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About 75 volunteers lined Vista Verde Memorial Park at dawn Tuesday morning to begin the annual tradition of planting nearly 3,000 American flags on the cemetery's hill with the 9/11 memorial serving as a backdrop.
Ray Baldonado, general manager of Daniels Funeral Home and Vista Verde, said the tradition marking the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has been going on for 22 years — since the one-year anniversary of the day that changed America.
Though the attacks struck New York City, Washington, D.C., and a field in Pennsylvania, Baldonado feels the local memorial is fitting. "Especially in Rio Rancho, many residents have family in or are from New York and lost friends and family that day in the World Trade Center," he said.
The number of flags and the time volunteers begin work are not a coincidence, either. Each flag represents a victim of 9/11 — even the unborn ones, Baldanado noted — with the start time marking the local time the first plane struck in the attacks: 6:46 a.m.
Among those planting flags were members of Rio Rancho Fire Rescue and Corrales Fire Department, a fitting tribute as hundreds of first responders, primarily firefighters, were killed while attempting to rescue people from the World Trade Center. There were also Girl and Boy Scouts, local candidates, workers from Rio Rancho's CERT program, veterans and children on hand helping out.
Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull was also out early Tuesday morning. "It's always so wonderful to see this," he said. "It means that we're not going to forget all the people that died September 11 and all the first responders that rushed in to save people, not thinking of their own safety and putting others before themselves. It's a commitment to remember the sacrifice that was made."
He likened the 2001 attack to Pearl Harbor, and the site served as reminder of the lives lost, not just directly in the attacks but in the wars after. "There was a heavy toll that was paid," Hull said.
One of the younger volunteers, Orion Romero, age 10, said he really liked helping planting flags with his parents "to honor the memory of the fallen heroes," his dad said.
"I feel bad," Orion said about what he's learned of the 2001 tragedy. He agreed that thinking of what happened that day before he was born was overwhelming and that he was grateful for all the first responders that stepped up to help. He also feels it's important for his generation to carry on the remembrance of the lives lost in the attacks.
Hull agreed. "It's great how the community comes together to do this flag placement each year and how important it is to keep the memory alive," he said. "If we don't teach our kids about this, we're always one generation away from forgetting."
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A ceremony marking the 9/11 anniversary will be held at the cemetery at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
