CAMDEN — “The heroes of 9/11 didn’t just give their lives on a single morning,” said Camden Police Chief Allen Weaver. “For many, they gave their lives over a span of decades, fighting the invisible wounds brought home from Ground Zero. Their names belong on our monuments just as clearly as those who fell in the initial dust.”

Many survivors and responders are in Maine now. They are among us. Those who suffered the scars of Ground Zero, 25 years ago, before moving north. Those from Maine who raced to help, not waiting for an invitation. Those who carry the profound expectations of the uniform, as exemplified by those of that day who ran toward instead of away. And, those who continue to view the events of September 11, 2001, not as a day, but as a lifetime. 

Post 30, American Legion, in Camden, hosted a 25th anniversary commemoration, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, (the 85th anniversary of the day in 1941 when the Pentagon construction broke ground), bringing together speakers representing the military and emergency responders, all entwining a multi-generational promise: we never forget.

In the audience were others with their own stories, such as the couple on the other side of New York City who dropped their work lives for a week and headed to the family community center near Ground Zero to help find resources for the lost and hurting families.

Had speaker Ray Lewis’ 10:30 a.m., appointment been moved up an hour, he would have been among the deceased when the Pentagon was hit. He was not the only one at today's commemoration to pause to let tears and throat lumps fade.

Commander Brent Wucher was in the military before and after 9/11 and is now watching younger generations acquire the promise to never forget. Wucher spoke of his enlistment officer, who later died while piloting the fateful plane that went into the Pentagon.

Though the tragedy unfolded in New York, its shadow reaches deeply into the Pine Tree State, said Weaver. In the long, agonizing weeks of recovery at Ground Zero, agencies from all over New England stood up to help. The mutual aid convoy included Maine police officers, State troopers, and Sheriff’s deputies. They assisted NYPD and federal agencies with perimeter security, traffic control, and logistical support around lower Manhattan.

Maine firefighters went to help offset the loss of 343 NYFD firefighters, paramedics, and chaplains.

“When the world witnessed unimaginable terror, we also witnessed unimaginable love, duty, and courage,” said Camden firefighter Connor Howland. “While no active-duty Maine firefighters were killed in the initial attacks, the bond between the Pine Tree State and the heroes of Ground Zero is deep, permanent, and unbreakable….They didn’t wait for an official invitation. They went because their brothers and sisters were hurting.”

There are also those who lived, but suffered the aftermath: cancer and other health problems.

In October 2019, an NYFD firefighter now living in Wiscasset was diagnosed with an aggressive form of liver cancer, directly related to exposure to toxins at the World Trade Center site. He passed away in 2020 at age 53. Firefighters from across Maine, including Bath, Brunswick, Topsham, and Woolwich, joined a massive procession along Route 1 to honor him as a line-of-duty casualty.

At Camden's 25th anniversary ceremony, the Legion also honored a request from a Warren resident: when reading aloud, please include the names of her friends who'd died that day. The Legion was happy to do so.

As Weaver said: “We must make sure that sacrifices made on 9/11 are never reduced to mere historical footnotes. The 72 law enforcement officers who gave their lives do not do so in vain. They left behind a legacy of resilience, structural vigilance, and a profound call to action for us to carry on our work with the exact same passion, integrity, and compassion. As we look at the badges on our chests today, let us renew our promise to look out for one another, to protect our community with everything we have. And above all: never forget.”

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com.