9/11: Ten Years Later
'You are a hero': Firefighters honor 343 brethren in NYC
Day before 10th anniversary of terror attacks, Obamas, Bush join nation in remembrance
>> york today, this were poignant ceremonies across this city ahead of tomorrow's service at ground zero . new yorkers and visitors alike reflecting stories of loss. more from kevin tibbles.
>> reporter: a somber memorial at st. patrick's cathedral for first responders and their families where young patrick lyons read a letter to the father he never met.
>> dear dad , you died on sleflth 2001 and i was born 26 days later on october 7th . i want you to know that mommy is doing a great job raising me in a happy home .
>> a memorial to the 11 lost from this fire house . today, many quietly paid their respects. inside, they will never be forgotten.
>> what does this place represent to you?
>> it's not a place. it's people. a lot of guys. lost a lot of friends.
>> reporter: at the cross roads of the world, times square visitors took time to remember.
>> to stand up with mesh.
>> the fact that all human beings like us that died, we still cherish them.
>> reporter: bob morris who worked in law enforcement , is here from utah.
>> when one of our brothers get hurt, something happens to them.
>> reporter: and on the eve, it's on everyone's mind.
>> i think the place is safe.
>> reporter: in lower manhattan 's battery park , a sea of stars and stripes bear the names of all who were lost. people came hand in hand to stand together.
>> this is our home and i think today is the day of solidarity.
>> reporter: in bryant park , 2,753 empty chairs for each life lost in new york city .
>> these chairs are not just chairs. they're a person. they represent another human being .
>> reporter: back at the fire house , another call comes in. here, every day remains a day of service to the people of this city. and lester, so many of those young first responders that we spoke to today said the reason they decided to serve was because of the sacrifices made by so many ten years ago. lester?
Flags are carried into St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York during a ceremony Saturday to honor firefighters killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
NBC News and news services
NEW YORK — Firefighters from across the country crowded the sidewalks around St. Patrick's Cathedral on Saturday for a memorial service for their brethren killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Firefighters saluted as 343 flags carried by an honor guard passed, one for each firefighter who died.
"We came here to let these guys know we haven't forgotten about them, 10 years later," said Chris Pace from Las Vegas. "If it had happened in our city, we would have run into that building, too. And they would have been here for us now."
The crowd fell silent as the huge honor guard marched down Fifth Avenue and into the church.
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The nation's largest fire department was holding the service the day before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
During the service, a bespectacled Patrick Lyons, nearly 10 years old, spoke steadily and strongly about his father, Lt. Patrick Lyons of Squad 252 in Brooklyn, who died 26 days before he was born.
"Dear Dad: I just missed meeting you. ... I want you to know that Mommy is doing a great job of raising me," he said. "I know you are in heaven and always watching over me. I love knowing you are a hero. I wish I could have met you."
Video: Solemn day of solidarity in NYC (on this page)
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The FDNY is stronger now, said Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, who was an assistant chief during the attack. He spoke of the tragedy of those who were sickened after working at ground zero.
"The world may have called them brave, but we just call it doing our jobs," he said. "They died doing what they joined the fire department to do: helping others."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the courage of the department, which has about 14,000 uniformed members.
"In the FDNY, our city is lucky to have a group of men and women who can overcome natural fear to serve others," he said.
A polished antique fire engine, with Engine company 343 on its side, was parked in front of the cathedral.
'Still hear his voice'
Many of the firefighters from out of town worked at Ground Zero in the days after the attack, said John Murphy, 50, a battalion chief from Brooklyn.
"People all over the country jumped in their cars and came to New York," he said. "So we know each other from working down there together."
He recalled the horror of watching the buildings collapse on television and knowing that hundreds of comrades were inside.
Story: VP, former presidents laud courage of Flight 93
"We knew it was bad. We didn't know the numbers, but we knew a lot of people just died," Murphy said.
At the service, Ashley Fodor, daughter of Lt. Michael Fodor of Ladder 21, talked about how her father loved telling stories. After he died in the attack, she later lost her mother to breast cancer. She lives in Manhattan now, which makes her feel close to her dad.
"When I walk down the streets I can still hear his voice in my head," she said.
The ceremony was one of many public and private events held nationwide ahead of the anniversary. Here are some of them.
'Hand-in-hand'
At the southern tip of Manhattan, families, friends and strangers clasped hands as a bell clanged at 8:46 a.m. to signify the time the first hijacked plane crashed into the World Trade Center's north tower. The group formed a single-file line that snaked along through an exhibition of American flags, displayed to honor the dead.
Participants wore white T-shirts with light blue image of the towers and the phrase "hand-in-hand, remembering 9/11."
Manhattan resident Dino Fusco brought his two daughters to the event. The 45-year-old father says it was important for them to pay their respects and to learn about the country's history, even when it's sad.
"We lost friends, we felt the loss of the city," he said. "So we don't want to forget. It's important to mark the day."
George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Joyce Rumsfeld, Laura Bush
Charles Dharapak / AP
Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, along with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his wife Joyce Rumsfeld, pause for a moment of silence after laying a wreath at the Pentagon in Washington in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Saturday.
Silent tribute
Former President George W. Bush paid silent tribute to Sept. 11 victims in a wreath-laying at the Pentagon.
Joined by his wife, Laura, Bush placed a wreath of white flowers by the 9/11 memorial stone embedded in the wall outside Corridor 4. That's near where hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building, killing 184 people.
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