Community Honors 24th Anniversary of 9/11 with Remembrance Ceremony in Front Royal

Beneath a quiet September sky, the community gathered once again at the Front Royal Gazebo for the third annual 9/11 Patriot Day ceremony, hosted by Skip Rogers of the Able Forces Foundation. As in years past, the event brought together residents, veterans, first responders, and local leaders to remember the attacks that shook the nation and to honor the lives lost and forever changed.

“We gather not just to mourn, but to remember—and to teach,” said Rogers as he opened the ceremony. “It’s been 24 years, but we still carry the weight of that morning. And we must never forget.”

Skip Rogers

Rogers, a U.S. Army veteran and longtime advocate for wounded and disabled veterans, founded Able Forces to support those returning from war. His deep connection to service and sacrifice permeated every word as he reflected on the timeline of September 11, 2001.

Just after 8:30 a.m., the crowd stood still as Rogers walked them through the timeline of terror that unfolded over 102 minutes. With each bell toll, a moment was memorialized: the North Tower, the South Tower, the Pentagon, and the final crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Local dignitaries and first responders took turns ringing the bell, including members of the police and fire departments, and veterans who served in the wars that followed.

“This flag above you represents the civilians who died that day in New York,” Rogers explained. “The one below it honors the first responders—those who ran toward the fire when everyone else was running away.”

The ceremony, as in previous years, wasn’t only about remembrance—it was also about storytelling and connection. Rogers and others shared personal experiences from that day and the years that followed. He spoke of the fear in Washington, D.C., as roads and bridges shut down and chaos unfolded around the Pentagon. He recalled the eerie silence in the skies as planes were grounded nationwide.

One particularly moving moment came when Kat Rosemond, a certified EMT and mental health clinician, addressed the crowd. She had responded to the Pentagon on 9/11 and described what she saw in harrowing detail.

Kat Rosemond

“If there was ever a hell on earth, that was it,” she said. “But courage was everywhere. When evil strikes, good people stand up. That’s what I saw then, and it’s what I see in all of you here today.”

Rosemond shared a poem she wrote titled “Hell’s Gate,” a vivid and emotional account of standing among the ruins. Her words moved many in the crowd to tears, capturing the pain, resilience, and strength of that day.

The ceremony also highlighted the often-overlooked legacy of 9/11—the lasting impact on veterans and first responders who served in the aftermath. One speaker, Bruce Townsend, recalled building a POW camp in Iraq with the 800th Military Police Command. He told the story of a fellow soldier and New York City firefighter, Lt. Ron Bucca, who reached the 86th floor of the North Tower before it collapsed. In Bucca’s honor, the facility they built was named Camp Bucca.

Bruce Townsend

“Many of us didn’t know each other back then,” said Townsend. “But we were all connected—by service, by sacrifice, and by that day. We took those memories with us overseas.”

Another reminder of that legacy stood parked nearby: a striking 9/11 tribute motorcycle brought by Ed Cook, a longtime community member. The custom bike symbolizes the spirit of patriotism and the determination to keep those memories alive.

“I bought every raffle ticket they had for that bike,” Cook joked. “And now I want to donate it—to raise money for veterans and first responders. I’ve got nine grandkids and twelve great-grandkids. I want them to grow up in the kind of country we used to know.”

Rogers echoed that sentiment in his closing remarks.

“Our children weren’t there. They didn’t feel what we felt,” he said. “That’s why we must teach them. We must show them. We must explain why we say, ‘Never forget.’ Because this is our shared history, and it must never be erased.”

He expressed hopes of involving more schools in future ceremonies and spoke directly to parents in the audience, urging them to use technology to show their children the reality of that day—not just the facts, but the stories, the people, and the cost.

As the bells rang out for each of the four crash sites, silence filled the air once again. A powerful stillness, broken only by the breeze and the occasional sniffle, served as a shared moment of reflection.

“We’re a small group,” Rogers acknowledged, “but we understand what today means. And we carry it with us—every day.”

The ceremony ended with a call for continued remembrance—not only on Patriot Day, but throughout the year. Rogers encouraged everyone to thank first responders, support veterans, and most of all, to remain united.

“We live in a time when unity feels rare,” he said. “But 9/11 reminded us of who we are. We are Americans. And we are stronger when we stand together.”

Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.