Charlotte honors lives lost 25 years after 9/11

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte is remembering the 9/11 terrorist attacks 25 years later.

The day shook the nation and put a spotlight on first responders and their selfless efforts to save lives.

In Uptown, two massive pillars of light shine up from Romare Bearden Park, representing the Twin Towers. On the ground below lies a sea of American flags, honoring each of the 2,977 people lost that day.

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For many, the images and emotions of that morning have never left. For first responders, like Hank Suhr, the sense of duty that followed the attacks continues to drive them to serve.

“9/11 solidified that I was going to have to do something internally, and I felt like joining the police department was the best thing I could do,” he told Channel 9’s Lauren Crawford.

For many at the memorial, remembrance has a name and a face.

“My brother was an NYC fireman that was killed that day, and he walked through the lobby of the North Tower in the service of others, and we can’t let that go,” John Howell, a board member with the F.F. Steven Coakley Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to 9/11 remembrance and supporting first responders.

But 25 years later, remembering isn’t only about what was lost. It’s also about what came after.

“People made enormous sacrifices for each other, weeks and months that followed, giving, I hope people will take that away from that day,” Howell said.

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In a statement, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein reflected on the 25th anniversary of the attacks:

“On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we remember the nearly 3,000 innocent lives who were killed that day, hundreds of first responders who died because of their heroic efforts, and countless others whose lives were forever changed. Just as much as the horrific images from that day are seared in our minds, so are the heroes who responded.

“This year, during America’s 250th year, we cherish what it means to be an American: to love freedom, justice, security, democracy, and peace. Let us honor the memories of our heroes: the brave passengers of Flight 93, the firefighters who rushed toward danger as people ran for their lives, and the neighbors who helped their neighbors through unthinkable tragedy. And let us remember that there is more that unites than divides us. America is strongest when we stand together.”

The remembrance continues through Friday night, when the twin beams will rise again above the Uptown sky. Organizers say they’re designed to be seen for miles — a reminder of two towers that are gone, and the thousands of people who are not forgotten.

WATCH: Channel 9 remembers 9/11 terrorist attacks 25 years later