Friday morning, the Ypsilanti and Eastern Michigan University community gathered to remember those who died in the terrorist attacks 14 years ago.
The ceremony was an opportunity to honor and remember those who were lost and those who responded to the crisis on Sept. 11, 2001.
Along with Eastern students and faculty and the Ypsilanti community members, members of the EMU Police Department, Ypsilanti Police Department, Ypsilanti Fire Department and Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department were also in attendance at the memorial.
Vice President of Communications at EMU, Walter Kraft, welcomed the community to the ceremony and he acknowledged and thanked the first responders in attendance.
“It was a time in our history where we were violated and it brought the country together in a tragic way,” Ypsilanti Police Lt. Deric Gress said.
Eastern alumna, Lydia Seale, sang the national anthem before the crowd participated in a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. — the time when the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center 14 years ago.
After the moment of silence, tapes were played followed by a brief message from Rev. Bryan Schindel and then a prayer by Pastor Sarah Jackson.
After the prayer, Seales sang "God Bless America" and the audience was invited to place carnations on the memorial to conclude the ceremony.
“[My favorite part] was the singing of God Bless America and the placing of the carnations,” said Andre Havard,a junior hotel and restaurant management student.
The ceremony took place at EMU’s 9/11 Memorial behind Pease Auditorium. The memorial included the beam that belonged to the 74th floor of the South Tower, which was only four floors below where the second plane crashed.
