Former NFL player reflects on 9/11 at Clovis memorial
CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – 23 years ago, hijackers crashed passenger planes into the Twin Towers in New York City, killing nearly 3,000 people.
The Central Valley community gathered at the Clovis 9/11 Memorial to honor victims and survivors Wednesday.
“Something dramatically, tragically happened on that day,” former New York Giants Defensive End George Martin said.
Martin has spent years working to raise awareness of those who were impacted by 9/11.
He was the keynote speaker at Wednesday’s event, sharing his grief over the tragedy.
“To see how an entire city and subsequently a country can be decimated by such disaster, it hit me and it hit me extremely hard,” Martin said.
He says he is often heralded as an American hero but sees first responders as the real heroes.
Wednesday’s ceremony included the playing of Taps, the 21-gun salute and the singing of the National Anthem.
“It’s a solemn ceremony and very tradition-steeped… It’s a real tribute to those who lost their lives on September the 11th,” California 9/11 Memorial Executive Director Terra Brusseau said.
She says the nation did not stay down that day, though. Americans united, rebuilding a sense of security one day at a time.
“After the attacks, we came together as a country and we were all Americans,” Brusseau said.
“God bless America, and I hope that we continue as one unified front,” Martin said.
Brusseau encourages the community to visit the Clovis 9/11 memorial to reflect on the events.
Each exhibit has a QR code for visitors to scan so they can learn more about what happened that day.
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