SAN ANGELO, TX — The City of San Angelo held a solemn 9/11 remembrance ceremony Thursday morning at the city’s 9/11 monument near Celebration Bridge, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and recognizing the enduring impact on the nation and local community.
Hosted by the San Angelo Fire and Police Departments, the event featured remarks from city leaders, military officials, and a former FDNY firefighter who served at Ground Zero.
“We stand together—not just in grief, but in a shared promise that San Angelo will never forget,” said Fire Chief Patrick Brody, who opened the program by naming local dignitaries in attendance, including State Rep. Drew Darby, Mayor Tom Thompson, County Judge Lane Carter, and city council members.
“The steel beam behind me, pulled from the wreckage from Ground Zero, anchors our local 9/11 monument," he said. "It is more than just twisted metal. It is a sacred artifact. It represents loss, sacrifice, and the unwavering strength of the American people.”
San Angelo 9/11 Ceremony 2025 Fire Chief Patrick Brody
Darby delivered a speech reflecting on the national response to the attacks, saying that it was the courage of ordinary Americans—not the destruction caused by terrorists—that defined that day.
“The first responders of that day are not here with us now, simply represented by these flags before me,” Darby said. “But others who answered the call share the same heart, the same spirit, the same love for your community.”
San Angelo 9/11 2025 State Rep. Drew Darby
San Angelo 9/11 2025 Drew Darby
Mayor Thompson also shared personal memories of 9/11 and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to educating future generations about the attacks and the sacrifices that followed.
“We will never forget,” he said. “We will continue that obligation as long as we stand here and this memorial stands here.”
San Angelo 9/11 2025 Mayor Tom Thompson
The keynote speaker, Col. Jason A. Gerber, Commander of the 17th Training Group at Goodfellow Air Force Base, recounted his own experience as an ROTC cadet on Sept. 11, 2001, and the moment he realized his life—and military service—had changed.
“Your lives have just changed,” Gerber recalled being told. “What you do for the next 20 plus years of your active duty military service will forever be marked by what just occurred."
San Angelo 9/11 2025
He also honored Bill Hayes, a retired FDNY firefighter and U.S. military veteran who responded to Ground Zero and worked on the debris pile for days, later deploying to Afghanistan. Hayes shared a firsthand account of the confusion, destruction, and heroism that defined the days following the attacks.
“There is no textbook," Hayes said. "There is no operating procedure for two commercial aircraft striking two 110-story high-rises. ...
“We literally got down to digging with our bare hands."
Nearly 3,000 flags were placed around the memorial site, each representing a life lost. The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and the City’s Civic Events Department assisted with setup.
Chief Brody closed his remarks with a simple promise: “San Angelo remembers. San Angelo honors. San Angelo will never forget.”
San Angelo 9/11 2025
San Angelo 9/11 Ceremony
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