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Never Forget
Annual ceremony honors the lives lost on 9/11
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RIO RANCHO — A small group that never forgot one of the United States’ most horrific events gathered Thursday at Vista Verde Community Cemetery and Memorial for a 9/11 remembrance ceremony.
Daniels Family Funeral Services, which has hosted a ceremony for more than 20 years, once again brought together local first responders, community leaders and residents for the solemn moment of commemoration.
“We wouldn’t forget that tragic day 24 years ago,” Daniels General Manager Ray Baldonado said before the ceremony started.
He added that for the people who remember where they were that day, it is important to recognize the 2,977 souls that passed in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania — the number according to the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum website.
“I was on my way to work, driving from Bernalillo to Albuquerque, when I got the phone call from a co-worker telling me what happened,” he said.
He recalled feeling sorrow, anger and worry that day. “It was just a whole lot of emotions.”
One attendee, Leah Dolan, remembers hearing from students at University of New Mexico as a resident advisor.
“Today is just a hard day for me and always has been,” Dolan said.
“I just think of the faces of all those lost in the confusion, the chaos of our country. But what makes me smile is thinking of September 12 and how unified we were.”
Dolan wore a 9/11 New York Fire Department shirt to represent the fire department community and also her husband who is now deputy chief of Rio Rancho Fire and Rescue.
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“That day changed our lives because neither one of us were planning on entering the profession we are now in, and 9/11 encouraged us to change,” she said.
The ceremony highlighted the day through speech, prayer and tradition. One such tradition was the placing of a commemorative wreath. This year, new RRFR Chief James Wenzel held that honor. Wenzel also explained another tradition: the striking of the four fives on a bell.
“The sound of bells holds significance for firefighters because historically the toll of the bell summoned members to the station and signaled the beginning of a shift and indicated a call was completed and the unit had returned to the station,” he said.
“Departments also sounded a series of bells when a firefighter died, to alert members that their comrade had made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The four fives is that series of bells that is also used to render final honors, originating in New York, where departments relied on the bell system for communication. Each firehouse had its own number of strikes.
Chaplain Raymond Archibeque led a prayer, and those gathered also heard from Minister Richard Mansfield.
“Today, we pause to remember all those lives lost. I knew some personally, and I got to meet some of the survivors that moved here to Rio Rancho,” Mansfield said.
Mansfield also talked about the events of Wednesday, when Charlie Kirk was killed.
“Some people are saying this is the 9/11 of this generation,” he said.
But Mansfield stated the community should take it as an opportunity to unify like it did after 9/11.
Additionally, a representative of Mayor Gregg Hull read a city of Rio Rancho proclamation aloud. Hull and the city council met for the regular governing body meeting at the same time the ceremony occurred.
