It's been more than two decades since Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, flying two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre and one into the Pentagon in Washington (a fourth crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania, following a passenger revolt against the terrorists), killing thousands of people and causing extensive damage.
But those who gather every Sept. 11 at the Peace Arch border to honour those who died on that fateful date in 2001 say the memories of the horrific attacks will never fade.
"I remember it like it was yesterday," Ian Thompson said Friday (Sept. 6), of listening to the news in the wake of the attacks. "I remember it vividly."
Thompson, a 77-year-old Langley resident, is among organizers of the 9/11 Memorial Ride; a procession of some 150 motorcyclists sa国际传媒� many of them first responders sa国际传媒� that will depart Delta at 10 a.m. on Wednesday and travel along Highway 99 to Peace Arch Park for this year's ceremony.
The ride was founded by Guy Morall, who was inspired by a 2002 cross-continent motorcycle trek he made to New York to commemorate the one-year anniversary of 9/11. He wanted a way to respect and honour those who died, Morall told Black Press Media in an earlier interview.
First responders and dignitaries from both sides of the border turn out for the ceremony, which is expected to get underway this year at 10:30 a.m. Oftentimes, it's also attended by a handful of those who served on Sept. 11, 2001, who make the trip to share a moment of silence with their counterparts.
Thompson, who noted he is not a first responder, remembers hearing about the 2001 attacks while driving to work that morning, and thinking initially that the broadcast couldn't possibly be detailing an actual event. Looking around at the reactions of other drivers, he realized it was not a hoax.
He said he got involved with the 9/11 Memorial Ride in the lead-up to its 10th anniversary, after learning about it from a friend and offering to provide various first-responder vehicles for the occasion (Thompson's company provides vehicles for film productions).
He rode one of two motorcycles that he'd offered up that year, and has been part of the event "ever since."
While the ride mainly involves first responders, Thompson encouraged members of the public to be on hand at the border crossing to greet the procession, then stay for the ceremony.
A by-donation barbecue lunch is to follow, with proceeds to benefit the Surrey Firefighters Charitable Society.
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