SARASOTA – This Sunday marks the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack and one Suncoast University is honoring the lives that were lost.
2,977 American flags were planted at USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Friday, in honor of the lives that were lost on September 11th, 2001.
“This ceremony is one of appreciation; it’s remembrance for what happened and its appreciation for those who served, and those who continue to serve,” said USF President Rhea Law and Regional Chancellor, Karen Holbrook.
The ceremony included a moment of silence, a 21-gun-salute and a patriotic performance by Saint Stephens Episcopal School children’s choir.
Among the speakers at the ceremony was Peter Abbott, who served as executive officer in the office of the first deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department on 9/11. Abbott was one of the many who responded to the World Trade Center from his office at nearby police headquarters after the first hijacked airliner was flown into the North Tower.
“It’s hard to do, it’s very hard to do as you can see, but I also don’t want to not honor the memory of the folks that I was with and the folks that are no longer with us,” said Current Financial Advisor at USF and Former Inspector at the New York City Police Department, Peter Abbott.
Abbott, who was Sarasota’s police chief for eight years and received a master’s degree from USF, shared the vivid memories of what he witnessed that day and the weeks afterwards, paying tribute to the heroic police officers, firefighters and other first responders.
“It just gives us a chance to give thanks to don’t always get said thank you to,” said Abbott.
Abbott says the ceremony should serve as a reminder that we should not take things for granted.
“We have to remember that we have to be vigilant but we also to have to remember that people are willing to sacrifice so that other people will be safe, and it’s easy to say but it’s hard to do,” said Abbott.
