COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Georgetown resident Don Finkenkeller remembers the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center like it was yesterday.
He was a manager at Walmart about to perform an audit in the break room until he heard news that a plane had just struck one the North tower.
They plugged in a T.V. from the showroom and watched as the second plane flew into the South tower.
"That second plane hit right when we got the T.V. up and running. I'll never forget that, and we were just in awe that day" Finkenkeller said.
As an army veteran, he felt devastated, angry and ready to go back out and fight, and he relives the feeling every anniversary.
Therefore, he always makes sure to commemorate, visiting museums and monuments like the War on Terror site located at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.
But he's not the only person commemorating.
The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board hosted its annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the site to honor first responders and veterans.
Board member of the non-profit organization and Brazos County Sheriff Wayne Dicky says it's a way to get the community involved.
"I think it's an opportunity for us to remember and for people to know what happened that day," Dicky said.
The 2023 ceremony included a presentation for first responders who died and a keynote address from W. Nim Kidd, the Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management who served as the Plans Section Chief for Texas Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team that responded to the attack.
Dicky says the ceremony served as a way to never forget the attacks and to educate the community.
"We look back 22 years to 9/11, we know that freedom is not free and our safety comes at a cost," Dicky said.
The ceremony began at 5:30 p.m.