First responders, elected officials and community members gathered in downtown Bradenton Friday morning for the Manatee County Fire Chiefs’ Association’s annual Tribute to Heroes Ceremony, remembering those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and honoring the first responders who answered the call that day.
The ceremony was held at Rossi Park near the First Responder Memorial as the nation marked 25 years since the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
Retired New York City firefighter Phillip Tesorio, who served with FDNY Ladder 11, delivered the keynote address, bringing a personal connection to the New York City Fire Department and the first responders whose lives and careers were forever changed by Sept. 11.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Palmetto Mayor Dan West and Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown were also among the speakers during the ceremony. Local firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel and other members of the emergency services community joined residents and local leaders for the remembrance.
The annual ceremony included an Honor Guard presentation, flag ceremony, 21-gun salute and dove release. The observance provided a solemn reminder of the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and civilians who died on Sept. 11, as well as those whose lives were forever changed by the events of that day.
The Tribute to Heroes also recognized the lasting legacy of service and sacrifice that followed the attacks. The ceremony honored those who made the ultimate sacrifice while recognizing the men and women who continue to serve and protect communities throughout Manatee County.
The gathering at Bradenton’s First Responder Memorial has become an annual opportunity for the community to remember those who never returned home, honor those who responded and ensure the events and sacrifices of Sept. 11, 2001, are not forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, Friday’s ceremony continued that tradition of remembrance while connecting a defining moment in the nation’s history with the first responders who continue to answer the call today.