By: Greg Knight, News of the North
September 11, 2025, 24 years after the day the world changed forever. 9/11.
Across the State of Alaska, remembrances were held in many boroughs and communities. In Juneau, one of the largest remembrances in the state was held at Riverside Rotary Park in the Capital City.
Capital City Fire Rescue Chief Rich Etheridge spoke to why the day of remembrance is so important, even more than two decades later.
“So many people gave their lives, had lives taken, and it was the one moment in our history that I was aware of where we all came together, not just as a nation, but as a world, to stand up and look out for each other.” Ethridge said, “It was a moment in time that lasted for a little bit, and it started to fade. And so, you know, we’ve all promised never to forget that day and those events and really live up to what it was and celebrate the heroes that charged in, even though they knew that it was a one way trip.”
Alaska Representative Andi Story, whose District 3 seat ranges from Juneau north, attended the event.
“So many people lost their lives that day, and we need to let the families know that we care for them.” Story said, “We haven’t forgotten so many people went and served and tried to move our country more towards peace. And their efforts are admirable, and they suffered for it, and we need to stand with them.”
We remember. But what does it mean to remember now, after two decades, a new generation, and the scars that never fully heal? The story of 9/11 isn’t just about history; it’s a living question.
How do we keep honoring the past without being chained to it?
We never forget.