Miami-Dade remembers Sept. 11 victims, first responders and a sacrifice that continues

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Miami-Dade officials gathered Friday at Tropical Park to honor the lives lost that day and remember first responders who have died or suffered lasting health consequences from their work at the World Trade Center.

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The ceremony at the law enforcement officers’ memorial focused on the sacrifice of firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who responded to the attacks, as well as those who later became ill from exposure to toxic dust and debris.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah singled out retired MDFR Chief Robert Suarez, who spent several days working at the World Trade Center site after the attacks. Suarez, now 72, received a standing ovation from those gathered at the memorial.

“Sacrifice is not always measured in a single moment,” Jadallah said. “Sometimes it’s carried for a lifetime.”

Jadallah thanked Suarez and other responders who continue to live with the consequences of their work, as well as those who have died.

“To every responder who continues to carry that burden, and to those who are no longer here to stand among us, we see you, we remember you, and we thank you for your service,” he said.

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For many Americans, the attacks remain a defining collective memory — a day marked by shock, grief, fear and uncertainty that unfolded in real time and continued to shape the nation for years.

But for younger generations, 9/11 is increasingly something learned through history rather than experienced firsthand.

Suarez said the passage of time makes it even more important to preserve the lessons of that day. Among the most important, he said, is the need to have the courage to love, care for and support one another.

The ceremony was one of several events held across Miami-Dade County Friday as communities across the country marked 25 years since the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people and forever changed the nation.

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