By By ERIKA PICKLES and MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Sept. 11, 2001, is a day no one in America will ever forget.
Six years later, most easily recall exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the disaster that struck on a perfectly clear September morning.
"I was on duty when it happened," said Niles Charter Township Fire Chief Gary Brovold. "John LaMore and I were standing there and the morning news was on and we saw the first airplane hit.
"We were thinking of the firefighters, going into a planning mode. We said the comment 'this is not good for the fire service.' " He wondered how the firefighters would be able to put the fire out.
"It was a devastating day which glued a lot of us to our television sets. It is definitely a day I will always remember the rest of my life," he added.
Today, on the sixth anniversary of the event, many have gathered, or will gather, to remember those who lost their lives that day. Many will also remember the men and women who continue to fight for our freedom, and those who lost their lives doing so.
"Shock was my reaction. I just couldn't believe it was happening on our soil," said Neil Coulston, City of Niles public works director.
"I had just left a meeting at City Hall, walked out the east door and was met by a citizen that asked if I had heard the news. He then briefly described what he had heard on the radio and that it initially was thought that it was a disabled plane that had flown into the World Trade Center.
"I was headed to another meeting, got into my car, turned on the radio and heard a news reporter explain that is was possible that the crash was caused by an act of terrorism. I decided to go back into City Hall, where in the basement there was a television set, where already a couple of City Hall employees were in the room watching the shocking story unfold.
"For the next several weeks, with a radio on in my office during the day and glued to the TV at home in the evening, I listened to and watched the horrible news. As much as I tried to fight them back, I had tears in my eyes each and every day for weeks. Just a horrible act of murder that I will certainly never forget."
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, affected all Americans as a nation, as a family and as an individual in one way or another. Though we have changed, become a stronger country and more united since the events, one thing still rests of the minds of almost all Americans – the man responsible for this is still free.
"I was at the township (that morning) and I remember someone coming to my office saying something terrible was happening. I went to Marge Durm-Hiatt's office, as she had a television and we watched it together. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was unbelievable," said Niles Charter Township Supervisor William Myers.
"It's a great tragedy. I am sorry the man behind the whole thing is still running free – bin Laden. Our government should do everything to get him. I feel sorry for those who lost their lives in this tragedy and their families. We went to war right afterwards, but I think terrorists would be on our shores if we didn't. We would be in deeper trouble."
Program manager of Niles Main Street Lisa Croteau remembers almost every little detail from that morning.
"I was at home watching the Today Show getting ready to leave for work when Katie Couric came on with breaking news saying a plane had hit one of the World Trade Centers. I listened for a minute, but had to get going so I figured I would just get some more information when I got to work."
When Croteau arrived at the office, she got a phone call on her cell phone from mother, asking her if she had heard what was going on.
"I remember her exact words – 'Oh my God, do you see what is happening?' I didn't have a television at the office, so I went to the internet and read all of the articles about what was going on."
Croteau had to attend a meeting that morning in Edwardsburg. She remembers the drive and how everything felt different that day.
"As I was driving to Edwardsburg, I had the eeriest feeling come across me. The country version of 'Proud to be and American' came on the radio and I remember just looking at the sky. It was the most glorious blue sky and there no clouds and no planes. Everything was very peaceful. I actually started crying. I was scared, but at the time it's like something kept reassuring me that everything was going to be ok," she added.
The events of Sept. 11 were a shock to everyone, and will continue to remind us every year of the devastating events that happened in our country.
For Johnie Rodebush, District 13 Cass County Commissioner, it brought back memories of another hard time in America – Pearl Harbor.
"My heart sank. It brought back memories of Pearl Harbor. I was almost 19 years old then. It is a gut-wrenching thing to me. None of my family were in the wars, but my father took me to a veterans' hospital," Rodebush said.
"I was at a service station – Pete's Marathon – when I heard about the attack on New York. They didn't have a television, so I got home as quick as I could. When I arrived, it was on and the towers were already coming down."
I hope and pray nothing happens and we get through the anniversary time without anything happening. They could do so much more … so quick."
The plan of these terrorist was to tear our county apart, but the exact opposite happened. These attacks brought our country together. The patriotism, the acts of kindness and the country as a whole came together and united – something that wasn't seen in years.
"Since the incident, I think we've been a lot more aware of people around us and our surroundings. I hope we aren't paranoid because of everything, just a little more careful," said Niles High School Principal Jim Knoll said.
The high school had a moment of silence at 8:46 this morning to remember the events that took place in 2001. Knoll had prepared a speech for the entire school, which he read over the announcement system, reminding everyone of the terrible events that happened that day.
"I think the attacks definitely made our country stronger. It was a point when we finally realized that the world is not as safe as we thought it was. It was one of those things where you always think 'It can't happen to me,' and it did. We live in such a free society that things like this don't seem to happen to us, but that was proof that they do. Now we are just a lot more cautious about things we do and we should have been that way all along. But I am proud of how our country has adapted to everything. My family and I now know that bad things do happen, but we'll get through it," Croteau said.
Coulston, who admitted the subject is still a touchy one for him, was glad to see the residents of Niles show their true patriotism.
"I will never forget the patriotism shown by practically every citizen in the Niles area and around the U.S. The display of American flags was amazing on cars, homes and clothing," he said.