Members of the Pahrump community gathered Friday, Sept. 11, to remember the lives lost during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and honor the first responders, military personnel and civilians whose actions demonstrated extraordinary courage that day.
Hosted by the Pahrump Valley Rotary Club, the 25th anniversary memorial began at 8:30 a.m. on the grounds of The Calvada Eye. The ceremony included prayers, patriotic observances, community speakers and the ringing of a bell at the times marking pivotal moments in the attacks.
The Nye County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard opened the ceremony with the presentation of the colors. Pastor Doug Landers of South Valley Baptist Church then delivered the invocation, offering prayers for the families who lost loved ones and for those who have carried the effects of the tragedy during the past 25 years.
Landers also recognized the service of military personnel, first responders and medical professionals.
“We thank you today for our military. We thank you for our first responders. We thank you for our medical fields,” Landers prayed. “We pray for these men and women, these brave heroes. We pray for your protection upon them. We pray for your protection upon their families.”
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, vocalist Phyllis Howell performed the national anthem and encouraged those gathered to join her in singing.
Pahrump Valley Rotary Club President Deb Beatty welcomed those in attendance and reflected on the lasting pain experienced by the families of those killed in the attacks.
“No amount of time can fully erase the pain felt by the families who lost a piece of their hearts that day,” Beatty said. “But through our shared grief, we also reaffirm our collective strength and our enduring promise: We will never forget.”
Rotarian Jeffrey Dye served as master of ceremonies. Dye said the annual memorial has become one of his favorite Rotary events because it brings together residents who remember the attacks, those who served and younger generations who had not yet been born when they occurred.
“I don’t think there’s anybody here who doesn’t remember exactly what the weather felt like that day, what your family was doing that day and how that morning went until the news took all of our attention,” Dye said.
A fire truck connected to the response in New York on Sept. 11 and later donated to the local fire department was displayed at the memorial, providing attendees with a tangible connection to the events of that morning.
Past Rotary Club President Roy Mankins spoke about the creation of the memorial’s reflection area. He said the Rotary Club began looking for a meaningful community project approximately 10 years ago and recognized that Pahrump lacked a permanent place dedicated to remembering 9/11.
Mankins also recalled watching the attacks unfold on television from his home. He initially struggled to comprehend what he was seeing before the second plane struck the World Trade Center’s South Tower.
“I looked and people were jumping out the windows, and the first responders were running into the smoke,” Mankins said. “I just could not believe how courageous they were to do this. Many of them lost their lives.”
He said the attacks changed the nation and its way of life, while emphasizing the importance of continuing to teach younger generations about what happened.
“Never forget,” Mankins said. “Do me a favor, pray for us, be kind to your neighbor and let’s make this all work.”
The ceremony paused at 8:46 a.m. for the first bell observance, marking the moment American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Additional bells sounded at 9:03 a.m., when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower; 9:37 a.m., when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon; and 10:03 a.m., when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
The memorial program also featured the Silver Tappers, with B.J. Hetrick-Irwin (101) leading them, as well as remarks from Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Chief and Emergency Services Director Scott Lewis, Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill, Assemblyman Greg Hafen II, Nye County Commissioner Ian Bayne, former Nye County Commissioner Frank Carbone, Mikey Roohan of KPVM-TV and Pahrump resident Reva Brown.
Landers returned to offer the closing prayer, bringing the community observance to an end with another expression of gratitude for those who serve and a continued commitment to remembering the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were taken 25 years ago.
