CHESAPEAKE, Va. - On Saturday, the City of Chesapeake held a moving tribute to honor the victims of September 11, 2001.
Like they have done every year, community members gathered in City Park to lean on one another. The crowd was filled with children, veterans and first responders.
The ceremony held additional sentiment because it took place directly next to the 9/11 memorial. The memorial contains a steel beam from the World Trade Center, a rock from Shanksville and limestone from the Pentagon, currently housed at the Chesapeake Visitor Center, the city said.
Mayor Rick West said, "I think in Chesapeake we've made a true genuine commitment to not forget and I do believe, whether it's me or whoever is in this office, this will continue to happen."
Draped around the fence, surrounding the beam, there were delicate paper chain links. The 3,000 links were made by students in Deep Creek. The names of the victims were written on each.
News 3 spoke with a 20-year-old who was at the ceremony. He was just a baby at the time, but said it's important to remember what happened on 9/11.
"We can't forget what happened here. We need to teach future generations to come, we get back up. We can't forget those people who lost their lives on 9/11," said Hunter Knobel.
The official ceremony also featured Daniel Rodriguez, the 9/11 Singing Policeman, as the keynote speaker. A concert was held afterwards, at noon, at the Bagley Stage. Symphonicity and Daniel Rodriguez, the 9/11 Singing Policeman, performed.
