Wildlife West Nature Park will join communities across the nation Thursday morning in a solemn tribute to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The memorial service begins at 9:30 a.m. at the nature park in Edgewood and will feature a white dove release conducted simultaneously with similar ceremonies from coast to coast. The coordinated nationwide release is designed to serve as a symbol of unity and honor for the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in the attacks, including the 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers who perished while responding to the tragedy.
“This breathtaking release of white doves will take place here and across the nation—from coast to coast, city to small town—as a tribute of unity and honor,” organizers said in announcing the event.
The ceremony will include guest speakers who witnessed the attacks firsthand and participated in the aftermath in New York City. These speakers will share personal reflections on that day and its lasting impact on the nation.
As part of the memorial observance, Wildlife West Nature Park is offering free admission throughout the day on Thursday to honor and thank first responders for their service and sacrifice.
The Sept. 11 attacks claimed 2,977 lives when hijacked commercial airliners struck the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers fought back against the hijackers aboard United Flight 93.
Wildlife West Nature Park is located at 87 North Frontage Road in Edgewood, approximately 20 miles east of Albuquerque. The public is invited to attend the memorial service.
