Celina firefighter Garrett Lane participated in a memorial event in Dallas on Sept. 5, 2026, to honor the sacrifices made by first responders during the 2001 terrorist attacks. Lane, who was in first grade when the planes struck the World Trade Center, recalled being pulled out of school by his father. Now 31, he views remembering that day as a personal duty.
Lane was one of five Celina firefighters who joined approximately 500 other first responders for the event at the Comerica Bank Tower. The group climbed 110 stories to mirror the journey of the 343 firefighters who perished in the building collapse. During the ascent, each participant carried the name tag of a fallen first responder.
Upon reaching the top, the names were read aloud and a bell was rung in their memory.
Lane noted that as time passes, public memory of the events fades. He emphasized the magnitude of the sacrifice made by those who died protecting strangers. "The farther we get and the older we get, a lot of people start forgetting," Lane said.
"We're one of the few that lived through it, even though we were young. It’s amazing, the sacrifice that those guys made on that day for people they didn't know. They lost friends, they lost family and their family lost them."
The physical challenge of the climb was significant for the participants, who were wearing full gear. Lane described the experience as a way to strengthen bonds within the fire service. He compared the group dynamic to the idea that iron sharpens iron, stating that the shared struggle motivates the department to continue serving with pride.