Canadians killed in 9/11 attacks honoured during St. Catharines tree planting ceremony

Friday marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.

In St. Catharines Thursday, more trees were planted along the city’s 9/11 Memorial Walkway to honour Canadian victims, survivors and first responders, with the hope that the tragedy is never forgotten.

On that day 25 years ago, the world watched in horror as a plane flew into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre in New York City, and then disbelief minutes later as another plane struck the South Tower.

“I think there was a sense that something had changed, like that the world was a different place, but I don’t think any of us could have ever fathomed how,” said St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe.

The attack on the World Trade Centre, as well as the hijacking of two other planes that day, killed nearly 3,000 people — a day many will never forget, even in St. Catharines.

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“One of the firefighters had the TV on and we watched the events unfold on TV,” said St. Catharines Fire Chief Dave Upper. “It was just very hard to comprehend and I know they used the word ‘surreal,’ but it was.”

Siscoe and other government officials on Thursday remembered and honoured the 24 Canadians killed in the attacks, as well as several others whose lives were forever changed on that day.

Canadians stepped up to help in so many ways in the aftermath, and despite strained relations now between Canada and the U.S., Siscoe says that’s all politics.

“But at the end of the day, I think Canadians themselves still care for Americans and American residents, the same way they did 25 years ago,” said Siscoe. “The frustration is very much with politicians and the political aspects of this.”

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More trees were planted along the 9/11 Memorial Trail in St. Catharines, with plaques with the names of the Canadian victims, survivors and first responders lining the path.

25 years and a whole generation of people who either don’t remember, or weren’t born yet on Sept. 11, 2001.

The people that attended the event say it is so important to keep the memory of the tragedy alive.

“People need to know the story, they need to know about the victims, they need to know about the first responders and the heroism that they showed,” said U.S. Consul General Baxter Hunt.

Thousands of people will gather in New York City and around the world on Friday, including in our area, to remember.

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