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Hundreds pay respects at 9/11 memorial service in Palm Harbor: 'Really touching'

By and FOX 13 News Staff
Published  September 11, 2024 9:39am EDT
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News

9/11 remembrance ceremony in Palm Harbor

Hundreds turned out in Palm Harbor on Wednesday to remember the lives lost in Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. FOX 13's Mark Wilson emceed the ceremony, which was also attended by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Wednesday marks 23 years since the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The effort to keep their memories alive took place across the entire Bay Area, including at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens in Palm Harbor.

"Kids now that are on the fire department weren't even born yet," said former NYFD firefighter Richard Miccio.

In a world increasingly dedicated to small screens, the reality of 9/11 can be found in something about the same size. In Victoria Kikis' hands is proof of America's worst day, a rare shard of glass found amidst piles of dust and steel beams.

"He found this piece," she said, whose husband, Louis Kikis, was a NYFD firefighter on 9/11.

Kikis picked it up during the eight months he spent cleaning up The Pile.

"To have a piece of that history in your hands is really, really touching," she said.

Kirsten Pyatt wears the history around her neck. She showed the ID badge she used to get into the World Trade Center, where she worked for Continental Airlines.

On Wednesday, she was one of hundreds who paid respects at Curlew Gardens to those who died working to rescue people like her, 23 years ago. Her ID was found in the rubble, and given to her six months later.

"The worst thing was people jumping," she said, "I cry every time I see it."

Wednesday's service at Curlew Gardens featured memorials to the Twin Towers, steel that was pulled from the rubble, flyovers by the Coast Guard, and children who are too young to remember what happened, singing.

The helmets with the scars of 9/11 were also on display.

"I looked up and the whole North Tower mushroom over us," said Miccio.

Miccio says the lives lost that day are a reminder that America must always have shared ideals.

"It's like Pearl Harbor, but in our day and age," he said. "We still remember Pearl Harbor. And that's great. So this has to be on the same level."

FOX 13's Mark Wilson emceed Wednesday's ceremony, which was also attended by Governor Ron DeSantis.

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