durante said he remains in good health today but continues to carry survivor’s guilt.

Kelly Young, who now works with the Town of Clayton Parks and Recreation Department, was teaching English at Clayton High School when news of the attacks reached her classroom. As she and her students watched the events unfold, Young tried to help them understand what they were witnessing. Looking back, she said she hopes her students remember the compassion, kindness, and generosity they saw in the response rather than the fear and anger of that day.

Together, the five accounts showed how September 11 reached people in different places and circumstances. They also put individual faces and memories behind an event that younger generations know only through history.

The ceremony closed with the tolling of the bells, a fire service tradition used to honor those whose service has ended. As the bells sounded across Municipal Park, attendees were asked to remember the lives lost that morning and those who died in the years that followed.

As fewer people are able to say they remember where they were on September 11, sharing these stories becomes even more important. Clayton’s 25th anniversary observance honored those memories while helping another generation understand why they still matter.

Those who were unable to attend can watch the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in its entirety on the Clayton Fire Department Facebook page.