To honor the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School held an early morning assembly that welcomed first responder parents, friends and students.
Principal Sharon Krahl led the assembly by recounting the events of 9/11 to the students.
“On Sept. 11, 2001, some very tragic events took place. People who were not acting with love or respect caused a lot of harm by using airplanes to attack buildings in New York City and Washington, D.C.,” Krahl said to the students.
She said that as people reflect on the events today, they should remember the acts of courage and kindness that first responders and bystanders showed, which tie into pillars of Catholicism. She wanted the students to remember that even in the face of great tragedy, good acts shine through.
Krahl introduced retired New York police officer John Dove, who was a first responder on 9/11, to say a few words to the students.
“Today will always be a sad day to me and many other people in the country,” said Dove. “But seeing you all here today with your flags and parents and everybody else really makes me happy that we are not forgetting what happened that day. That those memories are still alive.”
Dove said he felt honored to be invited to speak to the students and tell them about his experience, although he was not seeking recognition. It was more important to him to tell the students that despite the horrible events of that day, hate lost.
“I saw it with my own eyes. The thing I remember the most is the love I saw that day,” said Dove.
Dove wanted to remember the anonymous heroes who also ran toward danger to save people. He said they were ordinary people from all backgrounds coming together and they deserved the title of hero just as much as the first responders. Dove asked that the students remember to act with love and not hate in memory of those unnamed heroes.
To honor the first responder parents who came to the assembly, students sang songs and waved flags for them. They were also given roses to walk over to their parents. Some tears were shed and gratitude was given as the students reunited with their parents. Krahl said she was grateful to be able to honor the many first responder parents who have students in the school.
“We just want our kids to know the price of freedom and how it is not free,” said Krahl. “How grateful they should be to live in the country we live in, for the kids to understand the people who have come before us paved the way to allow us to live the life we live. We’re so lucky.”
