SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The City of Saratoga Springs honored lives lost and those who served in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, 22 years later. 

The ceremony happened just feet away from remnants of the twin towers, made into a sculpture displayed at High Rock Park. This year’s event featured words from Kathleen Shaw, who responded to the attacks with 150 people as part of the New York State Urban and Technical Search and Rescue Team. 

“22 years,” Shaw said. “I cannot believe it’s been that long. To me, it’s still like yesterday. Many people helped us, not just first responders but also the local people in the community down there brought us food because there was nowhere to get it at that point. The Red Cross; The Salvation Army and a number of other agencies were just phenomenal in the assistance to us.” 

Lieutenant Tucker Bonow, of the Saratoga Springs Naval Support Activity, spoke about the efforts of first responders after the attacks and the message behind “never forget.”

“Everything the military did just meant more now,” Bonow said. “It was that collective sense that we dropped our guard and we let down, those we were supposed to protect, and collectively those serving at the time said never again.”