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Defense minister, 9/11 first responders highlight Surrey memorial

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Under a sunny sky and flanked by giant flags, hundreds of men and women in uniform gathered at the Peace Arch border crossing this morning for the annual 9/11 memorial service.

The words “brethren dwelling together in unity”, a permanent fixture on the arch, also complemented the speeches given by many of the speakers.

“What do you do when your closest ally, friend, and neighbour is attacked? You back them up, and that’s what Canadians did,” says Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, who flew in from Europe to attend the ceremony.

During the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Canada was instrumental in helping to ground all remaining aircraft. Some Canadians even opened up their homes to American strangers who had been stranded.

Sajjan adds the unity displayed on that day is still needed today in the fight against the ISIS terror group.

Some 250 uniformed men and women were among those gathered for the ceremony, representing police, border patrol, paramedics, fire teams, and military from both sides of the 49th parallel.

Only one speaker was given a standing ovation: New York paramedic Robert Abril, one of the four 9/11 first responders in attendance.

Abril immediately teared up as he recalled the scene at the World Trade Center towers after the planes struck. His partner ran off to try to save lives, and never returned.

“I gotta think that I saved more lives than I saw people die that day,” Abril says. “All those people that were there, they all wanted to live their lives like we do, but they’re not here. So that’s the hole in my heart.”

One of the 9-11 heroes invited to the ceremony, firefighter Matthew Zimpfer, couldn’t make it. He is in hospital with a 9/11-related lung condition.

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